Ipevo Ziggi User manual

www.ipevo.com

Ziggi USB Document Camera

User Manual

6. freeRECTable of Contents

Introduction

What Makes Ziggi Different? 4

Versatility

High-Quality Capture 4

Effortless Autofocus 4

Feature-Rich P2V Software

Contents 5

About the Packaging 5

Getting Help 6

Version Information 7

System Requirements 8

Installation 8

Getting to Know Ziggi (Key Features) 9

P2V Software Introduction 10

Switching between software modes 10

Basics of the P2V Software 11

Camera mode 11

Full Screen mode 11

Review mode 12

Getting a Great Image – Five Considerations 13

Image Size 14

Zoom function 14

Capturing a Standard Sheet of Paper 14

Image Orientation 15

Landscape versus Portrait 15

Camera lens orientation 15

Changing Orientation 16

Swivel head 16

Mirroring function 16

Exposure 17

Exposure Value (EXP) toggle 17

Exposure tab 17

Auto exposure 18

Stop-motion animation 18

Focus 19

Autofocus switch 19

Continuous and Single focus modes 19

Focus button 19

Table of Contents

Resolution 20

Changing resolution 20

High-definition versus standard-definition 20

Resolution and frame rate 20

Snapshots 21

Taking a snapshot 21

Timer function 21

Projecting Your Image 22

Full Screen mode 22

Preparing Your Setup for Projection 23

Mirroring your desktop 23

Advanced Settings 24

Instant Preview 24

Changing sound effects 24

Photo library location 24

Photo name format 24

Keep camera mode settings 24

Image adjustment customizations 25

About P2V 25

Setting a language 25

Starting P2V when computer starts 25

Using Ziggi in Other Ways 26

With Skype 26

As a web/conferencing camera 26

Anti-Glare Shield 27

Closing and Exiting the P2V Software 28

Keyboard Shortcuts 28

Troubleshooting and FAQ 29

Safety Information 30

Acknowledgments 30

Introduction/What Makes Ziggi Different?

Introduction

Thank you for your purchase of the Ziggi USB Document Camera. The Ziggi is a multifunctional

document camera for PC or Mac that provides effortless, high-quality video capture for documents,

three-dimensional objects, and devices with digital screens such as smartphones and Apple’s iPad and

iPad 2. The Ziggi offers features and functionality similar to document cameras costing hundreds or even

thousands more, all in a compact and easy-to-use device.

What Makes Ziggi Different?

Versatility – Ziggi’s unique multi-jointed stand gives you the freedom to place the camera in a wide

variety of positions without the hassle of tightening knobs or otherwise locking the stand. At all positions,

Ziggi will remain secure and stable because of its weighted base, offering you on-the-fly customization of

your image. The Ziggi stand can fully extend to capture an entire standard sheet of paper.

High-Quality Capture – Ziggi features a 2 Megapixel camera, and can achieve a resolution of up to 1600

x 1200 pixels. This high-definition video capture provides a crisp, brilliant image. Additionally, Ziggi

features a Macro mode, allowing for sharp focus on very close subjects up to 2 inches (5 cm) away. For

these reasons, Ziggi is ideal for capturing minute details of documents and pictures. High resolution

capture is also appropriate for large-screen projections.

Effortless Autofocus – Ziggi has a smart focusing system that gives you manual control when you need it

and convenient automatic control when you don’t. Ziggi can be set to either of two focus settings:

• Continuous Focus – in which Ziggi automatically and constantly determines the best focus. In this

mode, you are free to move the subject around, and the focus will continue to stay sharp.

• Single Focus – in which you set focus once, with Ziggi staying with that focus setting. This mode is best

for a subject that will remain at the same distance from the camera, such as a static sheet of paper.

Feature-Rich P2V Software – Included software provides a number of functions and customizations to

get the most out of your Ziggi experience. Organizing snapshots, setting exposure levels, mirroring the

incoming video, and Full Screen mode are just some of the features of this software.

6. freeRECContents /About the Packaging

Contents

Your package should contain the following:

• Ziggi camera unit, including multi-jointed stand

• Anti-Glare Shield

• CD-ROM with P2V software and user manual (in .pdf format)

• Quick Start Guide

About the Packaging

IPEVO has a longstanding commitment to green business practices, and this extends to our product

packaging. We like our products to do the talking, not fancy packaging! Your Ziggi has been shipped with

a minimum of packaging materials, particularly a minimum of plastic. The plain craft paper box (which

does not contain high-resolution graphics or wasteful multi-color printing) is recyclable, as are the

cardboard cut-outs keeping the Ziggi in place.

