Acer Orbicam Fix
- posted by Michael Walsh on May 29th, 2007
- (122)
UPDATE 3: I have closed comments on this thread as the argument has moved on. The solution can be found by reading through the (long) thread below.
UPDATE 2: I have had an explanation of this problem from the tech support guys at Acer and the solution below is only OK for the Aspire 9300 and Aspire 5570 models for which the correct drivers and applications are available from the relative support page. Please have a look at this page for a correct fix BEFORE YOU POST HERE as the conversation has moved on.
UPDATE: This solution doesn’t work for everyone. Please read the comments to see why and what others are doing about it.
I have received an answer from Acer to the Orbicam problem.
There are two software entities involved – the camera Drivers and the OrbiCam application itself – and BOTH need replacing/updating to fix this problem.
The new driver and a new version of webcam application (below) seem to fix the issue.
The correct files to download are:
Acer Orbicam driver (Bison)
Acer Orbicam Bison utility 1.0.0.13
These can be found here under the MS Windows Vista drop down menu:
http://support.acer-euro.com/drivers/notebook/as_9300.html
In order to fix the problem, you must download and install them both to make the Orbicam work correctly.
FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS BELOW IN THE SAME ORDER:
1. remove the installed OrbiCam application and reboot if required;
2. install the new driver (preferably with the “driver update” wizard from Device Manager)
3. update the Orbicam application 1.0.0.13
After this, the webcam should function properly, even if the original Orbicam icon disappears.
To check everything is working OK run LiveCa07.exe or BisonM07.exe that are located in the c:\windows\bisonxxx\ folder or simply run Messenger.
And please, let me know if this works.
You want comments? We got comments:
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Lin wrote, on May 29th, 2007:
Still no luck, the apps won’t run and the driver info for the device manager says:
The drivers for this device are not installed. (Code 28)
The class installer registry entry is invalid.
To reinstall the drivers for this device, click Reinstall Driver.
Shyam wrote, on May 29th, 2007:
I just wanted my money on getting a upgrade to Windows Vista. I called Acer and they say that they dont support Windows Vista and I have to contact Moduslink or something for it. I teird the other company and they say that they have nothing to do with the upgrade… So I am frustrated ! I think I will go back to MCE.
Michael Walsh wrote, on May 29th, 2007:
Hi Shyam,
I’m sorry you’re getting frustrated over this.
Moduslink is the official Microsoft company/site appointed to handle all free Vista upgrades. There’s no other way of accessing the “free” upgrade.
They have handled this transition for all PC manufacturers. You can check out their site here.
However, you will find that the deadline to benefit from the upgrade was 31st March although they will still honour valid requests submitted before that deadline.
As far as Acer is concerned, there was a press release issued in December 2006 about Acer’s Vista upgrade policy and you can read that here.
The press release states that:
I recommend you read the terms of the upgrade that are stated on the press release again to see if you are still in time.
Hope this helps.
Michael
Zach wrote, on June 3rd, 2007:
Can someone please explain a solution to the Acer Orbicam problem. I don’t understand if there is a fix. Mine is saying that it is unplugged and needs to be reconnected. It started about a week ago. I’m seeing a lot of similar complaints, but no real solution.
I have Acer Aspire 5680 running XP, but Vista ready…
Any help is highly appreciated.
thanks,
Zach
Hermann wrote, on June 3rd, 2007:
What Michael Walsh says is partially true. The two Drivers are the latest available for Vista, but it still does not work. After installing the drivers as micheal says modify the settings in Oribicam Icon.
The Bison Driver does not work at all. However when I modified the target on properties of the Orbicam Icon to direct it to C:\windows\BisonCam\LiveCam.exe to original Microsoft Drivers, it works. Perhaps this driver has limited options but it is the driver Acer Installed in the Original Image.
Michael Walsh wrote, on June 3rd, 2007:
Hi Zach,
Thanks for stopping by.
First I think I need to clear something up. “The OrbiCam Problem” you mention is a not a general problem with the OrbiCams fitted to Acer notebooks.
It appears to be an isolated problem that affects the drivers and applications of Acer OrbiCams originally installed under Windows XP systems that are then upgraded to Vista.
The OrbiCam doesn’t “break”, but under Vista the applications and drivers don’t work together properly causing the problems you read about.
Not to defend Acer blindly (I am trying to help solve this after all), a quick Google search has shown that webcams from a number of manufacturers have had the same problems under Vista so the problem is not limited to Acer and the fact that other manufacturers and products have been affected means that a fix will eventually surface.
Also, from what I’m seeing here, some of the solutions I’ve found and posted work for some and not for others so whatever is causing it affects diverse systems differently.
The fix to the Vista problem I published here came from the Acer support team but obviously even that wasn’t enough for everyone (thanks for the support Hermann). I’ll keep trying. Once they manage to replicate it, I’m pretty sure it’ll be published on the official support sites. Of course, The Acer Guy readers will be the first to know
Yours *appears* to be a problem with the software which might be easy to solve simply by re-installing the program and drivers you can find on the Acer System CD that came with the notebook.
steve wrote, on June 4th, 2007:
I also have problem with vista and my orbicam however it seems like no one really knows the problem with it so i will just wait till acer puts out the drivers for this problem I tried three things people said to do and no luck so I will give up for now thx
Zach wrote, on June 4th, 2007:
I know you’ve probably heard this before, but I don’t have an Acer System CD. I’ll keep checking your site for fixes. Do you know exactly how to get my original drivers?
I really appreciate your help and your site. You do a great job and service…
Paul wrote, on June 4th, 2007:
Hi Michael,
Unfortunately this fix did not work for me.
Some specs:
Aspire 5100, Vista from new.
The web cam worked on the very first run, but as soon as windows update did its thing…kaput!
I have applied the recommended fixes and tried all the available drivers on the Acer website(s).
In addition I applied the messenger patch and also tried to re install the drivers using the restore function, all to no avail.
I await with bated breath for a vista driver that does actually work. Is Acer currently working on one? Is there an ETA?.
And if all else fails what do you think about wiping vista and using XP (does this solve the problem)?
Michael Walsh wrote, on June 4th, 2007:
Hi Zach,
I’ve had a look on the Acer Support site and have found your notebook here http://support.acer-euro.com/drivers/notebook/as_5680.html .
There are a few scroll down menus, the top one of which has all the drivers and utilities that came with your original set up.
I very much hope this helps.
Michael Walsh wrote, on June 4th, 2007:
Paul,
Ooohh that Windows update. That caused me to re-install Windows XP three times in six months. Have a look at what I wrote the last time it happened on my other blog here.
I would advise extreme caution before wiping Vista. That’s the sort of thing I do more out of frustration than necessity and it shuts me down for days.
I’m afraid I haven’t had the pleasure(!) of using Vista yet, but my first question is: is there a “System Restore” function like there is in XP? (Programs –> Accessories –> System Tools –> System Restore).
I must admit this feature has saved me more times than I’m prepared to admit and then I’d seriously recommend you turn that damned automatic update off.
