Tricking Skype into thinking XF305 is a webcam... at DVinfo.net

Steven Bills · September 2nd, 2016, 11:26 AM

Howdy all.

I'm not really sure how to phrase this so I'll just shoot: Can I trick Skype into thinking that my Canon XF305 is a webcam?

Here's my thinking: I think I'd have to passthrough the XF video signal into a Blackmagic Intensity box (or something similar?) and then connect that to the computer. Then I'd open up YawCam or ManyCam and select the source (XF305) and then set the video/audio source in Skype as YawCam. Would that work?

Any other options that anyone can think of?

Thanks!

SB

Jack Zhang · September 2nd, 2016, 12:14 PM

You can do this with the paid subscription program Xsplit with much higher quality. Yawcam and Manycam are very rudimentary and crude.

Steven Bills · September 2nd, 2016, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack Zhang

You can do this with the paid subscription program Xsplit with much higher quality. Yawcam and Manycam are very rudimentary and crude.

Okay good to know. So swap in XSplit for YawCam and that workflow should do the job?

SB

Jack Zhang · September 2nd, 2016, 12:35 PM

Yes, Xsplit was designed with Blackmagic capture devices in mind.

Chris Harding · September 4th, 2016, 06:39 AM

Hi Steven

I wanted to do the same with my Panasonics but alas it's simply not as simple as using a USB cable and you need at minimum a HDMI to USB3 capture device. We use our HDMI output Panasonics via an LiveStream broadcaster to bring our remote signal in from the main cam at weddings but we also use a second cam for a wide angle view which is a tiny SJ4000 action cam and works a treat with just a USB cable and you switch the cam to PCMode and you have a camera input. I bring mine straight into my Studio switching software as a remote camera and it's really useful if I have to move the main cam to the register signing table so we simply switch from main cam to wide angle cam and then back to the main cam once the move is complete ... I believe all the GoPro's have a USB mode a s well so you can use them as a web cam. Surely for Skype, a little action cam will work well? WE get a 1080 25P signal from the camera in "PC cam " mode too and it works a treat!! I have two SJ4000's and the whole kit is under $100 which is way cheaper than a Black Magic card!!

Jack Zhang · September 4th, 2016, 08:47 AM

Regardless of setup, Xsplit can even take in the SJ4000 cameras as input if need be. Xsplit can work with nearly any configuration of input devices.

Steven Bills · September 6th, 2016, 12:40 PM

Thanks for the replies everybody.

After a few suggestions here and over on DVXuser I've narrowed it down between these two HDMI to USB 3 dongles:

Marshall VAC-11HU3-2: Marshall Electronics VAC-11HU3-2 HDMI to USB 3.0 Converter VAC-11HU3-2

And the Inogeni 4K capture card: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...mi_to_usb.html

I was also looking into the Magewell X100DUSB dongle but I have read/heard bad things about the poor audio that the device outputs.

SO. These devices cutout the "middleman" (XSplit) and go straight from the camera into Skype. Now I just need to decide which one to purchase. I hear that Inogeni have a "borrow" program so that you can try the product before you buy it? Might be something to look into.

SB

Jack Zhang · September 6th, 2016, 01:40 PM

I'd highly recommend against using a capture device directly. Skype recently EOLed support for H.264 and MJPEG webcam codec protocols in the latest version. They could change stuff at any time leaving you SOL.

Xsplit can adapt to these changes whereas a fixed device can't.

Josh Chesarek · September 20th, 2016, 07:17 PM

I have done this via my Black Magic Mini Recorder on my Mac. I connected my XF305 via HD-SDI and selected it as the source for video & audio in skype. Worked directly without any other issues.

Looked great

Jack Zhang · September 21st, 2016, 08:42 PM

Windows is not as simple as that. You have to use Xsplit on Windows to do the same effect. Mac can directly use Thunderbolt, but the PC version of Skype can't use that directly.

Donald McPherson · September 22nd, 2016, 06:56 AM

Hdmi > usb games capture devices are a lot cheaper. And probably just as good.

Greg Boston · September 22nd, 2016, 08:06 AM

I used to plug my Sony XDCAM HD 350 into my computer via FW and used Manycam. That was some time ago, but it did indeed work. For awhile there, I had the world's most expensive webcam.

-gb-

Josh Chesarek · September 24th, 2016, 05:21 AM

LOL, I had the same feeling when I was doing the skype event with lights and everything all feeding into skype directly. It actually interrupted the meeting a few times because people were trying to figure out how the hell my setup looked and sounded so good compared to all the logtitech webcams and speakers bleeding into mics etc

September 2nd, 2016, 11:26 AM	#1
Steven Bills Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Vineyard, Utah Posts: 192	Tricking Skype into thinking XF305 is a webcam... Howdy all. I'm not really sure how to phrase this so I'll just shoot: Can I trick Skype into thinking that my Canon XF305 is a webcam? Here's my thinking: I think I'd have to passthrough the XF video signal into a Blackmagic Intensity box (or something similar?) and then connect that to the computer. Then I'd open up YawCam or ManyCam and select the source (XF305) and then set the video/audio source in Skype as YawCam. Would that work? Any other options that anyone can think of? Thanks! SB

September 2nd, 2016, 12:14 PM	#2
Jack Zhang Inner Circle Join Date: May 2005 Location: Burnaby, BC, Canada Posts: 3,053	Re: Tricking Skype into thinking XF305 is a webcam... You can do this with the paid subscription program Xsplit with much higher quality. Yawcam and Manycam are very rudimentary and crude.