CD with P2V Software

and User Manual

Suitcase-style packaging

Ziggi™

USB Document Camera

Anti-glare ShieldQuick-start Guide

Package Contents

Getting Help

We want to help you enjoy your Ziggi, and we are always available to answer any questions or offer

technical and troubleshooting assistance. Consider using one or more of these resources:

• IPEVO.com – The latest versions of the Ziggi software, user manual, FAQ, and other downloads are

available at this link: http://support.ipevo.com/#Ziggi

• Email – Send us an email at cs@ipevo.com with your question or concern. For the best and most

prompt service, include the version of your operating system with any inquiry, as well as a detailed

explanation of the issue you are experiencing.

• Phone – Customer service representatives are available to assist you Monday through Friday,

from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST). Our telephone number is 1 (408) 490 – 3085.

• Live Chat – Live Chat is available through our website, www.ipevo.com. A button in the upper

right-hand corner of the main page will take you to an Instant Messaging session in which you can

correspond with a customer service representative directly. This feature is available during the same

hours and days as our telephone support.

• Help Link – Help, within the P2V software, will bring you to IPEVO’s website for the latest version of the

software and other support and information. To access Help:

Windows – Click on Help (the question mark icon) in the upper right-hand corner of the software.

Macintosh – Select Help > Ziggi Help.

Viewing Your Software’s Version

We recommend periodically checking IPEVO.com for the latest version of the P2V software. To determine

the software version you are currently running, do one of the following:

Windows – Right-click the Ziggi icon in the system taskbar, and click About.

Macintosh – Select About > About Ziggi.

You can also view the version information from the Advanced Settings window:

Windows – Click Settings (the wrench icon) in the upper right-hand corner of the software screen,

and select the System tab.

Macintosh – Select Ziggi > Preferences, and select the System tab.

System Requirements/Installation

System Requirements

Ziggi requires a PC or Mac system with these minimum specifications:

• Microsoft Window 7, Vista or XP

• 1.4GHz CPU or higher (2.4GHz recommended)

• 512MB RAM (1GB recommended)

• 200MB free hard disk space

Mac

• Mac OS X 10.5 or higher

• 1.4GHz CPU or higher (2.4GHz recommended)

• 512MB RAM (1G recommended)

• 200MB free hard disk space

Installation

• Insert the CD-ROM into your computer’s drive. Follow the prompts to complete the installation of the

P2V software. A black and white Ziggi icon will appear in your taskbar, which can be used to open or

close the software.

Note: If the installation program does not automatically appear, you may navigate to the CD-ROM drive

through Windows Explorer (often the D drive), open the Ziggi CD-ROM, and double-click “setup.exe” to run

the installation.

Mac

• Insert the CD into your computer and activate the disk image file (*.dmg). Copy the P2V application file

into the Applications directory.

After installation, perform the following:

1. Connect the Ziggi’s USB cord to any open USB port on your computer.

2. Launch the P2V software. A screen containing a live video image from your Ziggi should appear. The

Ziggi is now ready to use.

Note to Point 2 View owners: If you have previously purchased IPEVO’s Point 2 View USB Document Camera,

you may have an older version of the software installed on your system. You will need to uninstall this

software prior to successful installation of the latest version of the P2V software.

Getting to Know Ziggi (Key Features)

Getting to Know Ziggi

Take some time to familiarize yourself with the key features of Ziggi:

A – Stand

Ziggi’s stand has three points of articulation with generous degrees of freedom, allowing you to

place the camera by hand in any position, depending on subject and desired image size. Collapse the

stand for compact portability.

B – Base

The weighted base provides a sturdy foundation for placing the camera in any position.

C – USB Cord

Inserted into any standard USB port, the cord powers the device and allows it to communicate with

your computer.

D – Camera lens

Ziggi features a 2.0 Megapixel lens for detailed and vibrant images, allowing for a maximum

resolution of 1600 x 1200. Ziggi has an automatic Macro mode for maintaining sharp focus on objects

as close as 2 inches (5 cm) away.

E – Swivel head

In addition to the joints of the stand, you can further customize your image by swiveling the camera.

270° of swivel is possible – 180° clockwise and 90° counterclockwise.

See Pages 15 and 16 for more on

orientation.

F – EXP +/- (Exposure Value)

This toggle allows you to increase or decrease artificial exposure of the image, making it brighter (+)

or darker (-).

