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Intel Smart Video Recorder: Troubleshooting Notes from Tech Support
Contents:
TROUBLESHOOTING NOTES FROM TECHNICAL SUPPORT - OVERVIEW
This document contains solutions to the more common problems experienced
by Intel Smart Video Recorder users. This document is no longer being
updated due to the replacement of the Intel Smart Video Recorder with
the Intel Smart Video Recorder Pro product.
NO SOUND DURING PLAYBACK
Symptom:
No audio is heard when playing back a video clip using Video for
Windows. Sound was heard when the video clip was captured.
Description:
The problem could be related to the sound board software configuration.
Solution:
Make sure the sound board software is installed and configured
correctly. You may need to reinstall the Windows software that came
with your sound board.
Some sound board software requires that a record switch be set to record
sound from either the microphone or the line input. Check the
documentation that came with the sound board.
Make sure that the Audio box is checked in the Video Capture dialog
screen in Video for Windows. Also check the Audio Setup and the Audio
Level before capturing the video.
See Also: Document 8010, "Video Capture: System Setup for Best
Playback."
SOUND GAPS AND CHOPPY VIDEO IMAGES
Symptom:
Video clips have sound gaps (also known as "sound hiccups") and choppy
video when played back.
Description:
Microsoft Video for Windows integrates the audio and video. The
advantage of this is that the video and audio will not slip out of sync.
The disadvantage is that sometimes the audio will pause and wait for
the video to catch up if the system doing the playback is not fast
enough.
Solution:
There are several ways to solve the problem of sound hiccups and choppy
video playback:
* Reduce the space the playback will take on the screen. For example
if playing back at 320x240, try playing back at 160x120.
* Reduce the audio sampling size.
* Close down all background applications.
* If playing back from a hard disk, try playing back the video clip
from memory (a RAM disk) instead.
* If playing back from a CD, try playing back the video clip from
your hard drive instead.
* Upgrade to a faster system.
See Also: Document 8010, "Video Capture: System Setup for Best
Playback."
VERTICAL, MULTI-COLORED LINES APPEAR ON THE VIDCAP SCREEN
Symptom:
Multi-colored vertical lines appear on the VidCap screen.
Description:
The daughter card (capture module) is not firmly seated on the Intel
Smart Video Recorder board. Occasionally the daughter card loosens
during shipping.
Solution:
Place the Intel Smart Video Recorder (daughter card facing up) on a hard
surface and press down on the capture module until it snaps into place.
VIDEO PREVIEW WINDOW IN VIDEO FOR WINDOWS IS BLACK
Symptom:
The video preview window in Video for Windows is black (i.e., a black
box is displayed instead of video images).
Description:
The cause is either:
* An IRQ conflict.
* A loose or bad connection along the input path.
* A loose daughter card (capture module).
Solution:
First, capture a video image using the VidCap utility in Video for
Windows to determine the exact cause of the black preview window.
* If an error message, such as "Wave input device not responding," is
received during the video capture, the system has an IRQ conflict.
Use the INTEL SMART VIDEO RECORDER config applet in Control Panel
to select a different IRQ setting for the Intel Smart Video
Recorder (valid IRQ settings are 9, 11, and 15).
* If no error message is received during the video capture, the
problem may be with the input path. Check and secure all cable
connections.
* If the video preview window in Video for Windows is still black,
make sure the daughter card on the Intel Smart Video Recorder is
firmly seated.
* If you are using a camcorder and the VidCap video preview window is
still black, make sure that the camera is on, that the lens cap is
off, and that you have selected the correct video input source
(Composite or S-Video) in Video for Windows.
See Also: Document 8062, "Video Capture: Troubleshooting Hardware
Conflicts."
GRAINY OR POOR QUALITY VIDEO WHEN PREVIEWING OR PLAYING BACK VIDEO
Symptom:
Video is grainy or of poor quality when played back or previewed (in the
video preview window).
Description:
You are using a 16-color VGA driver.
Solution:
Use a VGA driver that supports 256 colors or higher. Contact the
manufacturer of your VGA board and ask for a 256-color, Windows
3.1-compatible driver.
UNABLE TO CAPTURE A SINGLE FRAME OF VIDEO
Symptom:
Unable to capture a single frame of video in VidCap.
Description:
The steps for capturing a single frame were not done in the correct
order.
Solution:
To capture single frames of video, often referred to as "stills," open
the VidCap utility in Video for Windows and follow the steps below:
1. Specify a capture file and set up the video and audio input
sources.