As far as Acer is concerned, I’m afraid I can’t say, but I am hounding them so expect a response soon. Unless of course they fire me first
Zach wrote, on June 4th, 2007:
Again, I appreciate your help, but I’ve already downloaded drivers from that site with no success. I really hope to find a solution….
Ricky wrote, on June 4th, 2007:
I’m having Orbicam issues too and trying to fix it. I get the message “camera in use by another program” even when I have no other processes running. I’ve tried ending processes to no avail. Oh, and I’m running XP, not Vista. Could a recent Windows update have hosed the drivers to the Orbicam?
Michael Walsh wrote, on June 4th, 2007:
Zach,
Looks like I didn’t understand your question.
“Do you know exactly how to get my original drivers?” The answer is the link I sent.
“When is Acer going to set up a OrbiCam/Vista fix-page?” Watch this space.
Plus you’re still running XP so the current drivers and applications (all available on that link) should help (unless I really didn’t get the question).
Colin wrote, on June 5th, 2007:
I’am having orbicam problems i’m getting the message
ACER ORBICAM APPLICATION HAS STOPPED WORKING
A problem has caused this program to stop working correctly.Windows will close the program and notify you if a solution is available.I have an Acer 9303 only got it on the 2nd june i would appreciate any help in solving the problem.
Colin wrote, on June 5th, 2007:
Forgot to mention i have vista home premium
Liz wrote, on June 5th, 2007:
Hi …. I got my laptop with windows vista home premium… 2 months ago, and i’m sick of it already, wish i had got xp.(when i phoned to complain about vista, told him i didnt want vista want to swap for xp… he said they aint got any with xp on as xp is phasing out.
Anyway… to cut a very long story short,Nothing would work, when i phoned pc world they put me onto someone else.i told him as things dont work i want to get the computer back to the way it was when i bought it… tried the recovery,but didnt work the guy said i need the recovery cd, he would get it sent out… put me on hold, then put me onto someone else.When i said it was for a recovery cd,he said have you used the windows anytime upgrade cd? i said yea,he said it will cost you £50 for the recovery cd coz you used the upgrade cd. i only used it as i thought it was driver updates, i emailed acer i’m waiting on acer getting back to me.
Liz
Colin wrote, on June 5th, 2007:
I know how you feel i’ve only had vista a few days and already wish i’d stuck with xp
colin
Michael Walsh wrote, on June 5th, 2007:
Looks like I’m going to have to get my hands on a Vista machine just so I can feel what you guys are going through…!
Allow me 5 minutes to let off some frustration and share a thought with you.
If you look at them from a distance, these technical “problems” aren’t actually caused by the notebook or general hardware failures but by software conflicts, usually – dare I say nearly always – because of the operating system.
Yet who gets the blame and is expected to fix it? The hardware manufacturers. To quote a colleague of mine, “There are no issues with Vista, just everyone else has problems”.
If you have a look at the blogs (official and otherwise) of other PC brands, you’ll see these same issues repeated over and over and the problem is always left to the manufacturers to fix.
Once you accept that something like 9 out of 10 system errors, problems and malfunctions are software-related and that before the hardware support teams (vendors) can issue a fix they have to replicate the problem which can have any number of triggers, you can see why they sometimes appear to have trouble keeping up.
And come to think of it I’m not 100% sure the hardware support teams are in turn supported by the software manufacturers, financially or technically, which makes it even harder to provide a proper service at a global level.
Having said that there’s no excuse for shoddy service and Liz, please keep us informed. I too would want XP back after an experience like yours (Vista is a giant leap of faith for most of us) but unfortunately you – like thousands of others – have to cross a legal minefield (You can have this but not that. You want that then you have to pay…) even before you get through to support.
Right now I’m not in a position to help you directly (read The Acer Guy link to see what I actually do for Acer) but I will certainly do what I can, even if it is limited to allowing and encouraging others who’ve been down your path and found a solution to post their experiences.
Jessika wrote, on June 6th, 2007:
so i redirected my target as Hermann said, and alas, i have some improvement. it not longer says APPLICATION HAS STOPPED WORKING, it actually lets me open it. However, it just shows up a black screen. Any ideas from there?
Ade wrote, on June 6th, 2007:
Hey,
Stumbled across this blog whilst searching for the OrbiCam fix.
I have a 9423, running Vista Home Premium, i have downloaded each driver, the logitech app, the bison and the suyan and tried them all, the camera application opened with the logitech, and worked…for one attempt, it then will not open. It looks as if it tries to open and flashes up but doesn’t stay up.
I had similar problems when i was running XP, it said the camera was “being used by another program”.
I don’t want to send back to Acer as they said they’d charge me £38 if it is a software problem!
So annoying, it worked, once.
Any help would be fantastic
TimC wrote, on June 6th, 2007:
Tried this after updating the driver on Bison Orbicam.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=63357
My laptop is a brand new Acer 5100 with VistaHP and 2 GIG of Ram.
After 4 hours of trying everything else suggested this worked GREAT the FIRST time. Install of Logitech QuickCam 10.5 is SLOW (be patient!!), it is Vista compatible. Won’t go back to Acer OrbiCam app unless fix is thoroughly documented and tested. Definitely Acer Orbicam app is the problem….Everthing else about product appears to be top notch, no complaints…
Michael Walsh wrote, on June 6th, 2007:
Just a quick reply to let you guys know I haven’t forgotten about you.
I’m still waiting to hear back from support and that, like I mentioned yesterday, is because they have to replicate the problem before they can safely sign it off as a definitive fix.
That’s why the previous one works for some and not for others (and is also why I’m not taking it down just yet).
Besides the more users write, the more weight the argument gains…
One thing I’ve noticed, you all seem to have Vista Home Premium… Hmm…
While we all wait patiently for something official, I suggest you read the forum thread TimC kindly posted above. There’s an interesting workaround @ comment 10.
TimC wrote, on June 6th, 2007:
Just a quick follow up…..
Regardless of Acer model, Just make sure you have updated the OrbiCam driver from Acer, installed and working (you can test with LiveCam.exe in C:\Windows\BisonXXX directory as indicated in previous post) and then try the Logitech QuickCAM 10.5 for Vista( download from Logitech site and install, see previous post ). If it doesn’t work for your model just uninstall app……May save you hours of frustration and support tag…..
TimC wrote, on June 7th, 2007:
PS. My Orbicam didn’t work under VistaHP or Vista Ultimate (which I upgraded to 2 weeks after I purchased), until I applied solution above….
When installing VERIFIED drivers and applications under Vista right click the .exe or .msi file and select run as administrator (you must do this regardless of the user’s assigned permissions or groups to ensure that ALL .dlls, system files and registry entries get written and updated properly). This is a security feature that ensures least privileged user mode by default…..
Paul wrote, on June 7th, 2007:
Hi TimC,
Thanks for the info, but I must be a tad blond e…
Which is “Logitech QuickCAM 10.5 for Vista” ”
When I go here http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/support_downloads/ they all have different names and it’s not obvious which is 10.5.
