Camera setup

This command sets the type of video system used to display a live video feed of the microscope’s field of view in the application window.

The program displays the live image in a non-destructive overlay: Each pixel of a particular color, referred to as the key color, is replaced by live video. This lets you trace, count, and normally operate your computer while the live video updates.

Microlucida software supports the following:

  • A video camera connected to the computer via a video frame grabber card.
  • A digital camera connected via IEEE 1394 Firewire or a digital frame grabber card.

The video camera/frame grabber setup generally displays live video at a fast rate but lower resolution. However, digital cameras typically update live video at slower rates, but have substantially higher resolutions.

Select None from the list if you have no camera.

  • Change Key Color: Allows you to change the key color used by the non-destructive overlay. Select a color that is not common to your windows user interface. The default is very close to magenta.
  • Use Defaults: Places all the settings for each particular video type to the default values.
  • Restore: Restores all the settings to the settings already defined when you first accessed the Settings tab.

Provide a visual representation of over- and under-exposure.

Depending on the camera, range values are entered automatically or manually.

When selected, Fit Video in Window adjusts the size of the video to fill the available space in the tracing window.

When Fit Video to Window is selected and the aspect ratio of the video is different from the aspect ratio of the monitor, a black region is displayed at the edge of the video. The black region indicates that there is no video data available to display in that region. You may use this region with dockable windows.

When should you select this option?

When the video resolution is higher than your monitor resolution, and only the top left of the video is visible in the tracing window.

  • Select Fit video in Window to reduce the size of the video so that the entire video is visible within the tracing window.

When should you disable this option?

When the video resolution is lower than your monitor resolution, and the entire video is displayed in the top left of the tracing window with black regions bordering the bottom and right of the video.

  • When enabled, Fit Video in Window will attempt to fill the tracing window with the video by stretching the video. make sure to uncheck the box.
  • If you are using an older system, select DirectX Video for smoother operation.
  • If DirectX Video is selected and you have problems with screen display, select DirectX Overlay Refresh Fix.

Save your settings as a preset that you can recall later.

The list of presets also may also contain settings generated by the program when setting up device command sequences.