September 2nd, 2016, 12:35 PM	#4
Jack Zhang Inner Circle Join Date: May 2005 Location: Burnaby, BC, Canada Posts: 3,053	Re: Tricking Skype into thinking XF305 is a webcam... Yes, Xsplit was designed with Blackmagic capture devices in mind.

September 4th, 2016, 06:39 AM	#5
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Tricking Skype into thinking XF305 is a webcam... Hi Steven I wanted to do the same with my Panasonics but alas it's simply not as simple as using a USB cable and you need at minimum a HDMI to USB3 capture device. We use our HDMI output Panasonics via an LiveStream broadcaster to bring our remote signal in from the main cam at weddings but we also use a second cam for a wide angle view which is a tiny SJ4000 action cam and works a treat with just a USB cable and you switch the cam to PCMode and you have a camera input. I bring mine straight into my Studio switching software as a remote camera and it's really useful if I have to move the main cam to the register signing table so we simply switch from main cam to wide angle cam and then back to the main cam once the move is complete ... I believe all the GoPro's have a USB mode a s well so you can use them as a web cam. Surely for Skype, a little action cam will work well? WE get a 1080 25P signal from the camera in "PC cam " mode too and it works a treat!! I have two SJ4000's and the whole kit is under $100 which is way cheaper than a Black Magic card!!

September 4th, 2016, 08:47 AM	#6
Jack Zhang Inner Circle Join Date: May 2005 Location: Burnaby, BC, Canada Posts: 3,053	Re: Tricking Skype into thinking XF305 is a webcam... Regardless of setup, Xsplit can even take in the SJ4000 cameras as input if need be. Xsplit can work with nearly any configuration of input devices.

September 6th, 2016, 12:40 PM	#7
Steven Bills Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Vineyard, Utah Posts: 192	Re: Tricking Skype into thinking XF305 is a webcam... Thanks for the replies everybody. After a few suggestions here and over on DVXuser I've narrowed it down between these two HDMI to USB 3 dongles: Marshall VAC-11HU3-2: Marshall Electronics VAC-11HU3-2 HDMI to USB 3.0 Converter VAC-11HU3-2 And the Inogeni 4K capture card: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...mi_to_usb.html I was also looking into the Magewell X100DUSB dongle but I have read/heard bad things about the poor audio that the device outputs. SO. These devices cutout the "middleman" (XSplit) and go straight from the camera into Skype. Now I just need to decide which one to purchase. I hear that Inogeni have a "borrow" program so that you can try the product before you buy it? Might be something to look into. SB

September 6th, 2016, 01:40 PM	#8
Jack Zhang Inner Circle Join Date: May 2005 Location: Burnaby, BC, Canada Posts: 3,053	Re: Tricking Skype into thinking XF305 is a webcam... I'd highly recommend against using a capture device directly. Skype recently EOLed support for H.264 and MJPEG webcam codec protocols in the latest version. They could change stuff at any time leaving you SOL. Xsplit can adapt to these changes whereas a fixed device can't.

September 20th, 2016, 07:17 PM	#9
Josh Chesarek Major Player Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Winter Park, FL Posts: 978	Re: Tricking Skype into thinking XF305 is a webcam... I have done this via my Black Magic Mini Recorder on my Mac. I connected my XF305 via HD-SDI and selected it as the source for video & audio in skype. Worked directly without any other issues. Looked great __________________ Simple Thought Productions - Life @ 30,000 Words per second

September 21st, 2016, 08:42 PM	#10
Jack Zhang Inner Circle Join Date: May 2005 Location: Burnaby, BC, Canada Posts: 3,053	Re: Tricking Skype into thinking XF305 is a webcam... Windows is not as simple as that. You have to use Xsplit on Windows to do the same effect. Mac can directly use Thunderbolt, but the PC version of Skype can't use that directly.

September 22nd, 2016, 06:56 AM	#11
Donald McPherson Major Player Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Aberdeen Scotland Posts: 815	Re: Tricking Skype into thinking XF305 is a webcam... Hdmi > usb games capture devices are a lot cheaper. And probably just as good.

September 22nd, 2016, 08:06 AM	#12
Greg Boston Wrangler Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: DFW area, TX Posts: 6,117 Images: 1	Re: Tricking Skype into thinking XF305 is a webcam... I used to plug my Sony XDCAM HD 350 into my computer via FW and used Manycam. That was some time ago, but it did indeed work. For awhile there, I had the world's most expensive webcam. -gb-

September 24th, 2016, 05:21 AM	#13
Josh Chesarek Major Player Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Winter Park, FL Posts: 978	Re: Tricking Skype into thinking XF305 is a webcam... LOL, I had the same feeling when I was doing the skype event with lights and everything all feeding into skype directly. It actually interrupted the meeting a few times because people were trying to figure out how the hell my setup looked and sounded so good compared to all the logtitech webcams and speakers bleeding into mics etc __________________ Simple Thought Productions - Life @ 30,000 Words per second