Also, when here http://support.acer-euro.com/drivers/notebook/as_5100.html which of the vista drivers do I install, bison, suyin or logitech again?
Cheers
Paul
Paul wrote, on June 7th, 2007:
OK, to partially answer my own question….and give you some background..
1 week old Acer 5100, VistaHP from new.
This worked for me..
Un-installed the drivers and utilities for the camera.
Went here .. http://support.acer-euro.com/drivers/notebook/as_5100.html
downloaded and installed the Bison 6.96.0.12a driver. (using the right click as mentioned by TimC).
Tested working fine with C:\Windows\BisonXXX …now just to get it working with messenger and Logitech QuickCAM 10.5 for Vista…I’ll keep you posted.
Cheers
Paul
Paul wrote, on June 7th, 2007:
Update:
Tried Logitech QuickCAM 10.5 for Vista, installation offered to update, let it, ..mistake, threw up BSOD until it was removed.
Works fine with Messenger 8.1.0178.00.
Looking for a compatible application (may try Quickcam again without allowing it to update)
Will keep you posted. Cheers, Paul
Michael Walsh wrote, on June 7th, 2007:
Paul,
That looks frightening, but you’re definitely getting closer and your efforts are very much appreciated.
Tell you what, the first person to sort this out once and for all gets an Acer Mnemonick key and heaps of respect.
Not much of a prize I know but it’s all I got right now
Paul wrote, on June 7th, 2007:
My vote is for TimC, he put me on the right track.
I believe the Acer drivers are ok, it is the Acer application(s) that is/are making the Orbicam throw a hissy fit.
I now have the Acer 5100 (VistaHP) with the Orbicam running in Messenger fine.
I’ve created a restore point and will continue to experiment with various applications until I find a few that run ok, then post back here.
Michael Walsh wrote, on June 7th, 2007:
Good job I’ve got 2 then
TimC wrote, on June 7th, 2007:
This is the link that I used for the QuickCam software (32-bit only)on my Acer 5100, should be same for all Logitech WebCams. Don’t remember if I let software update (don’t think so??)…….
http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/435/254&cl=us,en
Tony wrote, on June 7th, 2007:
I have a Acer Aspire 5100 which I purchased recently. I too upgraded to Vista with the problems many of you are or have been experiencing I now have my orbicam working in windows vista.
You Need to open file in windows folder called Bison Cam locate file called LiveCam.exe double click file this should execute the operations of your camera as it did for me(Just as a test make sure it works). Change the path of the file location (notice highlighted below) you can actually do this by right clicking the Acer Orbicam desktop icon going into properties & changing the info in Target to the one that now reflects the locations of your file called “LiveCam.exe”. Apply & Ok.
C:\Windows\BisonCam\LiveCam.exe
Valerio Vanni wrote, on June 8th, 2007:
I’ve tried all solutions I found here, but nothing to do: Orbicam keeps on crashing.
One thing I noticed is that it crashes only with an user, with another goes fine.
Paul wrote, on June 8th, 2007:
Now that we have dealt to the main issue with the Orbicam/VistaHP mix, here is some alternative webcam server software that seems to work ok with the Orbicam, better yet it is free.
http://www.multicamserver.com/en/download/AbelCam.msi
Only problem I have left is Messenger crashing if I try to adjust the advanced video settings, which I can live without. Cheers, Paul
Valerio Vanni wrote, on June 8th, 2007:
Another one I tried is VisionGS PE
http://www.visiongs.de/
I tried it only for snapshots, because for video the program c:\windows\Bisonc07\LiveCa07.exe works.
Michael Walsh wrote, on June 8th, 2007:
Thanks for your input Valerio.
I think your user-crash problem might be related to the solution TimC provided above:
I’m going to write a summary of the solutions you guys have come up with here and it looks like the problem is definitely with the pre-installed OrbiCam software and NOT with the (updated) drivers.
I’m going to need more mnemonincks…
Ed wrote, on June 9th, 2007:
Hello All:
Well after many hours of trying to get my Acer Bison Orbicam working SUCCESS!
The fix is to create a new user account (windows Vista Premium) and then log in as new user.The webcam should work now.
Worked for me.
Product is an ACER 9300
Abdiel wrote, on June 9th, 2007:
I bought an Aspire 9300 on December 2006. It was eligible for a free Vista Upgrade program, so I applied for it. As soon I upgraded to Vista Home Premium, I lost my precious OrbiCam. I tried everything, including the solutions on this forum. (Note that my notebook is the same model used to the first fix post)But nothing worked. Even at the Vista Hardware Compatibility List the closest model to my Bison Cam is not check marked as working with Vista. At last, I tried the thing that a lot of people told me to avoid: Ran my original Windows XP Media Center Edition back. Though everyone warned me that Vista would not let me run over it, 40 minutes later my precious Acer Aspire was back to original factory form. So, I will miss the shiny Vista Icons and Aero Interfase for the next year. But I feel much better with the fast startup and precious OrbiCam.
Lin wrote, on June 10th, 2007:
I’ve tried every solution here on my Aspire 3680 and still the device manager says the driver is not installed properly. (I’ve uninstalled, and re-installed, used the admin account, restarted, etc.) I just bought this computer six weeks ago and had Vista installed on it (thinking I’d avoid upgrade problems later.)
I’m getting frustrated with the lack of answers from Acer (nothing about this problem is on the Europe or Pac. Asia sites) Do they have a time estimate on fixing this? I’m really hoping for a simple, real solution: a driver that can be installed with the device manager and runs, that’s it. Please tell us if there is some official word, this site is the only place I’ve fond that even mentions the ongoing problem.
Sorry to vent my frustration here, but as I said, I haven’t found any other site that is working with the problem.
Michael Walsh wrote, on June 10th, 2007:
No problem Lin,
You’re in good company, and your frustration is helping me get an answer so if anything, I have to thank you!
This is not meant to defend Acer, it’s just my thoughts on the way things are moving.
Just like all companies who listen (or have someone listening (me)) to what’s being said about them and their products online, Acer needs to learn how to react to this new feedback channel and how to prioritize its support program accordingly.
It might not be anything new and remarkable to people like us who blog and see issues like these resolved every day but when you’re a company facing it for the first time on such a broad scale it can be a time-consuming challenge.
Acer customer support is changing but it’s just not quite where you and everyone else are waiting for them yet.
Give them time, and they will improve.
Give me (a little less) time, and I’ll get your answer.
Michael
Steve wrote, on June 12th, 2007:
Hi there, i have just bought a 3860 series using Vista Basic and found similar problems. When i put photos in the pictures file it seems to conflict with the orbicam. Moving the photos to any other file or deleting them makes the camera work 100% again.
Is there a better solution out there rather than creating a new file calling it “photos” or something like that.
I can’t seem to find any options or settings for the orbicam to tell it not to look in the pictures folder.
Good ideas welcomed
tongue81 wrote, on June 13th, 2007:
I have an acer 5630, i’m fairly sure its a logitech orbicam in this unit as the logitech drifers are the only ones that actually install. the problem I have is I can action the camera the green light comes on for a split second and then it stops working. At the same time I notice the usb connected devices icon in the bottom right corner dissapear and then come back.
anyone?
