CapTV ver. 2.0 User manual Contents:   About CapTV   System Requirements   Installation   Windows 95/98/98SE   Windows 98ME   Windows NT4   Windows 2000/XP   Mouse Menu Layout   Configuration   Device   Compression   Source   Display   Format   Capture   Image Set   Sequence   Timed Capture   Timeout   Video File   File Names   Video Rate   Audio Rate   View   Full Screen Size   Video Rate   Mouse   Preview Window   Taskbar Icon   Capture   To clipboard   Image   Video   Sequence   Image Set   Misc. Functions   Image Processing   Negative View   Water effect   Grid   Lock Device   TV   Properties   Zapper   Multiple Devices   Runtime selection   Startup selection   Window Options   Full screen   Switch size   Always on top   Credits About CapTV Back to index   Originally CapTV was designed for my only personal use to replace the software that came with the capture card. The name: 'Cap' is for 'Capture' and TV is only added because of single window without any controls…I had Sony TV at that time that was just the same if you look at it…:) Those annoying rounded corners that occupies most of the screen and huge (mostly for blind people) controls of other software did they job to actually force me to leave any attempts to find better one and write my own. At the time when most of desired functionality was implemented...'I had a dream' with the 'blue screen'...:) So like my mini 'bily', I did put it on Internet. To my own surprise, after some while it became quite popular. As a result: (Thank you all users of CapTV who has one way or another supported me with bug reports or ideas to improve it). There is (for now) last version (2.0) of it. I hope you will enjoy it and do not hesitate to contact me. System Requirements Back to index   In order for CapTV to operate you must have: Windows 95/98/NT4/2000/XP operating system. Video Capture or TV Card. Installed Capture driver. Installation Back to index   CapTV is a single module program there is no need for any installation procedures. It contains all necessary functions to run directly. However if you have an TV card it will requires some DLL's from your TV capture card to utilize the TV card functionality. If you decide to uninstall CapTV, you can simply delete it. The only record that will be left after it: it's in your registry at : HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/CAPTV Presents of this record will not affect your windows performance or anyhow interfere with other programs. Note: CapTV is originally created with Borland C++ Builder 4 (the best tool ever. F..k the MS Visual which is still in stone age…where 'Visual' is only 'to see' but never 'to use'...:). It had size of 3mb+. But shame on they new version of Builder 5, which takes 200kb+ per dialog window. Previous versions of CapTV ware reasonably big (3mb+) but 5.5mb compilation with Builder 5 is a jock of Borland. Size of 5.5mb of current version of CapTV does not indicates the memory it will use once started. Memory usage will vary from 2mb+ (preview), up to 100mb+ depending on used function and capture resolution (capture of image cost nothing, but capture in 'Grid' will eat your memory (Xgrid by Ygrid by (Xpix by Ypix by BPP))…cause each image must be stored in memory). Actual (run time) code of the program is smaller than 1meg. But all included resources (images, icons et…), which are loaded only at request time, all DLL's that CapTV will use, plus this unexpected extra overhead added by Borland, makes it this big:( Windows 95/98/98SE Back to index   CapTV is originally designed for 95/98 OS. So all of the existing functions will work just as they supposed to work. It does not uses DX Media, but old MM API, which ware already part of old Win32 API. Although I've tried to switch to DX Media…:), (great functionality, sure…) but when my NT4 couldn't execute it… I've changed my mind. Windows 98ME Back to index   Even that ME is mostly compatible with 98/98SE some of the CapTV functionality does not work quite right. As an example: Capture with 'HAUPPAUGE' latest drivers for 98ME works only if I eat fish for breakfast…:), otherwise I'm getting scrambled image… Capture with Iomega 'BUZ' drivers works only at night and as long preview window is no bigger than capture format…:), otherwise there is image in 'black picture' format… Even that ME did not crashed in days…it's behavior is unpredictable…at least on my pc…:) Windows NT4 Back to index   Great OS, but little MM support from hardware makers…:( But it works. On my PC's I couldn't check all of CapTV functionalities…(my PC's hardware configuration seems to be too weird…) but I've received number of emails from users of CapTV who used it on NT4 and happily was satisfied with it… Windows 2000/XP Back to index   Here we go again…:) NT4 based, with a face of 98 plus 4 digit number after, instead of two…:) I hope they wont have the same discussion about the differences in code core of Pro/Server as in NT4 (WS/Server). All of DX stuff is on it this time. But who cares… I had same problems as on NT4 except that on 2000 I could capture… Once again, I couldn't check all of CapTV functions, but (lucky) users said that it worked… So it is only me with my weird PC configuration…:) My major problems ware: Incorrect mouse response from preview window, or none actually…(created capture window did not passed all messages to the parent window…) missed intermediate DLL from TV card drivers that usually registered in 95/98 at: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Intel\Intercast\TVControl\ I still wonder… (Cause none of my emails had a reply from the "Big Guys"…you'll be lucky to find some "webmaster" kind of email address…when most of them are for commercial shit…) All (BT848/78) board makers made this intermediate DLL for 95/98…Probably because the code for those drivers distrubuted for free!!! by the 'Brooktree Corporation'... Making same