UFOCaptureV2 users manual

4. Appendix

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4.1 Cautions

Video Capture device

Many video capture devices which supports DirectX software video capture interface can be used by UFOCaptureV2. But some of the devices does not have compatibilities. There are some products which use special interface or protect not to be run other than its original maker's software. We cannot research or answer individual product in the world. Please refer users forum and select an appropriate device.

Over load and over heat.

UFOCaptureV2 requires very high performance of PC according to operating conditions. Therefore there may happen some troubles. Please use appropriate PCs.
- When using a not enough PCs, CPU load may become 100% or under run may happen in transfer to HDD. In those cases, system hang up, reboot, frame drops or many unpredictable accident may happen. Please set appropriate video size and rates for your PC.
- Heavy load operation will continue long time. Therefore, there may happen over heat problems. When cooling is not enough, damages to the parts and surroundings may happen. Please be careful about cooling.

Detection accuracy

UFOCaptureV2 has very high detection ability, but it may not be perfect. Do not use for protection of life or property.

Time accuracy

UFOCaptureV2 uses internal hardware clock of PC. Time accuracy of super imposed time is basically depend on the accuracy of the clock of PC. We can improve time accuracy of PC by using ntp or GPS time correction up to millisecond order. However there are a few causes to increase errors.
- Task scheduling mechanism of operation system rarely cause processing delay up to several hundred milli seconds.
- Device driver may cause additional frame delay.
- To confirm the accuracy of super impose, capture the video image of reliable clock at least several times.
UFOCaptureV2 read time zone and daylight savings time information from operating system at the begging of execution, and keep them until program terminate. This is the practical method to avoid generating multiple files which has identical names. Therefore UFOCaptureV2 make wrong time stamp if the timezone or daylight saving changed during the operation. Please restart UFOCaptureV2 when timezone or daylight saving mode has changed.

Real time inter process communication

UFOCaptureV2 V2.06 or later has real time detection data output interface using shared memory mechanism of Windows.

Information below will be outputted to shared memory during detection

type	Bytes	name	value
unsigned int	4	serial	data serial number. data below is valid when serial is not 0 and different from old value.
int	4	x	x position of most changed pixel
int	4	y	y position of most changed pixel
int	4	count	number of changed pixel in one frame (0 means end of a sequence)
int	4	peak	highest difference of brightness

This interface is for experiments. There will be no support about this.
Long time CPU occupation by outer program may cause troubles of UFOCaptureV2.
Please refer sample program source codes. UFO2IPC.cpp (free program)
Sample output of UFO2IPC execution

Contact

If you have general technical questions or comment about UFOCapture and its related program, please use BBS below.
- http://sonotaco.jp/forum/viewforum.php?f=17 (English)
- http://sonotaco.jp/forum/viewforum.php?f=18 (Japanese)
If you want to contact to sales manager of UFOCapture please use E-Mail below.
- info@sonotaco.com

User's agreements

The official user agreements are written in Japanese.

4.2 Error messages

Code	meaning	cause	action required
UM001 UM002	HDD free space become less than assigned size. There are no clips which can be automatically deleted as old clips.	Contents of other directory in same HDD may be increased, or capture directory has been changed.	Make free space of the volume or change directory to other volumes.
UM003	Detection stopped	HDD free space become less than assigned size.
UM010	Cannot find video capture device.	Video capture device is not ready. May be not assigned or used by other program or does not exist.	Get ready (connect and power on ) video capture device and restart UFOCaptureV2. Confirm "Video" assignment in "Input" sheet.
UM011	Cannot find audio capture device.	Audio capture device is not ready. May be not assigned or used by other program or does not exist.	Get ready (connect and power on ) audio capture device and restart UFOCaptureV2. Confirm "Audio" assignment in "Input" sheet.
UM012	Negotiation between UFOCapture and the video device driver was failed.	Video capture device does not support assigned resolution or fps or internal media format.	Confirm Xi,Yi,Fps settings.
UM013 UM014 UM015 UM016 UM017 UM018	Cannot allocate memory.	"Head"or "Min(frm)" or resolution is too big for the PC.	Set lower value to "Head"or "Min(frm)" or resolution. Stop other programs. Enlarge memory of your PC.
UM019	Cannot find modules	Execution directory might be changed or destroyed.	Push "re-install ax" button in "Operation" sheet. Confirm execution directory. Re-install.
UM020	Version not matched	Execution directory might be changed or destroyed.	Push "re-install ax" button in "Operation" sheet.
UM021	Cannot connect device driver	Assigned Xi,Yi,Fps was refused	Confirm Video capture device and Xi,Yi,Fps settings.
UM022	Cannot find modules	Execution directory might be changed or destroyed.	Push "re-install ax" button in "Operation" sheet. Confirm execution directory. Re-install.
UM023	Version not matched	Execution directory might be changed or destroyed.	Push "re-install ax" button in "Operation" sheet.
UM024	Cannot read in area mask file	Area mask file may be deleted	Confirm area mask file name or create it again.
UM025	Cannot replace DA-ALL.bmp	DA-ALL.bmp must be kept as it is.	Use other name.
UM027	Area mask and current Xi Yi not matched	Xi Yi has changed	Create a new area mask or use DA_ALL.bmp
UM028	Registration by proper licence key is required	Trial period expired	Get official licence key and do registration.
UM029	Registration failed	Serial ID or Licence key is not correct.	Use correct ID and key
UM030	Registration by proper licence key is required	Trial period expired	Get official licence key and do registration.
UM035	Audio device is required by wmv codec	Audio device is not assigned or not ready	Confirm audio device and its pin
UM071	Cannot read "ufi" file	"ufi" file may be broken	Delete broken settings file (Settings.ufi) and set parameter s again.
UM080	Cannot read still image	Still image is not exist	-
UM081 UM082	Cannot read *M.bmp	*M.bmp may be broken or not exist	Check off all overlay options (+Area mask ...) in Replay sheet.
UM083	Cannot save snap shot image	Xi,Yi might be changed	Set Xi Yi equal to the size of original image
MExxx	Failed to send mail	Mail Error	Confirm Mail settings
FTP	Failed to FTP transfer	FTP Error	Confirm FTP settings
UExxxx	Internal error	Normally, this will not happen	Confirm environment

