Cambrosia :: Frequently Asked Questions

Below we have provided the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions we receive about our products and services. If you do not find the answers that you are looking for please contact us for futher information.

What additional software do I need when using the WebCam Viewer?

In order for you to be able to view the various types of Webcams on the Internet the Webcam viewer utilizes several of the internets most popular Internet Client software applications. Listed below are the software packages that are used in conjunction with the Cambrosia WebViewer Application.

Free Internet Explorer 4.0 or higher.
Free RealOne Player
Free Windows Media Player 7.1 or Higher

Why does the WebViewer program gives me an error when I try to view a real audio link?

The Webcam Viewer application needs to have RealAudio installed in order to view RealAudio Webcam sites. If you are unsure if RealAudio (RealOne Player) is installed on your system use the Search Utility provided to see if the Realplay.exe is on your computer. This file should be located in the following directory "C:\Program Files\Real\RealPlayer". The Search utility can be found under the "View" menu option. Then select "Search". This utility will find the application and program the cambrosia Webviewer to remember where it is. There are also links the go directly to Windows Media Player and Real.com web sites.

Why does the WebViewer program gives me an error when I try to view a Windows Media link?

The Webcam Viewer application needs to have Windows Media Player installed in order to view Windows Media Player links. If you are unsure if Windows Media Player is installed on your system use the Search Utility provided to see if the Windows Media Player is on your computer. This file should be located in the following directory "C:\Program Files\Real\RealPlayer". The Search utility can be found under the "View" menu option. Then select "Search". This utility will find the application and program the cambrosia Webviewer to remember where it is. There are also links the go directly to Windows Media Player and Real.com web sites.

Helpfull Links and Resources

Basic Transmitter Setup Info

Important Note: Although the software is easy to install and operate there are 3 important tasks that must be done properly so that everything will work.

3. If you have a router and or software firewall running you will need to open these obstacles so that the stream can pass through to the internet.

To Learn more about how to configure Windows Firewall SP2 to Open/Forward a Port Click Here.

Solution:
The cambrosia Transmitter has a 2 part installation procedure. Sometimes on some computers the second part does not get to run because a message comes up to Reboot the PC after Part 1 of the install. This then does not let Part 2 of the installation run. Reinstall the application but be sure not to reboot the PC until both parts of the installation run. Hit cancel if it asks you to reboot and let part 2 of the Installation run as well.

What are the requirements for Cambrosia webcam Transmitter?

You can install the Transmitter on a computer running Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows Server 2003. (For Windows 2000, you must also install Microsoft DirectX® 9.0. To install DirectX 9.0, see the Download page at the Microsoft Web site. The recommended configuration varies, depending on the encoding task, as described in the following paragraphs:

To convert a file, the minimum configuration is a 266 megahertz (MHz) processor and 64 megabytes (MB) of RAM. The recommended configuration is a 500 MHz processor or higher, Windows XP, and 128 MB of RAM.

To capture and broadcast audio and video files for 28.8 kilobits per second (Kbps) and 56 Kbps modems (using the Windows Media Audio 9 and Windows Media Video 7 codecs), the minimum configuration is a 300 MHz processor and 64 MB of RAM. For mid-bandwidth (100 Kbps to 500 Kbps) audiences, the recommended configuration is an 866 MHz processor or higher, Windows XP, and 256 MB of RAM.

To capture and broadcast audio and video files for 28.8 Kbps and 56 Kbps modems, (using the Windows Media Audio and Video 9 Series codecs), the minimum configuration is a 1.5 gigahertz (GHz) processor and 64 MB of RAM. For mid-bandwidth (100 Kbps to 500 Kbps) audiences, the recommended configuration is a 1 GHz dual processor or higher, Windows XP, and 256 MB of RAM.

To capture and broadcast an audio and video stream for high-bandwidth (500 Kbps through 2 Mbps) audiences (using the Windows Media Audio and Video 9 Series codecs), the recommended configuration is a 2 GHz dual processor or higher, Windows XP, and 256 MB of RAM.

This most often is caused by not shutting down the Preview screen and then running the Transmitter. Please shutdown preview and close the screen before attempting to transmit. This is also caused by running two instances of the Transmitter as well. It can also becaused by running 2 Webcam programs. Be sure to shutdown other webcam programs before attempting to run the Transmitter.

What can I do to improve encoding quality and performance?

Use a computer with the following features: Fast and/or multiple processors; audio and video cards that are compatible with the Cambrosia Transmitter, see:Hardware Configurations and Recomendations ; Microsoft Windows XP Professional; a high-performance disk drive; a network that can accommodate the bandwidth required by both the stream from the encoder and the overhead for other network traffic.

No matter what I try I can not get the stream to pass through my firewall.

There are several things to check to make sure that your video stream passes through your personal firewall.

2. Try switching the default Port Setting of 1111 to port 80. Most firewalls do not block port 80 so your stream should get to the Internet.

Note: This will not work if you are hosting a Website from your PC. This is because you are already using port 80.

3. Try placing the PC into the DMZ within your router this should allow all ports to pass.

After installing the Transmitter Version 3 you get an error message saying Active X control missing or invalid.