DLL for NT would cost more than the lunch bill for one month? Or its just a policy of MS they learned from some newly educated manager… Mouse Menu Layout Back to index   In previous versions of CapTV most of the functions located in the root directory of the menu. Ok, that may be better to access. But on my hands I had growing menu with already over limited height… So eventually I've spitted all menu items by the function reference. Window Config Capture ...Plus few extras (TV, Image processing…) Those are actually the things you'll do with CapTV…:) Window - Allow you to configure at the run time options of presented preview window… Config - Gives you access to all implemented function properties, including dialogs that supplied by your capture driver. Capture - Gives you access to set of functions to utilize the functionality of your capture card. Here is the screen shots of the menu (one level deep): Root Root/Config Root/Capture Root/Process Root/TV Configuration Back to index   For someone is easy, for someone it is the quest of they live…:) "No worry", just keep repeating at the each step you make: "Hakuna Matata"…LMAO...:) Lets just make one step at the time… Device Back to index   Don't be afraid of the 'Device'…:) if you don't know what it is… Device could be compared to you arm or leg if you want to…the 'thing' that operates in the unit. In your body there is no devices that reqire configuration…(all done while you sleep…:). But if you own a PC with MS OS, there is thing to be done… Here is the screen shot of device configuration menu... Compression Back to index   This option allows you to choose how your image will be compressed. (or in other words - reduced in size) If your capture card has "on board" compression functionality - by selecting appropriate "video codec" your video or image stream will be compressed by your capture card hardware, which is much faster than software usually offered by default. (But please note: that any CapTV functions that capture single image or sequence, may fail if you use other than "uncompressed" compression type durring image capture). From my experience…:) he...:) With my main AMD Duron 700 256mb baby..:) MP4 is to heavy, even with Gforce2 card. (but playback is supper..:) Intel (bla compression) have no choice, cause of quality… On board JPEG compression leaves my CapTV with no choice but to "Surrender to one who has the sward… but not the best solution", MS has none that may be discussed… So…if there is recording …I just keep few gigabytes free for non compressed video, My HD can support that transfer speed, and later I can easily compress it using any software that just does it with no serial number questions…:) Source Back to index   This one is from your driver… If your driver supports it… You'll see it… Here is the description from Microsoft MM API help file: …dialog box in which the user can control the video source. The Video Source dialog box might contain controls that select input sources; alter the hue, contrast, brightness of the image; and modify the video quality before digitizing the images into the frame buffer… with short words…if you had an old tv...) this would be the: "on the right side control center" with all those rotating things to make picture "dizzy"…:) Display Back to index   This option I've never had a chance to check or work with… If your driver supports it… You'll see it… But here is again MS MM API help file that has something about it…:) …a dialog box in which the user can set or adjust the video output. This dialog box might contain controls that affect the hue, contrast, and brightness of the displayed image, as well as key color alignment... Format Back to index   Same, this option is available if your driver supports it... I'll just paste the 'cut' from MS MM help file here… …a dialog box in which the user can select the video format. The Video Format dialog box might be used to select image dimensions, bit depth, and hardware compression options… Use this option to select the size of your captured image/video...:) Capture Back to index   Jam…I wish it would be easy as just "click of the button"…:) Here we are and nothing is configured...:) Even that nobody cares that there is nothing to configure…live is still flashing with dialogs and dialogs splits them self on expressions where each expression gives a headache to one who initiates it…but always an diagram for everyone to keep the main activity at the point…bla, bla, bla… Screen shot of configuration menu: Image Set Back to index   Set. Set of images. Set of constantly updated images...:) Got a house? Got a house that need to be watched? I don't but my paranoia made me include this option…:) lmao. Update Delay - Is delay between the image update cicles. Capture Delay - Is delay between each picture update in the update cicle. Image Count - Total amount of images in the set Delay Units - Here you can select the multiplayer for delay to get desired timing. Sequence Back to index   Have you ever seen wings flaping from this small 'kalibry' bird? Me neither...too fast...even for my capture card...:) But You can use this option to see (in real time) your grand ma getting the cheese from refrigerator...:) Delay - Is delay between each image capture. Images - Total amount of images you want to capture Delay Units - Here you can select the multiplayer for delay to get desired timing. Timed Capture Back to index   It's not a coffee machine or anything that makes a "ting" sound. But it may be the better VCR…:) You cat add new records to any listed capture types. Timeout Back to index   Live… Time… What could be more incompatible than those two...:) With this doalog you can setup duration of your video capture, after which capture will terminate. By selecting the "limit capture time" you will limit only the single file duration. Capture will continue with the newly created file