Michael Walsh wrote, on June 13th, 2007:
Hi everyone. I have started a far more in-depth explanation on a new thread.
Fix yourself your favourite drink and head over to http://www.theacerguy.com/2007/06/12/an-apology-and-a-solution-for-the-orbicam-problem/.
Thanks,
Michael
Colin wrote, on June 15th, 2007:
I have removed all the pictures from the pictures folder and put them in a new folder on my desktop
my orbicam is working perfectly now
Colin wrote, on June 15th, 2007:
Vista is growing on me now, sure it has annoying quirks and some compatibility issues but hopefully these will be resolved and we can all revel in its beauty
Michael Walsh wrote, on June 15th, 2007:
Welcome back Colin.
Yours are the first good words about Vista I’ve seen on this blog!
Glad to know your 9303’s back to full health.
Alexk wrote, on June 16th, 2007:
Hello all, im a tech at a local pc repair shop. Our store has sold plenty of Acer notebooks with Orbicam. Most of which have had the orbicam problem with VISTA.
Its apparant that it stops working after I import the customers data from their old Pc’s into the corresponding directories ( example, “my pictures” into “Pictures”)
Upon doing this , The acer oribcam program crashes on execution. Although removing those files out of the “pictures” directory seems to fix the problem.
Is there anyone who could find the registry value of the orbicam software and let us know? or make a registry file up to change it to save pictures in another directory? im sure this would solve alot of problems, Thanks in advance.
Alex Kling
Sr Technician @ Mytechguys in Comox, BC
Colin wrote, on June 16th, 2007:
Cheers Michael.
I got sick of moaning to everyone about vista and decided to accept it for what it is,a brand new OS its going to have teething problems that will be solved and everyone will wonder what all the fuss was about.
Lloyd wrote, on June 17th, 2007:
Acer 5100 Webcam Windows Vista
I removed all pictures from my picture folder and now my webcam works again????
Michael Walsh wrote, on June 17th, 2007:
As my support guru said:
“There appear to be two factors that can create this problem:
2] If some pictures are present inside “My Pictures” folders, the Orbicam application will fail to start. It seems to be a Vista issue and still needs to be fully clarified.”
Welcome to the wonderful world of progress…
Ali wrote, on June 20th, 2007:
hi I have an Acer aspire 5610z with windows vista. My laptop doesnt even detect the orbicam, any solutions?? Also the cd that came with the system doesn’t even install the acer program.
Michael Walsh wrote, on June 20th, 2007:
Hi Ali,
I had a look at the Acer support site for the Aspire 5610 and this model appears to be one of those notebooks with more than one OrbiCam type installed so you need to know which one is installed on yours before you download anything.
You can see what I mean here:
You’re best bet is to follow the instructions I posted here to find out which one you have. If you’re brave enough, you can try and download the latest applications and see how you get on. If you’re not, call Acer with what you get and let them walk you through it.
hanne wrote, on June 21st, 2007:
Hi,
Tnx for you’re solution! Just removed the pictures, and my cam is running perfectly. Can even take new pictures and keep them without any problems. Who know it could be so simple…(acer 5101 vista hp) I am going to think twice before doing another windows update though…
Tnx again
Michael Walsh wrote, on June 21st, 2007:
Hi Hanne,
Glad to have been of help.
Don’t trust automatic Windows updates. This is not Acer speaking it’s me. I already wrote about my experiences a while ago in another blog. Have a look here to see how I feel about automatic updates :<
Dave Scranney wrote, on June 22nd, 2007:
Hi
Like Zach further up the page I have an unaltered 5680 running XP. The Orbicam packed up after a week or so, with only intermittent use. The error mesage says “camera is in use by another aplication”.
I have tried reinstalling original drivers and software, and upgrading to no effect. I have tried Logitech drivers too
Acer’s answer was to reformat. Not posible when you bought the laptop because you were going to be on the road and needed the camera for Skype.
Idealy Acer will ake this issue seriously as there are a lot of us out there with this problem.
In the mean time if anybody has cracked this please let me know.
Thanks
Dave
Michael Walsh wrote, on June 22nd, 2007:
Hi Dave,
Thanks for stopping by and appreciate your perspective.
I just wanted to let you know that Acer is taking this issue seriously and the support teams have been notified that once the correct camera and driver releases have been identified (by them or by the user), there is a way to resolve the problem.
Having said that, I strongly recommend you read this post which I wrote after speaking with the support guys.
One more thing: I notice you say you’re running XP. As I said in the above (linked) post:
If you’re running XP you’re probably not suffering from the same problems as all the other Vista-casualties. I agree a reformat is a bit dramatic and probably quite unnecessary so see if this link helps first.
Michael Walsh wrote, on June 22nd, 2007:
Hi Bob,
I guess if you get it working for what you need it for, then there’s no problem
Glad I was of some help!
The question of Vista-upgrade Vs. Vista-native doesn’t actually depend on whether or not it came with Vista pre-installed. It depends on whether or not the PC/notebook whatever was designed so that Vista would run on it (Vista-ready) or whether it was designed specifically with Vista in mind (native Vista).
I guess you could compare it to high definition televisions and the difference between the marketing friendly “HD Ready” and the much more serious “Full HD” sets. One gives you a pretty good simulated rendition of high definition pictures, the other has a 1920 x 1080 native high-definition resolution. The difference is very, very clear.
As this Wikipedia definition puts it:
Bob Woolliscroft wrote, on June 22nd, 2007:
Hi I have purchased an Acer Aspire 5610Z. I have been using it for One week now. If I tried to open Orbicam program from my desktop windows promptly shut it down. However the actual camera works fine with my Skype on Vista.This machine is not a Vista upgrade it was supplied with Vista loaded. reading though this page it seems Acer have a minor problem. However having spent time reading your report it appears I was also using two clicks and not one. If I use a single click on my desk top everything is fine and my Orbicam works as it should. Many thanks for the article it has saved me a great deal of time. Many thanks. Bob
Peter wrote, on June 23rd, 2007:
Thanks Acer Guy!
A week ago I bought a brandnew ACER 9303 – Vista Home Prenium. But the camera did not work. During 6 days, I was looking for a solution. But after I found your webpage the problem was resolved in five minutes. Thanks a lot.
Beste regards,
Peter.
Nath wrote, on July 8th, 2007:
I recently bought an Acer 5613ZWLMi which has Vista Home Basic Preloaded. I formatted and installed Win XP Sp2 and all the drivers (which I downloaded from Acer-euro website). Except ny Orbicam everthing else is working fine.
I tried the Bison driver, the logotech drive and the suyin driver. Nothing works.
When I install the Bison driver (6.96.0.006), the driver gets installed and then windows tells me that there is a hardware problem (code 19)
I have tried uninstalling and re-installing the driver but always he same message
Can somebody help me on this.
Isabelle wrote, on July 8th, 2007:
Hello!