See Pages 17 and 18 for more on exposure.

G – Autofocus (AF) switch

Set your focus to one of two modes. Continuous (C) causes Ziggi to constantly determine the best focus

for your image. Single (S) causes Ziggi to stay at a single focus.

See Page 19 for more on focus.

H –

Focus button

In Single focus mode, press this button for sharp focus of your subject. It takes a few seconds for

Ziggi to determine and set proper focus.

I – LED

The LED gives you an easy way to know whether Ziggi is operating: white for operating, off for not.

When you start the Ziggi software, the LED will light up. The LED has been positioned on the top of

the camera so it will not reflect on any digital screens you might be capturing.

J – Anti-Glare Shield

If you are experiencing glare in your video capture, consider mounting the Anti-Glare Shield onto the

camera.

See Page 27 for more on the Anti-Glare Shield.

P2V Software Introduction

The Ziggi software

Specially-designed P2V software is included on your CD-ROM, and provides a rich suite of features to

maximize your Ziggi use.

Ziggi operates in one of three modes:

• Camera mode – This is the default mode upon software startup. This mode shows the current video

capture coming from the Ziggi camera. In this mode, you are also able to change aspects of the image

such as exposure, mirroring, and resolution.

See Pages 13 to get started with capturing your image.

• Review mode – This mode gives you an easy way to review snapshots taken with your Ziggi. Snapshots

are presented as thumbnail images in a row at the bottom of the screen.

See Page 21 for more on taking

snapshots.

• Full Screen mode – In this mode, the image fills up the entire computer screen. Full screen is

particularly useful when you need to project the Ziggi’s video for presentations.

See Pages 22 and 23 for

more on projecting your image.

To switch between modes, click on the Mode Tab on the left-hand side of the capture window.

The size of the window for Camera and Review modes can be changed by clicking and dragging on the

edges of the window.

Camera mode Review mode Full Screen mode

Basics of the P2V Software

Please review the basic elements of the three modes of the P2V software:

A – Mode Tab

One of three modes can be selected by clicking on the appropriate button in the Mode Tab.

B – Camera Menu Tab

Several camera functions can be changed using the pulldown menus. These include: Zoom, Timer,

Mirroring Mode, Resolution, and Exposure. This tab will also communicate the current settings of

these functions.

C – Snapshot Button

Click the green camera icon to take a snapshot.

See Page 21 for more on taking snapshots.

D – Focus Button

Click the rectangular crosshairs icon to focus the image. To the right of this icon, the software will tell

you whether you are in Single or Continuous focus mode.

E – Operations (Windows only)

Here, you can access Advanced Settings (the Wrench icon), get Help (the Question Mark icon),

minimize the capture window, or exit the capture window.

F – ESC Button

In Full Screen mode, hit “Esc” or click the ESC Button to exit Full Screen mode and return to Camera

mode.

Camera mode Full Screen mode

C D

Basics of the P2V Software

To review snapshots you’ve taken (see Page 20), enter Review mode by clicking on the “review” tab on

the left-hand side of the software.

A – Image Pane

This shows the currently selected snapshot.

B – Menu

This gives you some basic tools to manipulate the selected snapshot.

Zoom – Digitally zoom the image from 1x (normal, or no zoom) to 3x zoom.

Rotate – Rotate the image left or right.

Delete – Delete the selected image from your hard drive. The system will prompt you to ensure

you want to delete the image.

C – Folder Icon

Clicking on the folder icon will take you to the location on your computer where your snapshots are

stored.

D – Image Information

Provides information about the image, including file name, date taken, resolution taken at, and file

size (in kilobytes).

E – Thumbnail Timeline

The snapshots you’ve taken are presented in a horizontal timeline of thumbnails. You can click on a

thumbnail to select that snapshot, or you can use the arrow buttons to cycle through the snapshots.

By right-clicking on a thumbnail, you can choose to Copy or Delete that snapshot, or open the folder

it is contained in.

Review mode

C D

Getting a Great Image – Five Considerations

When configuring the camera for your desired image, you will be chiefly concerned with the following

five elements:

• Image size - How large or small the subject appears in the frame (i.e. the window of the Ziggi

software). When dealing with text, it is essential the text appears large enough for its intended

audience to read.

See Page 14.

• Orientation – How the image is oriented relative to the frame. Naturally, it is necessary to present text

in an upright, readable orientation.

See Pages 15 and 16.