untill you stop it your self. Video File Back to index   Data from this dialog only used if any of the check boxes are checked. If "Auto allocate" is on - CapTV will attempt to pre allocate specified amount of disk space for the capture. Capture will be not limited by this size. In MS MM help file they said this may improve capture performance...but i've never noticed anything like that...:) if "Use it as limit" is on - CapTV will use it as file limit and will split captured video file by the specified size. File Names Back to index   All good names already taken…said some one long ago… Thinking of save password is a 'joker' work…. But to create a new name is still only up to the king…:) Here you can separately specify location and file name for each capture type. There is only one file name type that not mentioned yet : "Plugin" currently its not used by CapTV The "Count" option is the extention that will be added to each name: "Image00001.bmp" for example. Count will increace with each capture. Maximal count number is 99999 after wich it will wrap back to 00000 Optionaly you can add day and time to the image filename. (exept 'image set') Video Rate Back to index   All our live we see 25 pictures/second but able to coop with 50+ pictures/second with abilities to tell the difference when it drops down to 49. What is your eye limit? Just select on of the rates available. If this is not enough - use manual selection. This option was implemented for NTSC format capture to avoid desinchronization with audio capture. Dont ask me how its possible but that was request from one of CapTV users...:) Anyway...now you can sinchronize it anyway you want...by ms per picture or by picture per second....:) Audio Rate Back to index   Sound of Live? Or Live of Sound? You choose. Real sound can't fit in two. And live is never been as "one in two"…:) Here is the selection of what is available...:   Stereo/Mono View Back to index   Available options to configure your view: With "Full Screen Size" you can select the screen to which CapTV will switch once selected. Video Rate gives control over the preview mode of the capture card. Full Screen Size Back to index   Most of the 'usefull' resolutions for "full" screen preview. CapTV uses DX (Microsoft Direct X) to switch resolutions, so if you encounter some problems with it - check if your DX is at least version 3. (NT 4 with SP3 has that one). If your DX is the right version and even after restart you got the same error message...jam..:) you may start prepearing your OS for reinstall...:) Video Rate Back to index   From 'Freezzzz' to 'max' where max actualy the limit of your CPU and capture card. Most prefered option is 'Overlay' cause then the image directly passed from capture card into your graphic card with no use of CPU. Overlay will be enabled if your card supports it. Mouse Back to index   CapTV has no other controls than the menu its self. So to make some of the functions directly accesible i've implemented mouse responces on Double click. Preview Window Back to index   You can select one of the available functions to be executed once you double click the preview window. Most of the functions are for capture. The function "Switch Size" will switch size and position of the preview window between "Capture Format" and "User Size". Taskbar Icon Back to index   Same as the one above exept that you have to click the icon...:) Capture Back to index   Allrighty than…:) Jump or line by line destination to this paragraph…no mater… Enough of long stories with short configuration live. Lets make some pictures…:) To clipboard Back to index   Click on the menu or press 'F1'. This option allows to copy the captured image into the clipboard. So later you can paste it into any image processing application. Capture is done by driver it self so any selected compression will not affect the format of the captured image - it is always BMP. Image Back to index   Click on the menu or press 'F2'. And you'll get an image captured into the file. Image format and its location depends on your Filename Configuration Video Back to index   Click on the menu or press 'F3'. And video capture to file will start. according to your configuration of Device and Capture Sequence Back to index   Click on the menu or press 'F4'. And you'll 'freezzz' the moment few times a sec :). Speed and amount of captured images depends on your Sequence configuration Durring this capture you'll see changing icon in your taskbar. and menu item will change color to 'green'. Image Set Back to index   Click on the menu or press 'F5'. And CapTV will give you set of constantly updated images. Good for home site, or security...:) Speed and amount of captured images depends on your Set configuration Durring this capture you'll see changing icon in your taskbar. and menu item will change color to 'green'. Misc. Functions Back to index   Here is some functions that does not fit standard description.... Image Processing Back to index   Sounds great...:) But here are only functions that do not use standard image capture facility offered by the driver. Output of those functions is always processed or altered by CapTV, one way or anoter... Negative View Back to index   Preview only. This option will only invert the image. Image will have size of selected capture format Water effect Back to index   Some 'Toy' function...:) that produces animated image sequence. I've designed it to make animated gifs with this effect for my old site... You can capture, add text to captured image, and put it all through this water effect.... This page offers set of controls to add text on the captured image. Location of the text is 'Source' - the original image or 'destination' - the image after 'water effect' process. Image page gives you control over the image and its size and position on the output image. The resulting image size is the current size of the preview window. Optionaly you can turn capture on - so every source image is captured. Or load one more images from the file. This is the main page for water effect. Click (or double click) the preview window to activate the effect and try to play with the settings. Configuration page for mouse control. Select desired action for each mouse click/dbl click. Recorder page. Here you can initiate the actual generation of the images after you've recorded the sequence. File name is the actual name of file plus extention of the 'Image counter' taken from the settings for 'Image' in Filename Configuration This later will be changed to 'plugin' location. Durring recording of the sequence you may record too many images (only settings for each image are saved at this point, not the image it self). But durring the generation of images you can select how many images to skip..