4.3 F.A.Q.

Q1. Which product can be used by UFOCapture?

A1.

PCI video capture boards (recommended)
- Almost all recent products that use software encoder and compatible uses DirectX v9.0 ro later may work..
  - ELSA EX-VISION 300TV,500TV,700TV,1500TV
  - BUFFALO PC-MV1TV/PCI, PC-SMP2E/PCI,PC-MV3S/PCI
  - I-O DATA GV-BCTV7E ,GV-D1V,GV-BCTV5/PCI
  - KEIAN JH-TV1735
USB2.0 video capture box
- ELSA EX-VISION 600TV USB 2.0
USB web cam
- Logicool Qcam Pro 3000 /4000
IEEE1394 (DV) interface
- Almost all products which use OHCI standard interface and Microsoft's DV driver(Microsoft DV Camera and VCR.).
  - BUFFALO IFC-PCI7IU2(USB2.0&IEEE1394)
IEEE1394(DV) device
- Almost all products include DV tape recorders, DV tuners, DV capture equipments.
  - CANOPUS ADVC-200TV
  - CANOPUS ADVC-55
- There are some equipments that is depend on system driver version or DirectX version.
  - Try DirectX V9.0c or after first.
  - C:\WINDOWS\system32\DRIVERS\1394bus.sys version 5.1.2600.1106 or 5.1.2600.1135 will work with most of equipments.
  - C:\WINDOWS\system32\DRIVERS\1394bus.sys version 5.1.2600.1150 ‚© 5.1.2600.1156 will not work with some of the equipments.
Devices below are reported as compatible device and can be used in PAL720x576 mode.
- ELSA EX-VISION 1500TV
- GeForce 6600GT VIVO PCIe
- Canopus ADVC-55

Q2. Cannot preview or error message appeared by pushing "Preview" button.

A2.

Refer Error messages table if you got error messages.
Confirm that you can capture a video clip by the software which is provided with the hardware.
- Confirm the CPU load is under 50% at your capture size and rate.
- Confirm that you can replay the captured clip by Windows Media Player .
Confirm your video capture device can be used by Windows Media Encoder or Windows Movie Maker.

Q3. Cannot hear audio

A3.

There may be reasons below.
- Signal is muted on the volume control panel of your system.
- Appropriate audio device is not selected in "Input" sheet.
- Appropriate audio pin is not selected in "Input" sheet.
- Signal is not selected on the property page of audio capture device.

Q4. Error occurs when using WMV codec though AVI codec work well.

A4.

Audio device must be used when WMV codec is selected.
Install Windows Movie Maker or Windows Media Encoder to ensure the module environment of wmv.

Q5 Frame drop occurs or sometime system become unstable at the recording.

May be performance limit. Check CPU load by Task Manager of the system.
Set lower size or rate and test it first.
Change HDD cache mode.
Stop other applications (such as virus check, auto update, mail receiving or some scheduled tasks) during capturing.

Q6. Capture start when there seems no change.

A6.

There may be very little change which we cannot see. Try methods below.
- Use area mask and eliminate unstable are such as trees or ground lights.
- Edge of the image is unstable on some equipments. Mask four edges by lines which have two or three pixels wide.
- Set camera and lens not to be moved by winds.
- Set flickerless modes of camera when under fluorescent lamps.
- Use scintillation mask to avoid the effect of atmosphere.

Q7. There are black line at the left or right side of the image.

A7.

This phenomena is caused by the timing mismatch of the video source and the capture equipment.
There is no way other than change equipments.
This black line is often very unstable. Do not include this in detection area.

Q8. Can I use dual core cpu or HT cpu?

A8.

Yes. Generally, those cpus are recommended.
But be careful that those cpus are not improve single task performance. There are possibilities that they reach their performance limit even there are enough room of total system performance.

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