Microsoft Lifecam Cinema webcam, 1280x720 30fps?

What exactly does "Currently there is no apprent solution to this issue" mean?  I purchased 7 of these for live streaming and they don't do what the box says they will do.  This is false advertisement and illegal.  You can't just create a product and write anything on the box and after we spend our hard earned money then say there is no solution!  Why does the box STILL say it then?  Why are you still misleading customers? Why are we putting up with it?

I spent almost $1000 on these cameras and they do not do what is claimed on every piece of marketing material for this product and Microsoft is just saying... sorry?

If there is no solution then I want my money back!  Over 2 years later and still no solution?  Many software and firmware updates and still NOTHING?  Exactly how is this legal?  Please answer that.  Must be some ripoff fine print somewhere eh?

Not only does this thing not do 10080p, but it doesn't even do 720p that's useful.  You can buy a $30 webcam that'll do 720p easily.

Again, I want my money back.  Maybe it's time to start a class action suit about this.  It's exactly what those are for.  Giant corporations who mislead and con the consumers.

Is there a solution now?  2 years later?

Hi mados123,

a) Have you installed the latest drivers for the Microsoft Lifecam Cinema webcam?

It is compatible with Windows 7.

Some devices have drivers that you need to install yourself. If you download a driver that isn't self-installing, follow these steps:

You must be logged on as an administrator to perform these steps.

Open Device Manager by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Security, and then, under System, clicking Device Manager.  If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.‌

In the list of hardware categories, find the device that you want to update, and then double-click the device name.

Click the Driver tab, click Update Driver, and then follow the instructions.  If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

For more information see : http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Update-a-driver-for-hardware-that-isnt-working-properly

Update drivers: recommended links

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Update-drivers-recommended-links

You may also download Microsoft Lifecam Cinema webcam software from :

http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/download/download.aspx?category=ICE

Azeez Nadeem - Microsoft Support

I have been able to get 30 fps at 720p on my lifecam studio  ONLY IF I DISABLE THE MS DRIVERS

I just downloaded the newest lifecam software and i have the latest firmware but this still doesn't work.

Obviously MS has some magic computer that they use that can capture at 30fps with their drivers.

I'm not very video savvy, so it took me a day to figure out how to configure my LifeCam Cinema to record 1280x720 with 30fps for Youtube (without the default program, since it just doesn't work with it). I thought I'd write a detailed example of how to get this to work, based on scottieeade's reply. Maybe it will save time and prevent headache for someone - information on this topic is available online but quite scattered and hard to grasp (for me) with no experience whatsoever using something else for recording than the dedicated software.

Working perfectly with the following setup which I'm running:

• Win 7 64-bit
• Core 2 duo 3 ghz, 4gb ram
• Microsoft LifeCam Cinema

1. Removing of the driver

• Click the windows start button, and in the search field type "device manager"
• Expand the "imaging devices" category from the arrow next to it, and you should be able to see your microsoft lifecam cinema listed. Right click it, and choose uninstall. I also uninstalled the dedicated software but I don't think this makes any difference?

2. Getting a program and a codec for recording

• A free software called VirtualDub is great. You can get it at http://virtualdub.sourceforge.net/ . Get a version matching your windows installation, either 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64). If you don't know which version you're running, click the windows start button, type "dxdiag" to the search field, and it will be listed in the window that opens, after "operating system".
• You will need a video codec to record. If you are doing videos for Youtube, a great one you can get is called "x264". Download the 64-bit version from here http://sourceforge.net/projects/x264vfw/files/x264vfw64/ and 32-bit version from here http://sourceforge.net/projects/x264vfw/ .

NOTE: at the time of writing this, the link at the top of the page for the 64-bit version, "looking for the latest version.." with a  download link, is not actually a 64-bit version. There's a list of folders on that site, choose the most recently updated one, and download the .exe item inside it. If you need to search for this codec online, make sure you search for a x264vfw, not just x264, to get the correct version that installs easily. Add 64 after it (x265vfw64) for the 64-bit one, and you're likely to find the right stuff.

3. Setting everything up

• The VirtualDub I got seems to work without installing, start it from the Veedub64 application icon (that's what it's called with my 64-bit version of the program). The codec is a basic exe installation. No need for any specific locations, but if the codec is suggesting a /x86/ program files folder, you can be pretty sure you've got the 32-bit version, not the 64-bit one (if that's what you wanted).
• Open up Virtual Dub. Here are the settings you need to have in the software to capture video. I have not touched the audio settings, so if you really want to use the LifeCam for recording sound, you can try searching on Youtube with "virtualdub 720p recording" for some helpful videos. What is not mentioned here, is simply left at the default value.

When you first open up VirtualDub, you will be in the normal mode, where you  need to make the following changes to the settings:

Under "video":

• Frame Rate --> Tick change frame rate to (fps) and give it a value of 30.0000, also tick Convert to fps below under frame rate conversion, insert the value 30.0000
• Color Depth --> Output format to compress/display to "same as decompression format"
• Compression --> choose x264vfw from the list -> click configure -> tick virtualdub hack

Now you can enter the video capture mode by going to File --> Capture AVI.

In the video capture mode, you need to make the following changes to the settings:

Under "device":

• 1 Microsoft LifeCam Cinema (DirectShow)

Under "video":

• Select overlay, if not selected already

-  Capture pin --> Frame Rate: 30.000, Color Space / Compression: MJPG, Output Size: 1280 x 720

• Capture Filter --> Take the tick off from *every* box, also on the Camera Control tab.. If you have the option do disable the "True Color" here, do it. Leave these settings alone, because they tend to mess up with the fps.
• Levels --> Here you can adjust brightness, contrast, saturation, sharpness, white balance and BL compensation. These can be adjusted safely without fps changes.
• Set Custom Format --> Tick use custom size, enter 1280 x 720, pick Data Format MJPG

And that is it. You should be able to see 30-31fps ticking in the third little box from the left, at the bottom right corner of the VirtualDub window :) To capture video, go to File --> Set capture file, and save it somewhere where you have plenty of space for the video. Now you can start capturing by going to the Capture menu, and choosing Capture video.

I hope this will help someone, simplifying the process like this.

Yes, I did do all that was suggested above before making this observation.  The 30fps at 1280x720 isn't available using the latest MS Lifecam Cinema software and only is available using that workaround (generic USB driver).  Is there an expected date of completion for the software/drivers to be up to par with the hardware?

Thanks!

mados123