I have an Aspire 5100 and after reading most of the entries here, I decided to try the “remove all pictures from the images folder” first and when I did, the Acer OrbiCam worked again
Before removing them I went to c:/windows/BisonC07 and the .exe in there made the camera work too.
I hope they find a permanent fix for this.
Michael Walsh wrote, on July 8th, 2007:
Hey Nath,
I’m afraid you’re going to have to slog through this other post if you’re going to have a chance of getting things running as they should…
To put it briefly, this post will help you discover which camera model you have and which application your specific notebook has. Only then will you be able to download the right ones.
If you try to install the wrong ones (or all of them) you’ll simply get nowhere. Let us know how you get on.
Shaquille wrote, on July 10th, 2007:
Hi all,
I bought an Acer Aspire 5583WXMi with VISTA. It also has an Acer Orbicam with it.
After a couple of months using. My orbicam stops running. At first, the error msg was about usb connection.
And then when i went to device manager. the exclaimation mark was there on the Acer Orbicam Driver. I suppose the driver has some problems.
Tried the auto-update of driver, reinstalling of driver, using Bison, Suyin etc Nothing works.
Can you help me?
Michael Walsh wrote, on July 11th, 2007:
Shaquille,
Again, have you tried this post? The OrbiCam fix argument isn’t as easy as it first seemed and everyone has their own, unique problem/solution.
However, the first thing you have to do is find out exactly what driver/application you have on your notebook (not standard I’m afraid). How you do this is explained on the other post. Then you must install ONLY these applications/drivers from the Acer support site as necessary. If you install the wrong drivers (very easy to do) you’ll only make matters worse.
Have a look and write back on that post. That’s where some real solutions have been discovered.
Starlite KNight wrote, on July 19th, 2007:
I’ve just got a new Acer Aspire 9300-5390 laptop. When I installed Windows Live Messenger, my Acer OrbiCam software wouldn’t work and I downloaded the drivers from Acer’s site and the software works now. However, my persisting problem even after restoring factory defaults on a brand new laptop is this: whenever I click on the “Advanced…” button under my webcam’s settings, Windows closes WLM on me. The DEP says it can’t be turned off for WLM. I’ve also come across the eDSMSN81patch file but I wouldn’t be here if it worked. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!
Martin wrote, on July 24th, 2007:
When I purchased my 5600 it arrived with wrong operating system and I had it replaced by the supplier with the correct version (from XP SP Russian to XP SP English). They never got the camera working. Acer support did not manage this either. The XP the supllier installed was a out of the box version of XP, not “acerised”. I looked into the camera issue and came accros the following entry on a forum, which I followed and it workes fine, though not with the latest version of skype. (up to version 2.xxx.76 it was fine)
QUOTE
06-11-2006
Just read the forum entries and enjoy the views of your customers on Acer.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=71035
I had the same problems as the originial poster. In Device Manager the camera was a yellow question mark. I’ve done the install of the OrbiCam package (AS5670_Orbicam_9.4.0.1120) with both the application install and the driver only install. The application and driver appear in Add/Remove Programs. I’ve removed them both and tried installing them in the other order. I’ve also tried pointing the driver install to “AS5670_Orbicam_9.4.0.1120\CCD\Drivers\WinNew\321″ the only place with valid inf files, which did not work either.
I noticed that Properties->Details->Hardware Ids [from Device Manager] has this listed:
USB\Vid_046d&Pid_0896&Rev_0100
USB\Vid_046d&Pid_0896
The lv321v.inf file has entries for Pid_0892, not Pid_0896. I did a search and replace for PID_0892 to PID_0896 and repointed the driver install at the directory. The camera was found and worked after I did this, but the tracking thing does not work (the VisageON->Enable/Disable Face Tracking options are grayed out as well as Reset Camera Position). I have a feeling that my particular 5672 notebook has a newer version of the camera and the drivers aren’t updated for it.
Please let me know if there is another solution out there… or if your camera works fine can you list the Hardware Ids?
UNQUOTE.
It seems that “acer” windows assigns a different “pid” to hardware than “original out of the box windows is doing. This could the cause of misery.
sleepless wrote, on July 24th, 2007:
Hi all!
Recently bought a Acer Aspire 3104WLMi with Windows Vista pre installed … so far so good… of course at the begining the OrbiCam was working nicely then for some reason (as I have found out because of windows update) stopped working … tried all the solutions available… none worked. Tried at least 4 kinds of drivers and the logitech software and who knows what else. So I thoungt should sit and wait for a unified solution from Acer! But the thing that buggs me most is that when the Acer screen saver appears there are little bubbles and notebooks that show an actual live image from the orbicam inside them…. so my question is … how is this possible that in the Orbicam software the webcam is not working but in some lame screen saver which is made in Flash btw the cam works… maybe there is a decent coder out there who could simply write a simple software like the screen saver only like an application… and that would be the end of this stupid stupid problem!
SasH wrote, on July 25th, 2007:
Hello you wonderful people !
First of all, just to say that I had unbelievable problems getting my OrbiCam to work in Windows XP. I have an Acer Aspire 5630 Intel Core 2 Duo machine here that came with Windows Vista preinstalled. Even though I never had any trouble with Vista, there still are some small issues with Flash and some other applications that I use in my everyday work. That’s why I decided to have a dual boot.. Vista and XP.
Orbicam worked perfectly in Vista since the very first day, but I couldn’t make it work in XP regardless of what I tried…
Anyway, to make long story short… I have no clue why Acer people made this stupid package that can be downloaded from their website. There is no way you can install anything using that EXE file. The name of the file is this: Camera_Logitech_v9.4.4.1082.
When you download it, and unzip it, you’ll get just one .EXE file named Logitech.exe
No matter what you do, you won’t be able to install anything just by executing it.
What I did was this… open your WinRAR program, and open that Logitech.exe file in WinRAR. You’ll get a list of bunch of files and folders. That’s what we needed!
Extract contents of that “Logitech.EXE” file and wen you’re done, simply start Setup.exe
I did that, installation started just like it should have started before, and my camera started working right after the restart.
I hope this will help all those out there who started pulling their hair out.
Cheers!
Sash
Perry Schiele wrote, on July 26th, 2007:
Hey!! Been Reading The Posts!!! I have an Acer 5610Z .. With Windows Home Premium… Orbicam works after finding the right driver on the Acer website.. in the AMERICAS Section.. it updated my non working driver and application…(BISON DRIVER, and ORBICAM APP).. Ok Get this now… It works.. the orbicam application works and the driver works but now after being on for about 10-20 seconds.. it flashes .. Red Blue and Green Colors??? Anyone know of this issue or having this issue.. a fix would well be appreicated if anyone has any tweeked drivers.. but the Search.. Well.. will continue.. thanks so much for the info on the other posts though !!!
