On a PC, it requires both Quick Time and a vdig driver. With some video cameras (eg: Logitech orbit), the latest version of vdig (1.05) won't work with QuickTime 7. If this is the case you need to fall back to vdig version 1.01, which requires QuickTime 6, not the latest QuickTime 7, so you'll need to uninstall QuickTime 7 and reinstall 6.5.2, and similarly uninstall vdig 1.05 and reinstall 1.01. The examples bundled with the JMyron (named for the physical media pioneer Myron Krueger) will allow you to get blob-tracking rectangles up on the screen quickly.

Here are the steps:

• Go to http://webcamxtra.sourceforge.net/download.shtml and download the JMyron files for Processing (or C++)
• Go to QuickTime 6.5.2 and download and install QuickTime 6
• Go to WinVDIG 1.0.1
• Install processing from www.processing.org
• Run the vdig to make sure the camera is working
• Run processing and load the examples files from the JMyron examples folder

Problems with Video (Quicktime for Java)

Getting video to work can be kind of a cluster, particularly on Windows. We use QuickTime for Java, which is sometimes difficult to install or can be flakey. Someday in the future perhaps we can circumvent this mess.

The QuickTime 7 upgrade released April 29, 2005 (and now included with iTunes 6) introduces its own unique set of problems. See below for more caveats and fun that are specific to your platform.

The message "This version of QuickTime for Java has expired" is an Apple bug, and is fixed in the version of QuickTime that is included with iTunes 6.0.1 (or later), or, as of 20 October 2005, is available separate from iTunes here .

You can find more discussion about video and problems that people have had over in the Video & Movies section of the discourse board. And if you find a bug, please use the bugs database .

Windows

• In order for camera input to work, you'll need to install a QuickTime-compatible video digitizer (VDIG). Unfortunately, most cameras on Windows don't support QuickTime right off the bat, but we've had reasonable luck with WinVDIG . WinVDIG 1.0.1 is for QuickTime 6, and WinVDIG 1.0.5 (or any later release on the site) is for QuickTime 7. Use the capture application included with the WinVDIG install to make sure that things are working properly (this helps us isolate WinVDIG vs. QuickTime for Java vs. Processing bugs).

• If you want to avoid QuickTime 7, use the QuickTime 6.5.2 installer that's buried on Apple's site. Uninstall QuickTime 7 before installing 6.5 (see below). You will also have to use a version of iTunes that's compatible with QuickTime 6 (anything earlier than iTunes 6).

• If you're installing QuickTime 6.5, you must make sure that "QuickTime for Java" is included. During the installation, use the "Custom" install, scroll down, and make sure the checkbox next to "QuickTime for Java" is marked. You will also need to follow this process if you have already installed QuickTime 6, and did not use the "Custom" or "Full" install. To remedy this, use the QuickTime Updater from the QuickTime folder that's added to the Start menu.

• For QuickTime 7 (iTunes 6 and later), you'll need to use release 0093 (or later) of Processing. QuickTime 7 causes 0092 and earlier to break because Apple decided to move the location of several installed files.

• Better yet, you should use release 0102 (or later) of Processing, which also fixes a number of QuickTime-related issues.

• If you're still having trouble, sometimes a full uninstall/reinstall of Quicktime will do the trick. This may take a good bit of work. First try using Add/Remove Programs to uninstall. At some point you might get an "Error 1714" saying that "The older version of QuickTime cannot be removed." The solution from Apple is to delete C:\WINDOWS\TEMP, and then clean remnants of QuickTime from the registry as outlined in this Microsoft Support document. More discussion of installer-related issues can be seen at Bug 171 .

• Video sometimes likes to crash the application completely on Windows. This seems to be due to problems with QuickTime for Java (since we shouldn't be able to write code that crashes using Java.. heh right), so these situations are probably outside of our control.