(from first image generated...). This is still experimental function - so if something wont work - dont throw anyting at your computer...:) Grid Back to index   Pretty usefull function..:) With this grid you can select more precisely images you want to save. Images will be saved with Filename Configuration of 'Image' capture. Configurable grid (X,Y) size and shift directions. When you are in the grid mode - just click on the image you want to save...- grid will freez allowing you selection of image before and after the actualy selected image (of cause if the image is not at the end of the grid...:) Then right mose menu gives you the save options... Second click on "selected" image resumes the image capture and shift of the grid... Please Note: This is very 'memory expensive' function if you've selected big capture format and grid size. But those days who cares about memory when normal PC has at least 256mb...:) Lock Device Back to index   This option allows to use capture driver by other capture software while CapTV is minimized. If not checked and you'll hide the preview window - CapTV will terminate all active capture processes and disconnect (release) driver. Otherwise only window will be minimized and driver remains connected with all possibly active capture processes. This is handy if you operate CapTV from your taskbar. TV Back to index   This option only becomes visible if you have an TV capture card and there is intermediate DLL installed on your system (this DLL comes with your driver but on some NT4/2000/XP systems it is not..) CapTV TV option will work for most drivers for BT848/78 TV boards with drivers for 95/98. To select channel you can use one of the 'channel select' dialogs or via keyboard:  Left/Right - volume control  Up/Down/+/- - channel control  PageUp - Full Screen  PageDown - Normal Screen  End - Switch Size (format/user) Properties Back to index   TV Channel scan/select dialog Zapper Back to index   TV Channel select dialog. Smaller for easy channel 'zip/zap' :) operations Multiple Devices Back to index   If you have more than one capture device installed - CapTV can work with them (only one instance of CapTV per device). Runtime selection Back to index   You can select device at the run time using 'device select' dialog: Startup selection Back to index   Or you can start multiple instances of CapTV and select device at the startup via command line option: Pass the argument to the CapTV with the number of your device you want to use.... something like : C:\Program Files\CapTV\CapTV.exe /1 or C:\Program Files\CapTV\CapTV.exe -1 Just create new link and then in the "Command Line" input paste this string... C:\Progra~1\CapTV\CapTV.exe /1 (Progra~1 is your "Program Files" directory but in DOS format) Or modify already existed link by adding at the end of the location: /1 or -1 so it will look like: "C:\Program Files\CapTV\CapTV.exe" -1 or "C:\Program Files\CapTV\CapTV.exe" /1 if you'll get error messages that file not found...replace the 'long file name' of the location with appropriate DOS representation... Window Options Back to index   Options to manipulate preview window... Full screen Back to index   By clicking on this menu item or pressing 'F12' or 'End' keys CapTV will attempt to switch your resolution to one you've selected. And if no error accured it will maximize preview window to fit all available space on the screen. Your current resolution size will become 'User size' for function 'switch size'... Default resulition is 640x480. Switch size Back to index   This function will "Switch Size" and position of the preview window between "Capture Format" and "User Size". Handy if your 'user size' is max size of desktop and you just want to see some part of your desktop...:) Each "switch" option has its own position of the preview window... Always on top Back to index   This option will move preview window to "most top" in the Z order of all windows on your dektop. Although sometimes (mostly when you switch alot between aplications...), this status of the window may be lost by no reason...:) (could be the bug in Windows ...:) So just put it back to "not on top" and back again....(I did not implemented any functionality to detect when window looses its "most on top" status. Credits Back to index   All Users Who ever has submitted bugs and suggestions for improvement of CapTV Michael Sullivan from www.micromediaenterprises.com Who had found me after my old site (flits102-145.flits.rug.nl) vent ofline and offered hosting and promotional possibilities for CapTV. Borland The maker of C++ Builder, The true and only owner of Visual C++ technologie. (MS Visual can't even compete with Borland C++…:) if you put on the scale the time you spend writing the application… And what's with MS Pascal???…Can't shoot them self in the foot ???:)...or the foot still in development?...:) Erik Warmelink Who's in the first place put me on 'C'.     COPYRIGHT 2002 MICROMEDIA ENTERPRISES All portions of this website are copyrighted by their respective owners.