:D
Matthijs wrote, on July 29th, 2007:
Hi everyone,
I’ve bought my Acer Aspire 5613Zwlmi 2 weeks ago, i’ve been comparing models of different brands for 2 months, and this was the best choice beneath €1000,- (this computer was only €812,50 where i bought it, €900 in most shops). From the start, everything worked well, except the Acer Orbicam application. The cam did work on Windows Live messenger, but the app didn’t. So i searched for a fix for that problem, and i found this website. I first installed the Bison driver and the 1.00.13 update (or something like that), but it didnt work. A week later i deleted the Orbicam app and tried installing the Bison driver again, but i didn’t find the 1.00.13 utility update, instead i only found the 1.00.19 update which i had seen before. So i installed that one, but it still didn’t work.
A few days later i searched for a fix again, and found one that seemed to work, according to all the responses. As mentioned before in this topic, it was an advice to move all files from the Pictures folder to a new one. I made a new folder and did that, and i deleted the Orbicam app. Then i installed the Bison driver and .19 update again, after first rebooting the computer the program worked but i didn’t get a view from the cam, then i rebooted the computer again and it worked! I really think you should add this possible solution to this post and the ‘an apology’ post, because it seems to work for a lot of Acer models.
Greets, a satisfied Acer customer from the Netherlands
Michael Walsh wrote, on July 29th, 2007:
Hi Matthijs,
The “take the pictures out of the My Pictures” trick seems to work for more than half of the people who’ve passed through this blog and I’m glad it did for you.
It seems that your particular model (Aspire 56xx) is popping up more often than the others but I this might just be one of those coincidences… (fingers crossed)
The other thing is that the number of requests is dying down which makes me think that maybe we’ve got this problem covered (I know of one error we still haven’t beaten) which is at least some good news.
Still, thanks for letting us know how you resolved it.
Michael Walsh wrote, on July 29th, 2007:
Perry,
Sorry I haven’t gotten back to you. I’ve passed your issue over to Simone but this is his last week before holidays and he’s under pressure…
Don’t stop searching
Michelle wrote, on July 29th, 2007:
I have the Acer 5610z and the cam only works when its being used by an application, It does not work as an independant program which its supposed to, i need help getting it to work on its own again, taking pictures is a nightmare using a diff. application
it just says that the cam has stopped working. and it asks to find a solution online, but it doesn’t even get online to check….
Michael Walsh wrote, on July 30th, 2007:
Hi Michelle,
Have you tried this thread? It was written after feedback from Acer and has a couple of solutions that seem to work…
Before you do, try taking all your photos out of the My Pictures folder (create a new folder with a different name) and reboot.
Let us know how you get on.
Numo wrote, on August 2nd, 2007:
For those still wondering how to get your Acer OrbiCam – Logitech to work, I have searched the world over with far too many times failing to get my Aspire 5670 to recognize and work with its built-in webcam. But recently I was fortunate enough to finally find out that installing the latest drivers didn’t work at all whereas a particular old one worked well both on XP and Vista OS.
You should go to this link:
http://www.driverstock.com/Acer-Aspire-5670-driver-download/4-21-12877-94131/index.html
Download the zip file then save all contents in a folder that you will browse to use later.
Do not use the setup.exe from that folder. It won’t work… Just go to Device Manager and Uninstall your current driver of Acer OrbiCam. Then click, Update Driver, and point to the folder of those unzip files. Let it install then restart your computer.
When the computer restarts go to Skype or any communication/camera software you’re using and set the video camera. Voila, this time you will see the video coming on to the screen after about 10-15 seconds of black screen.
I have to thank that site for the download.
Last but not least, please remember that this one driver (version 9.4.0.1120) works very well on both XP and Vista… You don’t need to update it to any other higher version!
As for other Acer Aspire models, just check other pages from that website… I have no way of knowing since I only have my model. But I think you will be able to make use of your OrbiCam once again.
Best of Luck and Enjoy Video Chatting!
Numo
PS I think if you get only that driver file (version 9.4.0.1120) from the link after unzipping, please see whether putting only that driver in a new folder and install in Device Manager will get your camera to work too. If so, it will be nice for you to just upload that driver file and paste your link here so that others can just download this file and not all others from the link above.
SasH wrote, on August 5th, 2007:
Numo, have you noticed my reply number 69 ?
I explained what needs to be done in order to get official Logitech driver v9.4.4.1082 tp work on XP. No tricks no BS, just simple unrar the package you download from the official Acer website and you’re good to go.
I didn’t post anything about Vista drivers since they work on my machine out of the box without a single glitch.
Thanks again Acer !
Craig wrote, on August 13th, 2007:
Hi I’m having a problem with my Acer Orbicam. I am still using XP and have not used any upgrades.
When I open the Orbicam software, it says that “orbicam is in use by another application. Please stop this application and press reconnect” which is not possbile as nothing else is running and I have gone through task manager to check this. It also doesn’t work on msn messenger and just won’t work.
Please help.
Craig.
Craig wrote, on August 13th, 2007:
To add to my earlier comment my laptop is a Acer Aspire 5611 AWLMi
Thanks Craig
Mari wrote, on August 14th, 2007:
hey
I have an acer 5610z and after recovering it the orbi cam application isnt installed. how do i re install it? its driving me nuts!!!
Mari wrote, on August 14th, 2007:
never mind=]
Sam wrote, on August 14th, 2007:
hey, i just bought my acer aspire 5584 around three weeks ago.. i used my acer orbicam twice, and then it broke. now wen i try to use it, it says ‘a webcam was not found or is not working properly’..can u tell me wat to do? is it really broken, or can it actually be fixed?
and is it even worth fixing, or should i jst buy myself an external webcam?
oh and it says it can be turned 225 degrees…wat do they mean by that?? that once you turn it, you can’t turn it back again? cos that wld be 360 degrees..
sorry if i seem computer retarded..but this is pissing me off..i expect stuff to work wen they’re brand new!!
oh yeah and i also have vista home premium
Ryan Kubryn wrote, on August 14th, 2007:
Hi Guys,
I found an answer.
I am a technician with Tech Squad in Canada I own my own 5680-6509 and had issues with my webcam shortly after factory use.
I tried inserting manual Inf files, tried different drivers and with no luck so I wouldn’t waste your time.
I did a rebuild after my backup and sure enough the camera work so I new it was not a hardware problem at that point, HOWEVER shortly after the rebuild of the operating system the camera stopped working agian. If any of you are getting the message “cannot connect because in use by another program” I believe I have foun the conflicting program. Through trial and error and a couple of other techs pulling there hair out with me we have found out the the Realtek HD audio control panel appears to be the issue. Please go into your msconfig and disable this audio control panel on bootup this will not disable your sound just your control panel. So far my webcam is back up and working I haven’t stress tested this solution yet but wanted to post this ASAP to help people.
Please let me know if this worked for you. Maybe there is a realtek update to fix this but I haven’t checked yet. Also I thnk the problem happens after a Vista update. Further it appears the most webcam’s that are having issues are on the USB chain meaning they show up under safely remove hardware. I checked all the NEWER NATIVE VISTA laptops and none of them have the webcams on the USB chain this appears to be a design change from ACER for some reason (I wonder why?)
Also the first time you use the camera it will make a USB diconnect reconect sound then click the picture/video picture and it should work. Also it works in MSN.
