webcam

[ineram]

It was the previous times I had this problem. It seems to be working now that I installed the latest update and another cam app than YouCam. But I don't know how long it'll keep working for, I've gotten it to work many times before, but then after a few minutes to hours to days, it would just stop working again.

The problem with the drivers is that HP doesn't actually provide a driver, they only provide software. So my only options are that software, without which the camera wouldn't work on any apps or browsers aside from the Windows camera app itself, and the driver that installs itself through the device manager, but that I cannot get another version of to roll back to. Now the camera works, but I don't know if it's because of the update, or because I installed different camera software from a different company all together that's somehow making it work.

The problem with the software provided by HP seems to be that it's not fully compatible with Windows 10 or something, and it keeps crashing, and once it crashes once, it's impossible to repair without fully reinstalling everything, and the camera wouldn't work without it. I haven't reinstalled it, though, after the update, and the camera is still working, so fingers crossed that either the update or the third party software I installed fixed it.

[The-_-Saint]

@Ineram it would be odd for HP not to provide a driver but suppose it is possible.  You could also identify the make/version of your camera nd reach out to the manufacturer to see if they have firmware.  I have done that in the past and been successful.  Otherwise I would reach out to the Microsoft community if this continues.

[ineram]

I'm afraid HP is the manufacturer... When I do manage to install it properly (half of the time it just says "USB camera device"), the name "HP TrueVision HD webcam" appears.

[ineram]

A little update on this: it now works for longer, without the YouCam software, but it's still definitely broken.

I've gotten it to work online and on Skype and Zoom, but after switching to a breakout room and back in Zoom, I got the message "camera not found" or "could not access camera" or something and my screen just went black. I had to resort to using DroidCam with my phone, which luckily worked perfectly the whole three hours, but it's a pain to set up the cam at a convenient angle and also battery life / not being able to use your phone is annoying. 

[The-_-Saint]

Sounds like a hardware issue though could still be a firmware problem.  Have you checked the Microsoft community? Is the laptop under warranty?  Where did you purchase it?  Depending on these factors they may be able to troubleshoot it for you or replace it.  I also found a vendor that works with HP in Seattle that will do some preliminary diagnosis for free.  You may want to look in your area for some HP support centers.

[DrewMann]

Hi Ineram, I have the same HP Truevision camera that has stopped working for over a year. I've even downloaded Youcam and that didn't work. You say yours is working know with a different software, which one?

[ineram]

Sorry, that was a false alarm, it's broken again and I haven't managed to get it to work anymore (I haven't reinstalled YouCam since, though). I was using MyCam, and it worked for a day or two, and then it just broke again, and I've restarted since, doesn't help.

The problem seems to have to do with the way Windows 10 uses the camera, as long as you use the camera in one app/browser, it's fine for a bit, but as soon as there's any switch to another app or even another window in the same app (going into the breakout room in Zoom and coming back, in this case) it breaks and the only way to fix is likely deleting and reinstalling all the drivers, but this will just keep happening over and over again.

I've now resorted to using DroidCam, which works so much better (although depending on which phone I use, it'll cut out sometimes, too, I suspect because of the phone locking), it's just inconvenient because you have to position your phone so you're looking at it when looking at your computer screen, ideally, but I've just built a tower of boxes behind my laptop that I prop the phone up on, and that works pretty great. Phone camera quality is also infinitely better than the HP one.

Edit: turning the "share camera with apps" feature off, closing the settings window, and then opening it and turning it back on seems to (temporarily?) fix it too...