Need Help? Find it Here.

You may occasionally encounter the following screen when you go to record a MotionNote, especially if you are new to MotionNotes, or if you are using a new camera. Don’t be alarmed, because in most cases, this can easily be fixed by following the steps below.

1. Make sure your camera is plugged in.

I know it sounds patronizing, but this happens to everyone. It’s a quick and easy thing to check.

2. Make sure you have installed all the necessary drivers and software.

If it’s the first time you’ve used this camera, make sure you have installed the software drivers that came with your camera. You should also make sure your camera is compatible with your computer; some newer cameras might not work with older cameras. We have a recommended list of cameras available for purchase in the MotionNotes store.

3. Make sure your camera isn’t being used by another application.

Generally, only one application can access your camera at a time. If another application is using the camera, MotionNotes will be unable to use your camera until you quit the application that is using it. Check for other applications that might be using your camera and quit them. Then click the Retry Camera button in the MotionNotes Composer to connect to your camera. Occasionally you might have to click the Retry button twice.

4. Make sure Flash knows where to find your camera.

Most likely your camera can’t be found because Flash is looking in the wrong location. The following steps and screenshots walk you through the process of helping Flash find your camera. You can also watch this video.

a. Right-click (Windows) or Ctrl-click (Mac) in the blank area in the MotionNotes Composer to generate the Flash Player Settings pop-up menu.

b. Select “Settings…” from the Flash Player pop-up, as shown in the Figure below.

This should generate the small Adobe Flash Player Settings pop-up window like you see in the following Figure. You’ll notice it has 5 small tabs at the bottom to the left of the Close button.

c. Select the tab with the little web cam icon - the tab to the far right, as shown in the following figure. The Adobe Flash Player Settings pop-up will change to the following:

d. Click on the menu as shown. Depending on your computer, you may see two, three or more options. These options tell Flash where to look for your camera.

e. Select the correct option. If you are unsure, you may have to try one, and see if it works. When you select the correct source for your camera, it should show up in the record video window, as shown in the following figure. If your selection does not result in the video stream appearing, try another selection.

f. Close the Adobe Flash Player Settings Pop-up by clicking the “Close” button. You should now be ready to record your MotionNotes.