Mariela wrote, on August 15th, 2007:
after doing a recovery on my laptop, for some reason i dont have the orbicam on my computer any more. ive searced for drivers for the acer 5610z, but i have a bison not a logitech. the closet i have found was one that exactly matched the driver that i have now, but it was under windows xp. If i download that, will my camera work? I also went to geek squad, and they said they were going to charge me 30 bucks to fix it! please please help!!!
Craig wrote, on August 15th, 2007:
Hi Ryan,
I tried what you said and my orbicam still does not seem to work. I think it maybe a hardware problem because when i try to use it it randomly connects and disconnects itself.
Do you have any ideas what this could be???
Thanks Craig
philc wrote, on August 18th, 2007:
Hi guys, some interesteing comments and thoughts. I have 9303. I have tried all of the links on here. at the moment http://support.acer-euro.com/drivers/notebook/as_9300.html is not running. Though i did manage to download the drivers last night and had orbicam back on my desktop. click on it and it would flash up then go again. PC world have said i need to recover my pc. i refuse to as it is only two months old. any other thoughts??
Hanniel wrote, on August 18th, 2007:
Hello everyone,
just want to share this with everyone with the same problem as me as mentioned above.
I owned a Aspire 5580 series and have a Logitech Orbicam in built in my laptop. I have been given a new driver from Acer Singapore which can be downloaded from this website.
ftp://ftp1.acer.com.sg/Support/files/AcerAspire/AS5580/Vista/Camera.zip
Apparently they are still testing it out. The version number is still 10.4.1319 but i think they have done some modifications to it. So far, my problem is gone but i will still be doing some tests on my laptop. I guess anyone with a Logitech oricam can try this out.
Do feedback if you have still have the problem with your Orbicam after this installation.
I hope this helps!
philc wrote, on August 18th, 2007:
thanks hanniel. this will not open on my machine. has anyone else tried the above link
Caitlin wrote, on August 20th, 2007:
I bought a new Aspire 5100 less than 2 weeks ago and I’m already having problems with my Orbicam. It worked fine the first week and now I have the following message…
“ACER ORBICAM HAS STOPPED WORKING
A problem caused the program to stop working correctly. Windows will close the program and notify you if a solution is available.”
It has been a while and I havn’t seen any solution. I’ve been searching on the internet and still cannot find anything. If you do know any solution please let me know asap via e-mail.
Thank you
Caitlin
philc wrote, on August 20th, 2007:
Still having the same problem. I still refuse to complete a recovery. I have spent ages on this. PC world are acting dumb and saying they are not aware of any problems. Though they have agreed to have it back to look at. is this a software issue?
eCoMaN wrote, on August 21st, 2007:
Hey guys! Thumbs up for the good posts.
I thought I would share a solution that I found working on vista for the acer orbicam software. Espicially when you get the error;
“ACER ORBICAM HAS STOPPED WORKING
A problem caused the program to stop working correctly. Windows will close the program and notify you if a solution is available.”
Original post:
http://forums.vnunet.com/message.jspa?messageID=879904
Basically if you empty your picture folder in vista of files taken with other devices other then the orbicam software it will start working immidiatly. Just to make sure empty the folder completly
The fix is immidate so just start the software to see if it worked for you.
Now to find a way to change the default folder of Acer orbicam software so as that novice users do not have to “Copy and paste” their “hair” off to use the bundle ware.
eCoMaN wrote, on August 21st, 2007:
Edit on above post:
Now to find a way to change the default folder of acer orbicam sofware so as that novice susers do not have to “Cut and paste” theire “hair” off.
Dawn B wrote, on August 29th, 2007:
I have an Acer 5610. And i had the same orbicam problems. I save the photo to a different place anf poof the camera works again. yeah, thank colin for the idea
AM Wheeler wrote, on August 31st, 2007:
I have a Aspire 9303 recon. The orbicam returns the message “application has stopped working”. I tried deleting drivers and reinstalling to no avail. I tried the Acer fixes by downloading from the site but when you go to the site select the driver it downloads something very quickly to I don’t know where and thats it. There are no download or select buttons on the website. I tried ringing AcerUK but most numbers were non existant. I got through to a switchboard who said I needed the Plymouth office for tech support which could only be reached on a 0870 number. After 20mins of listening to music with no announcements or comentary of anykind I gave up, about £1.50 into Acer’s pocket for that call. I tried the download from the link on this site and got drive and application files with no autoexe or self extracting so i think you would need to know quite a bit of computing to selected right file and then place them where windos would find them.
Then after hours tried the simplest fix, empty the picture folder and hey presto camera works. TRY THIS FIRST
Michael Walsh wrote, on August 31st, 2007:
@PhilC, Caitlin, eCoMaN, Dawn and AM Wheeler
Sorry I haven’t gotten back to any of you. I’ve been having my own problems…
Have you had a read over at this more updated thread realted to the Orbicam issue?
I know it’s a long one but if you do, you’ll see the “My Pictures” solution is there too
I still would pay good money to have Microsoft answer the “why on earth does that work” question
philc wrote, on September 2nd, 2007:
tried this again tried some of the other drivers again without success. deleted all pics. still no joy. tried to upload messenger this also was un successful. should i try an complete a recovery???
philc wrote, on September 2nd, 2007:
also can someone suggest some drivers to try off the driver site
Michael Walsh wrote, on September 2nd, 2007:
Hey PhilC,
Before I say “yes” (which I’m extremely reluctant to do), let me see what Simone has to say. Hang in there!
Danielle wrote, on September 3rd, 2007:
Hey there, i need to reformat my aspire 5610z but I don’t know how, the computer didn’t come with any back up disks or anything. what should I do?
Arun wrote, on September 3rd, 2007:
Hi Guys,
I need a small help since my orbi cam in acer is not working. It was working fine before but after I formatted the computer, it stopped working. I went through all the set ups but finally it say “CAMERA IS UNPLUGGED,PLEASE CONNECT THE CAMERA TO THE COMPUTER.” I don’t have any idea how to turn it on as there is no any button on it since it has a in built camera. I have Aspire 5050, just for reference. Please help me if anyone know about it.
Arun
Michael Walsh wrote, on September 4th, 2007:
Arun,
Try taking the pictuires out of the My Pictures folder. If that doesn’t work, head over here and read that thread.
If you still can’t find a solution for your problem, then let us know.
Michael Walsh wrote, on September 4th, 2007:
@Phil C
OK. I got a reply from Simone regarding your problem. Here it is:
TT wrote, on September 4th, 2007:
Hi.
I bought my Aspire 5610 in late July and everything’s been going perfectly, except the built-in web cam. It worked for about a month but lately when I try to open it I just get a windows message that says “Acer Orbicam Has Stopped Working” and basically that’s it. What do I need to do? Reinstall the driver or software or what?
Thanks
Michael Walsh wrote, on September 4th, 2007:
Hi TT.
First you need to try the My Pictures trick. Take all of your pictures out of the “My Pictures” folder and see if that works.
Failing that, you need to read this thread and start the long, drawn out process of discovering and reinstalling your drivers.
