PC Cam300-User’s Manual 
 
USB PC Camera    
 
 
Welcome to the Exciting World of Argus Camera 
 
 
Thank you for choosing Argus Camera to pursue your video adventures. Whether 
you are creating a video of your friends and family or using the PC300 as a 
business tool, since 1936 Argus Camera has been there, sharpening your 
images with leading edge technology. To get the utmost satisfaction from your 
PC300, please take a moment to read through this manual. Its contents will send 
you on an educational jouney into your camera’s multiple capabilities. 
 
Thank you again for choosing Argus ! 
 
 
1 
 
 
 
    
 
Table of Contents 
 
Getting Started.....................................................................................3 
In Box Contents ................................................................................................ 3 
System Requirements........................................................................................ 3 
PC300 Nomenclature ....................................................................................... 3 
Verifying USB Presence ................................................................................... 4 
Windows Installation of PC300 Camera and PC300 Driver........................... 5 
Installing Application Software........................................................................ 7 
Creating a Video and Single Frame Snapshot ................................. 7 
VideoImpressionMain Screen ........................................................................... 7 
Setting the Focus of the PC300 Camera........................................................... 8 
Capturing a Single Frame by Using Snapshot Button...................................... 8 
Previewing Live Video or Single Frame........................................................... 9 
Recording a Video or Single Frame ................................................................. 9 
Playback of a Video or Single Frame ............................................................... 9 
Working with Albums...................................................................................... 10 
Working with the Storyboard .......................................................................... 11 
Editing Single Frame Snapshots..................................................................... 12 
Editing a Video................................................................................................ 12 
Editing Audio .................................................................................................. 12 
Printing a Snapshot Image or a Still Image From a Video ............................ 13 
Saving a Movie................................................................................................ 13 
Getting Started with PhotoImpression 3.0 .......................................14 
Opening an Image from a Disc Drive............................................................. 16 
Acquiring Images from a TWAIN Device ....................................................... 16 
Downloading Images from The Internet ......................................................... 16 
Working with Albums...................................................................................... 17 
Editing Images ................................................................................................ 18 
Creative Project Templates............................................................................. 20 
Saving Images ................................................................................................. 20 
Printing Images............................................................................................... 21 
Getting Help.................................................................................................... 21 
How to Install NetMeeting................................................................22 
How to Install MSN Messenger........................................................23 
Specifications.....................................................................................24 
2 
 
 
In Box Contents 
●  PC300 Camera 
●  USB connector cable 
●  Quick Start Guide 
● 
Installation CD-ROM 
○  Camera Driver 
○  Application Software 
●  ArcSoft VideoImpression 1.6 
●  ArcSoft PhotoImpression 3.0 
○  User’s Manual 
 
 
Intel Pentium II 350MHz Processor or equivalent 
System Requirements 
● 
●  64MB System RAM 
●  Windows 98SE/Me/2000/XP 
●  CD-ROM drive 
●  16-bit true color display or higher 
 
Optional for VideoConference 
●  Full- or half- duplex sound card 
●  Modem for dial-up connection (or corporate internet) 
●  An authorized Internet account (user ID or IP address). 
 
 
 
 
PC300 Nomenclature 
 
 
Snapshot Button 
Focus Ring 
USB Connector Cable 
 
3 
 
 
 
Verifying USB Presence 
Power up your computer and check to see if USB is implemented. Visually inspect the 
USB ports of your computer. If you cannot find the USB ports at the back of your 
computer (See Figure 1), read the documentation that came with your computer main 
board.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
For computer main board with USB supported:  
Enter BIOS settings and enable USB, see the documentation that came with your 
computer. 
Normally, when the computer power is turned on, before starting windows, the computer 
will hint you to press some keys for displaying BIOS menu. 
 
For computer main board without USB: 
In this case, USB can be implemented by an USB add-on card. The BIOS settings for 
main board type USB are not required. 
Figure 1 
 
 
 
4 
 
Windows Installation of PC300 Camera and PC300 Driver 
 
Installing PC Camera and PC Camera driver 
1. 
Before installing Camera to your computer, make sure Windows starts up. Then follow the 
steps below: 
 
1.  Plug PC camera's connector to the USB port 
 
4.  Click “ Next ” to continue. 
 
5.  In the next dialog box, you will be asked to select a method to search for the driver for 
your PC Camera. Choose “Search for a suitable driver for my device (Recommended).” 
 