If you have Windows XP Service Pack 2 the system sometimes asks you to reboot before the second part of the installation has completed. Please be sure to answer no if the system asks you if you want to restart. Click on no and a second installation should then run. This is the missing Active X control.

If you have accidentally installed the first part of the system only. Uninstall the Transmitter and then re-install the transmitter. Be sure that both parts of the installation happen before you restart the system.

After installing the Transmitter Version 3 you get an error message saying "The remote server machine does not exist or is unavailable (Error 462)."

There was an error after you reinstalled the program and not all files were replaced as should have been. Please reinstall and be sure to follow instructions below.

After your trial period has run out the you must purchase the Transmitter software from Cambrosia. You must also own a station licenses as well. Another reason that you might not show up is that you have not successfully logged in to the Cambrosia Server. The server might be offline.

If you are having trouble getting your webcam to stream to the internet please be sure to check the following items.

1. If you are using router make sure that you have opened port 8080 for the PC that is to stream to the Internet.

2. If you have done this and it still does not work try setting the PC into the DMZ.

3. In some areas port 8080 is being filtered or blocked so try using another unused port like 1073.

4. If all else fails. Download Microsoft MSN Messenger. Within the Messenger application is a function that allows another user or friend to view or take control of your PC so that the friend can help you fix problems on the PC. This is very helpful for debuging problems and we use this utility often to help people figure out how to setup their routers and get through firewalls. Be sure to EMail us your MSN Messenger ID and arrange a time to meet on line so that we can help you this is free service that we provide.

I'm not getting the frame rate or bit rate I requested from the encoder. What should I do? What affects these settings?

The setting you specify represents the maximum value; if you are encoding low-motion video, the frame rate or bit rate of the encoded content might be lower. Other factors that may reduce the frame rate or bit rate include a high video quality setting, insufficient network bandwidth, a large frame size, and a system that is not sufficiently powerful. Check that you are using capture cards have the current drivers for the cards are installed. If the encoding system is not sufficiently powerful, try optimizing the system by closing all other applications while encoding, turning off video preview and postview, and adjusting the performance settings.

When I run the Transmitter, it says I'm not receiving audio or video. What should I do?

Check that your input devices are configured correctly. Verify all cables are connected properly. In addition, if your CPU usage is at 100 percent, you may need to improve system performance or reduce the encoding settings

Can I use my digital video (DV) device as a source to Windows Media Encoder?

My capture device is not on the hardware list. Will it work with the encoder?

The Transmitter works with most capture devices that have Video for Windows or Windows Driver Model (WDM) drivers. For a list of the capture devices that have been tested to work with Cambrosia Transmitter, see the Hardware Configurations and Recomendations.

Yes. Having multiple capture cards installed on a single computer enables you to encode from multiple sources simultaneously.

The encoder works with most capture devices that have Video for Windows or Windows Driver Model (WDM) drivers. For a list of the capture devices that have been tested to work with Cambrosia Transmitter , see Hardware Configurations and Recomendations.

How can I reduce the amount of time it takes for someone to receive my content in a live broadcast?

To answer your question, it's important to first understand the difference between buffering and delay. Buffering refers to the time it takes a player to fill its buffer before it starts playing the content. In other words, it's the difference between the time at which a user opens a connection to a streaming media server and time at which the content begins playing. On the other hand, delay refers to the difference, in a live broadcast, between the time at which content is encoded and the time at which the content is played. Delay is also known as network latency.

If you stream content using CAmbrosia Transmitter, buffering times are greatly reduced automatically as a result of the Fast Start and Fast Cache features (available and enabled by default in Windows Media Services 9 Series in Windows Server 2003). When you stream content, either as a live broadcast or an on-demand stream, the server takes advantage of available bandwidth to burst data to Windows Media Player 9 Series so that playback begins almost immediately.

While it is not possible to eliminate delay, you can minimize it by adjusting settings on the server, encoder, and the Player. Keep in mind that doing so will only reduce delay by a couple of seconds. Also, playback quality and performance may be impacted negatively.

What network bandwidth is required for encoding?

The network bandwidth required depends on the encoding session. The encoder displays the aggregate bandwidth for a session. This is the minimum bandwidth required to distribute a stream. Requirements for an MBR stream, for example, will need to take into account the sum of all the individual streams.

For direct connections to the Transmitter, the bit rate of the stream multiplied by the number of connected clients equals the network bandwidth required.

Yes. The encoder supports HTTP streaming, which enables content to stream through a firewall. Note that the port the encoder is streaming through must be open on the firewall.

The Media Player connects to the Transmitter but contues to BUFFER indefintely.

This is usually due to the Software not being able to connect to the Video Device. Usually this is caused by another Webcam software program that is already using the Webcam or you are still in the preview mode. To fix the problem close down the other Webcam software and be sure that you are not running the Preview mode. Also rebooting the PC to free up the video device if it is hung will also fix the proble.

This happens when you are using the Windows XP operating system and you do not have Windows Service Pack 2 updates installed. Please load Service Pack 2 updates for Windows XP.

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