But before you do, have a look at Chris M’s reply. That might cut out a LOT of work…
Arun wrote, on September 5th, 2007:
HI, my problem is not yet fixed. It just shows that the camera is not plugged in. Just let me know how is the camera gonna be plugged in? My cam is not yet working and I am expecting a help from you.
Arun
Michael Walsh wrote, on September 6th, 2007:
Hi Arun,
Sorry to hear that the My Pictures trick didn’t work. Obviously we have to move to plan B.
You HAVE read and followed the instructions over here haven’t you?
If you check in Device Manager, that will tell you instantly if there’s a hardware problem or whether it’s a software issue (if Device Manager doesn’t “see” the camera you’ve got a hardware problem and need to take it back to Acer. If it does, then it’s software and maybe there’s a fix we can find).
As you can see if you read this response, your problem is not unique.
One last point, this blog was set up privately as a sort of bridge between the company I work for and the people I write for (have a look here to see exactly what it is I do).
I like working for this company, even if I’m not employed directly by them, I like its products, like talking about them and have a great time talking to people that buy them.
When possible, I also like helping them out as I know a few people inside the company that are generous enough to answer my questions and if you look around you’ll see there are even more outside the company (visitors to this blog) who spontaneously chip in with some great advice.
The moment all this becomes an “obligation” then like all one-sided friendships it sort of dissolves.
Acer has 8 call centres in Europe and many more across the rest of the world with hundreds of employees paid to deal with support questions. You can contact any one of them via phone or mail whenever you like. You can find the addresses by clicking here.
This site is one where you can let off steam, ask others for help and 99% of the time use other users’ generosity to sort out your problem for free. All I ask is that you treat it, and them, with respect.
Pratik wrote, on September 11th, 2007:
Hello,
I Just bought a Aspire 5052 with the AMD 2GHz Processor. It came preloaded with Linux so I wiped it clean and installed XP Pro SP2. All works fine but the camera. It does not install nor work. I keep seeing a yellow question mark in the Device Manager section next to a “USB Camera”. Is that mt Acer Oribcam? How do I get it to work. I’ve tried to install the driver that came with the Machine but in vain.
Pratik
Michael Walsh wrote, on September 11th, 2007:
Hi Pratik.
If you did a clean install you probably didn’t install the drivers and so Windows doesn’t wuite know what to do with this piece of hardware.
The problem is you’re going to have to understand which OrbiCam model you have on your Aspire before downloading anything. I explain how to do this (in Vista) in this post. As you can see from the support page for your model, there are two possibilities (Bison and Suyin).
Anyway, before you download the wrong drivers, I’ve forwarded your question to Simone and I’ll wait to hear back from him.
Pratik wrote, on September 11th, 2007:
Hello Michael,
Thank you for the prompt response. I’m not sure which Oribcam model I have installed on my Machine. With the Bison driver installed, I get the error window that allows me to send an error report to Microsoft. With the Suyin I mostly never get any error but nothing ever opens up either. Once I got a black screen with Suyin but then the Camera LED was not lit either. I’m gonna have to reply back to you tomorrow after I’ve gome back home and tried to clear the My Pictures Folder to see if it helps. Hopefully I should have a net connection at home soon so I can hunt for the appropriate driver with your help ofcourse.
Thanks,
Pratik
Pratik wrote, on September 12th, 2007:
Hello Michael,
I got the camera to work finally. The Device manager showed a USB Controller missing. I updated that. The moment I did that It found the Oribcam camera and updated the driver that I had installed for it before. It works. Thank for your help. I had lost hope till you re-engaged me into getting this fixed.
Pratik
Michael Walsh wrote, on September 12th, 2007:
Hi Pratik,
Glad to help out!
Paul wrote, on September 13th, 2007:
Hello acerguy i got a acer aspire 5580 with windows xp I havent changed the OS cuz i dont like the windows vista my problem with orbicam is the same but mine is a logitech orbicam and sometimes (most of) the laptop sais that another application is using the camera or that is not coneccted i have the driver 1.00 for my camera…i would really aprecciate a solution please
Thanks
Paul
Michael Walsh wrote, on September 17th, 2007:
Paul,
wayne wrote, on September 21st, 2007:
hi i have acer 5570 ever sinse i changed the file system from fat 32 to ntfs my laptop suck the big one..its slow and my virus protection program doesnt work properly…any sugesstions and did i screw it up
Trina wrote, on October 6th, 2007:
I was just wondering if there was a way to get my Orbicam Icon back on my desktop. I tried using it one day and it said it wasn’t running properly and then the next time I got on my icon had dissapeared. It’s somewhat frustrating because the cam works if I get on a messenger conference but I can’t take pictures like I was because I can’t find orbicam.
Jochen wrote, on October 7th, 2007:
Well, I run XP but my orbicam NEVER worked. I try every few weeks to find a new driver which works but never could get it fixed. Also the Bluetooth phone is dangerous when installing you can brake the whole system. I do not think I will buy acer again.
I have TravelMate 8204WLMi
I run XP SP2
Dominic Joy wrote, on October 8th, 2007:
Hi
Ive been having simlar problems with my Acer Aspire 9304.
It had vista from new but i had to change to XP pro for work purposes.
Ever since then the webcam software doesnt work.I have the drivers from their site and the logitech ones,nothing seems to work.
Im confused as it works on msn and such but i cant use it to take photos/video.
In devices its not showing as a bison orbicam but microsoft usb imaging device or something.
Any help would be greatly appriciated.
Thanks
peter wrote, on October 9th, 2007:
I have aspiron 9300-5349. I uninstalled orbicam utility, erased all picture from picture folder. opened accessories klick on Windows mobility center find driver for orbicam.install them and its working.I am not a computer genius but i did it so you can do.
hansa wrote, on October 10th, 2007:
i have Acer Orbicam.exe.I was using proparely but just couple of days it showing the Acer Orbicam has stopped working. I cann’t take picture but in messenger it is working.Modul Version is 1.0.0.12
Michael Walsh wrote, on October 11th, 2007:
Dominic,
Simone again:
vera wrote, on October 12th, 2007:
Thank you so much…..my webcam didnt work with messenger it kept freezing…..i downloaded the new driver for the cam,then uninstalled messenger and uninstalled orbicam.Next i reinstalled orbicam with the new drivers,then reinstalled messenger.Bingo it works!There is still a problem with putting pictures in the pictures folder,so i put them in another folder.Also if i try to go to camera settings when i open it on messenger it still freezes ,so i cant do that.Is there any way you can time taking a photo…eg after 10 seconds …its very hard to take a photo when you hae to reach over and click the cam icon.
Michael Walsh wrote, on October 15th, 2007:
Hi Vera,
I’m writing this on my TravelMate 6460 with Orbicam Software and, assuming yours is the same, have a look on the bottom right of the Take a Picture button and you’ll see an arrow pointing right.
Click on that and you’ll open the camera settings menu which includes the option to “Take a picture after X seconds” which you can set yourself.
Hope this helps,
Michael