6.  Insert PC Camera Installation CD into your CD-ROM drive. 
Note: Close auto-run window while inserting CD into CD-ROM drive. 
 
7.  Click “Next” to continue. 
 
8. The next screen shows the default path for the camera driver, depending on the existing 
operating system on your PC. For example: 
 
 
 
on your computer. (See Figure 2) 
 
2.  Check to make sure you have the correct 
orientation while plugging the USB connector 
into the USB port of your computer. 
 
3.  Once Windows has detected new hardware 
added to the system, an USB Device 
message appears on the screen, asking you 
to search a new device.  
Figure 2 
 
 
Letter D indicates the location of your
CD ROM drive. 
 
Click “Browser” to select driver location 
CD-ROM:\Driver on your CD. 
5 
 
 
 
 
 
9.  When you have finished the location selection, click “Next” to continue. 
10.  Windows will search for your PC Camera device and driver location.  
11.  Click “Next”. Windows will copy Driver files into your system. 
 
12. Click “Finish” to complete PC Camera driver installation. 
 
13. Click “Start”, “Shut Down”, and select option “Restart” to restart your computer. 
 
6 
 
Installing Application Software 
1.  Insert Installation CD into your CD-ROM drive. 
2.  An Introduction screen will appear with a menu or CD contents. 
 
 
Note: If the installer screen does not come up automatically, click “Start”, “Run”, and execute 
the file “cdsetup.exe” on the CD to start the installer program. 
3.  Click “VideoImpression 1.6”.  
4.  Follow the on-screen wizard instructions to install. 
5.  When installation is complete, the VideoImpression 1.6 Program group will appear as a 
folder in the Programs menu. 
 
VideoImpression 1.6 Main Screen Nomenclature 
 
 
1.  Click Start. 
2.  Select Programs>ArcSoft VideoImpression> ArcSoft VideoImpression 1.6.  
3.  The VideoImpression Main Screen will appear as shown below. 
Control Buttons 
 
Timer Window - shows the current 
frame and the elapsed time within the 
video. It becomes active when a 
movie is opened (it will appear as a 
black box when no movie is open). 
Video Playback Controls - gives you the 
ability to play, pause, and move 
forward/backward to specific frames in 
your movies. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Control Buttons - 
(“!”) Tips toggles pop-up tool tips on/off. When on, icon names will popup when you move your  
  
New – Starts a new project, opens an existing one, and displays your albums. 
Edit – Takes you back to the Storyboard (only when you have a prohect open.) 
Save – Saves your work as a movie file in AVI format. 
Send – Allows you to email your movie files. (A MAPI-compliant email program is needed  
for this option.) 
mouse over an icon. 
procedures by using Help. 
 (“?”) Help launches VideoImpression Help. You can learn more about program functions and 
(“-”) Minimize moves VideoImpression to the background and places it in the Windows taskbar. 
(“x”) Close closes VideoImpression.
7 
 
Setting the Focus 
 
1.  Click Start> Programs> ArcSoft VideoImpression 1.6> ArcSoft VideoImpression 1.6. 
2.  The introduction screen will appear with a menu of software contents. 
3.  Click “ New. ” 
 
4.  Select “Capture”             . The window shows a Live preview as seen from the PC 
 
Camera. 
 
 
 
5.  To focus the picture, turn the focus ring (the grooved plastic ring around the lens of the 
PC Camera) until the image becomes sharp. 
 
Capturing a Single Frame by Using Snapshot Button 
 
1.  Click Start> Programs> ArcSoft VideoImpression 1.6> ArcSoft VideoImpression 1.6 
2.  The introduction screen will appear with a menu of software contents. 
3.  Click “ New. ” 
 
4.  Select “ Capture ”
. The window shows a Live preview as seen from the PC 
Camera 
 
By pressing the Snapshot button : 
1.  Before you start the ArcSoft VideoImpression 1.6, AMCAP. A dialog box  
appears allowing you to preview,capture live video and save the video clip.  
2.  At the same time you start ArcSoft VideoImpression 1.6 you will preview the  
live video. ‘Start Image Capture’ will appear allowing you to save the captured  
image.  
NOTE : Use any image editing software to edit the image. 
 
8