Skype HD webcam

• Excellent price and performance: offers top quality picture at a competitive price.
  
• Compact and lightweight: take the FREETALK® Everyman HD webcam wherever you go.
  
• Plug and play: plug in for HD 720p video, no installation or set up required.
  
• Skype Certified: engineered to give you the highest quality Skype video experience.
  

• Product dimensions (W x D x H): 70 x 65 x 29 mm
• Connectivity:
  • Interfacing: USB 2.0
  • Cable length: 180 cm
  • Power: supplied via USB cable - 5V
• Lens:
  • Focus: autofocus
  • Depth of focus: 50 mm ~ infinity
  • Field of vision: 58° diagonal angle of view in HD, 52° diagonal in 4:3 resolutions
• Sensor:
  • SNR: 39dB
  • Dynamic range: > 69dB
  • Pixel size: 3 x 3 µm
  • Image area: 1280 x 800
  • Sensitivity: 3.3 V/(lux*s)
• Video format:
  • Resolutions: 1280 x 720, also supports smaller resolutions like 640x480, 320x240 and 160x120. Skype uses lower resolutions in case of degraded network or when low-performance hardware is used on either end of the video call.
  • Frame rate:standard definition: 30fps, HD 22.5fps, low light 15fps. Skype may reduce frame rate in case of bad network conditions or high CPU usage on either end.
  • Colour depth: 8-bit
    • Video formats: H.264, YUV2 - Skype automatically switches between the two to grant best video call quality in the given circumstances.

• Up to 720p@22.5fps Windows XP SP3 and above.
• Skype 4.2 for Windows
• 1 x USB 2.0.
• Dual core 2 GHz processor or better for HD.
• 1GB of Ram or above for HD.
• A high-speed broadband connection (we recommend sustained 1 Mbps symmetrical bandwidth or higher).

Note: Capable of VGA@30 fps on Mac OS X 10.4 with VP7. Hardware encoding is not used on Mac so CPU is not reduced.

• FREETALK® Everyman HD webcam
• Instruction manual

• FCC
• CE
• UL
• KCC
• VCCI
• Skype
• C-tick

Important Update for Windows users of Everyman HD

We have made some important updates for customers using the FREETALK Everyman HD with the Windows operating system. In order to continue enjoying your HD video calling, you should update the software on your camera if you are using your Everyman HD on a PC. Please go to http://freetalk.me/faq/freetalk-Webcam-FirmwareUpdate/ and follow the instructions to download the latest firmware update. Remember that your Everyman HD needs to be plugged into a USB port in order to execute the update.

Why am I not sending HD video?

Make sure both sender and receiver have installed the latest version of Skype for Windows; HD video is only supported by Skype for Windows 4.2 or later.

HD video (720p or 1280 x 720) requires an Internet connection with a minimum upload speed of 1.2 Mbps. Where there is insufficient available upload speed the Skype program will set the webcam automatically to Skype''s High Quality Video (640 x 480) with a minimum upload speed requirement of 384 Kbps, which is supported by most broadband (cable, DSL) Internet services.

Skype intelligently adapts video quality depending on internet bandwidth available. In good conditions a High Quality Video call can be established within approximately 1 minute, then it can take up to 3 or 4 minutes (but usually ~ 2 minutes) for a video call to change over to sending HD." You will know you have achieved HD video when you see that the video image aspect ratio changes from the Standard 4:3 to HD video''s 16:9 (in effect the image width becomes much greater than its height; it appears "more rectangular").

Other factors influencing HD video include the need for at least a dual core processor on your local PC and the RAM available. Try reducing the number of programs open, especially if you have <4GB RAM on your PC.

Should conditions degrade (due to conditions beyond Skype''s control), you may see your call drop back to High Quality Video or even lower (320 x 240 or 160 x 120). But if conditions improve again, the Skype application will automatically restore better resolution all the way back to restoring HD video (when you have the other requirements for HD video).

See the Call Quality Indicator (Check Settings) to right of the "Call" and "Video Call" buttons for Call Quality information. This will give an indication of the system resources available for making calls (video or audio). See Call Quality Guide for suggestions to resolve any call issues.

Why can my called party see my HD video but only send High Quality Video?

Receiving HD video also requires a minimum 1.2 Mbps download speed. Most broadband Internet services support > 2 Mbps download speed. Thus, if you are sending HD video to another party (who is also using Skype for Windows 4.2 or later), that party will receive the HD video; however, if the other party''s upload speed does not get to 1.2 Mbps, s/he will only be able to send High Quality Video.

Can I use the Everyman Webcam on a Mac?

Yes, the Everyman HD is recognized as a webcam by the Mac OS. Currently, the Skype application for Mac does not support HD video calling, therefore all calls with a Mac will only support Skype's High Quality Video both ways even if the other party has a Windows PC and meets all the other conditions for supporting HD video.

How do I update the driver for this product?

This product has an embedded driver, meaning the driver is included in the webcam firmware and is available when the product is plugged into the computer and automatically becomes the webcam selected by Skype.

You can always check that your webcam is working by going to Tools | Options | "Video settings" in your Skype for Windows client. While there is a "Webcam settings" button that can access a control panel for the webcam, we do not recommend changing from the default settings unless conditions are very unfavourable.

Why does my computer give the message "USB unrecognised Device"?

When this message is received, the USB device may or may not be listed in Device Manager as an unknown device. This issue can occur as a result of numerous factors, which may include the following:

• Host controller hardware malfunction
• Camera attached to a non powered USB hub
• No support for USB 2.0 specification
• Additional system hardware or configurations that may conflict

Possible Solutions, one of the below solutions could prove helpful:

• Unsecured or Loose Connection: Unplug the USB device. It is quite possible that the connection is not secure and has become loose. Re-plug the USB device tightly and firmly into the USB port.
• Ensure product is connected directly into a USB port directly on the computer or to a powered USB hub.
• Scan for Hardware Changes in Device Manager: Use the Device Manager to Scan for hardware changes. Click Universal Serial Bus Controller — with the camera plugged in - From the Action menu, click Scan for hardware changes. This will force Windows to scan and recognize any new devices that are installed. Now, close Device Manager and test the camera. The system should have detected the camera driver.
• USB Hub Power Management: Disable power management of the USB hub. To disable the power management on the USB hub, use the Device Manager. Right-click the suspected USB Root Hub and then click Properties. Click the Power Management tab. Click to clear the check box beside "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power check box" if checked, and then click OK.

Sometimes, simply unplugging the USB device and turning off the computer for twenty minutes and then restarting may solve the issue. If none of the above options have solved the problem, check the manufacturer's website for new USB driver information. It is possible that your computer's USB drivers need to be updated.

TROUBLESHOOTING

• Please ensure you are using the latest version of Skype. See Help — Check for Updates.
• Use Skype testing tools to test settings before attempting to make a call. See Tools -Option — Audio Settings and Video Settings for testing.
• Please ensure that all the 3 protective coverings that the camera was shipped with have been removed. The third lens protector layer is unfortunately very hard to detect and needs to be removed. Gently raise the edge of the protective cover enough to grab the layer and peel off. Care should be taken not to scratch the lens.
• Please realize that in addition to bandwidth requirements, programs running in the background can raise CPU usage of the sender or receiver causing limited camera usage.
• See Skype User Guides for full Skype usage explanations.