FAQ - USB & WEBCAM BARCODE SCANNER

Frequently asked questions, quick answer to common problems

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  • I'm trying to use the webcam for barcode scanning, but it appear as black / it always says "Acquiring pictures from webcam", what do I do?
    You might have multiple capturing driver installed. Right click the webcam area, and select your webcam from the menu. If that didn't work, or there's no webcam listed. Then your webcam is not supported.
    Please also note that if the webcam area appear as black, it might be possible that another program is using the webcam and MediaMan is still waiting to gain access to it. Only one program can use the webcam at one time, so make sure that you closed such programs before using it in MediaMan.

    Technically, MediaMan 3 requires your webcam to be capable of continuously output images in RGB 24 format, at 320x240 pixels resolution. There is a vast collection of webcams for PC users to choose from. Often times you might not know technical details about your webcam. To check whether your webcam is capable of these features, click here to download an application from Microsoft that can check these properties. Run this program (amcap.exe), and make sure your webcam is selected under the Devices menu. Then go to Options -> Video capture Pin. In the dialog, under "Color Space/Compression", check if you have "RGB 24", under "Output Size", check if you have "320x240". MediaMan 3 will fail to work and show up a black box or "Acquiring pictures from webcam" if your webcam doesn't meet any of these requirements. You can contact the author with the model of your webcam and what options you saw in these list boxes for help.

    Additionally, DirectX and video card drivers may also contribute to webcam problems. So make sure you have updated both components to the latest available version.

  • I flashed the barcode part in front of the webcam, but it doesn't scan. What's the problem?
    First of all, MediaMan does require a high quality webcam for barcode scanning. Models having 640x480 hardware resolution and auto-focusing (AF) work the best. If your webcam do not have auto-focusing, you need to check the manual and adjust the focus ring. The focus ring is typically a piece of rotating rubber circle in front of the lens. Adjust the focus ring so that the webcam focuses at a closer distance, typically 3 inches (7cm), so that your face becomes blurry. Put something within 3 inches in front of the webcam until you can clearly see it. Try scanning while adjusting the focus ring to obtain a better efficiency. Remember to hold the item still, and do not shake it.

  • How do I use my USB barcode scanner?
    Typical USB barcode scanners expose themselves as an HID (Human Interface Device) to Windows. Just like keyboards, they don't need particular drivers and they output the scanning result in a form of a series keyboard strokes. Make sure the input cursor is in the edit box when you use it.

    Scanners need to send a delimiting character between multiple barcodes, as a confirmation. Typical scanners are configured to send "Enter" by default, which will have no problem working in MediaMan. You may experience inconvenience if the scanner can't send "Enter" after scanning because you'll have to press Enter on keyboard manually. Check the instructions or manual for the scanner and see if it can be configured to do so.

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