2. Start your input device.
3. Select Frames... from the Capture menu. Click the mouse button to
capture a single frame of video. With each click of the mouse
button, another single video frame will be captured.
4. Stop your input device.
5. Use the VidEdit utility in Video for Windows to edit the capture
file as desired.
6. Use VidEdit to copy a single frame to the clipboard.
7. Paste the clip where you want it to appear in your graphics
application.
See Also: The Microsoft Video for Windows User's Guide.
VIDEO PLAYBACK IS POOR ON SOME SYSTEMS
Symptom:
Video playback (speed and image quality) is poor on some systems.
Description:
The system being used is not optimized for best video playback. The
performance of a system is based on the type and speed of the components
that make up the system. The faster the microprocessor, the video card,
the controller and the hard drive, the better the video capture and
playback performance will be.
Solution:
Optimize your system for best video playback.
UNABLE TO LOCATE AN AVAILABLE INTERRUPT
To resolve the error "Unable to locate an available interrupt", try the
following:
* Do a clean boot of the system.
* Check to see if any devices are assigned to IRQ 2. Since IRQ 2 can
cascade into IRQ 9, devices assigned to IRQ 2 may create a hardware
conflict in your system.
* Make sure the Intel Smart Video Recorder has its own IRQ setting
and is set to one of the valid interrupts (9, 10, 11, or 15).
See document 8062 "Hardware Conflicts" for more information on resolving
IRQ conflicts.
Customer Report:
A customer reported receiving this error after installing the Intel
Smart Video Recorder in a Compaq Deskpro 486/33 machine.
INSUFFICIENT MEMORY OR DISK SPACE
Symptom:
The Intel Smart Video Recorder Windows SETUP program reports the error:
"Insufficient memory or disk space."
Description:
This means that either Windows does not have enough memory to run the
SETUP program, or there is not enough space on the hard drive to install
the software.
Solution:
First try closing down other background applications (except Windows
Program Manager). If this does not clear the error message:
1. Replace your VGA color driver with the standard Windows VGA
driver.
2. Install the Smart Video Recorder Windows SETUP program.
3. Reload your VGA color driver and rerun Windows in enhanced mode.
UNABLE TO INITIALIZE A CAPTURE DEVICE
Symptom:
VidCap issues the error message: "Unable to initialize a
capture device."
Description:
VidCap reports this error when one of these occur:
* Your system has an IRQ conflict,
* The daughter card (capture module) on the Intel Smart Video
Recorder is not seated properly,
* The Smart Video Recorder software was installed in the wrong order,
or
* The Smart Video Recorder software installation is not complete.
Solution:
Follow the procedures for identifying and resolving an IRQ conflict.
See document 8062. If you determine that your system does not have an
IRQ conflict, make sure the daughter card is properly seated on the
Intel Smart Video Recorder.
If you are still receiving the error message, "unable to initialize a
capture device," reinstall the Smart Video Recorder software:
1. Install Microsoft Video for Windows. (If it's not already
installed).
Note: See your Video for Windows documentation for more information.
2. Run the Smart Video Recorder Windows SETUP program to install the
drivers and configure the board.
It is important that you install the software in the order shown above.
Complete instructions for installing the Intel Smart Video Recorder are
in Chapter 1 of the Intel Smart Video Recorder Installation Guide and
Video Tips manual.
See Also: Document 8062 "Intel Smart Video Recorder: Troubleshooting
Hardware Conflicts" and the Intel Smart Video Recorder Installation
Guide and Video Tips manual.
VIDEO IMAGE LOOKS TORN OR BENT AT THE TOP
Symptom:
Images coming from a VCR show a pattern of distortion at the top of the
screen. This distortion makes the image appear as though it has been
torn or bent at the top.
Description:
The torn image is caused by a weak video synchronization signal coming
from the VCR.
Solution:
In many cases, hooking up a different VCR to the Intel Smart Video
Recorder fixes the problem. If switching to a different VCR does not
solve the problem, try the following:
* Make sure the VCR box is checked in VidCap
* Use the S-Video input source (if using composite video)
* Reinstall the Intel Smart Video Recorder card in the slot that is
farthest from your system's power supply
* Leave an empty slot on one or both sides of your Intel Smart Video
Recorder card
* Make sure the Intel Smart Video Recorder daughter card (capture
module) is properly seated
* Make sure the video cable is not lying parallel to any power cables
(the power cable can induce noise into the video cable)
If the video image is still torn at the top of the screen, contact Intel
Customer Support for a return authorization number (RMA).
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