• Exposure – Exposure is a measure of how much light is allowed to affect the image. Normally, you are

seeking a medium exposure in which all the important details in the image can be viewed. Too little

light will render a dark image that loses crucial details. On the other hand, too much light will result in

a “blown-out” image that also loses detail.

See Pages 17 and 18.

• Focus – You will normally want your image to be sharp as opposed to blurry, which concerns focus.

See Page 19.

• Resolution – Resolution describes the amount of detail (information) an image holds. The P2V

software allows you to change between several different resolutions. Higher resolutions communicate

more detail, and are often necessary for large-screen projections.

See Page 20.

We will examine each of these five elements in turn.

Image Size

For documents, your video capture is a balance between capturing as much of the document as possible,

and making the text large enough on screen for your intended audience to read. Text size needs to be

particularly large when the image is projected onto a screen for a group.

There are a few ways to change the image size:

• Change the position of the camera – Ziggi’s multi-jointed stand gives you a high degree of flexibility

in camera placement. Alter any or all of the stand’s three points of articulation in order to optimally

position the camera.

• Change the position of the subject – When capturing a document, you will likely position it on the

tabletop, on the same plane as your Ziggi base. When capturing close-up details or text passages from

a document, you may find it handy to shift the document as you move from detail to detail, essentially

scrolling through the text as necessary.

• Zoom – In the Camera mode of the P2V software, the Zoom tab allows you to digitally “zoom in”

to your subject to make it appear bigger, anywhere from 1x (default, or no zoom) to 3x (or 3 times

normal).

Stand’s articulations presented in a couple positions

Text document in one position under Ziggi with camera lens capturing top half of document,

then moved “up” so that the camera lens is capturing the bottom half of document

Image Orientation

Two ways to describe page orientation come from the tradition of painting. Landscape refers to an

image oriented so that its width is greater than its height, such as a classic landscape painting. Portrait

orientation, on the other hand, features a height greater than its width, such as would be appropriate

for a portrait painting. When deciding upon orientation, keep in mind whether the document to be

captured is in landscape or portrait. You will need to control the orientation of your subject relative to the

computer screen, so that the text is presented in a readable fashion.

Camera Lens Orientation

The top of the Ziggi camera lens is located 90° counterclockwise from the square top of the camera body.

With the camera head in its fully-extended position, documents will need to be placed perpendicular to

the camera stand (as opposed to parallel) for text to be rendered “right side up” and readable on screen.

Illustration of Landscape versus Portrait

The top of the Ziggi camera lens is located 90° counterclockwise

from the square top of the camera body

Changing Orientation

You have several ways to change the orientation of your image:

• Change the orientation of the document/subject – You may find it easiest to simply change the

orientation of the subject you are capturing: 90° in either direction or turning 180° “upside down.”

• Use the Swivel Head – Ziggi’s camera head is expressly designed to give you an easy way to

alter orientation. From its fully-extended position, Ziggi can be swiveled 180° clockwise and 90°

counterclockwise. Find the position that works best for yourself and your subject. For example, if you

are giving a presentation and need access to the subject for a hands-on demonstration or to frequently

change its position, you might consider moving the stand to one side of the subject—and changing

orientation through the swivel head accordingly—so that the stand does not get in your way.

Demonstrating swivel head

and the degrees to which it can

swivel

Before and After of changing the position of a document under Ziggi

• Mirroring – in the Camera mode, the Mirror tab allows you to flip the image horizontally, vertically,

or both. Mirroring defaults to Off (no mirroring). “Horizontal” flips the image on a vertical axis going

through the center of the image, while “Vertical” flips the image on a horizontal axis going through

the center of the image. The tab will indicate H (Horizontal), V (Vertical), or H + V if both types of

mirroring are being applied.

Set-up item to be captured Select the Mirror tab

No Mirror Horizontal Mirror (H)

Horizontal + Vertical (H+V)Vertical Mirror (V)

Exposure

Exposure refers to the amount of light allowed to hit the photographic medium—in this case, the

sensor of the camera lens. In most circumstances, you will require a medium exposure allowing for the

maximum amount of detail.

Consider the following methods to achieve optimal exposure for your image:

• Change the exposure in the room – This could include using a desk lamp near the Ziggi to shine

additional light on the subject, turning on room lights, opening or closing curtains, etc.

• Change the EXP (Exposure Value): Ziggi is able to artificially alter exposure on a fifteen-point scale,

with 1 being the lowest (darkest) exposure value, and 15 being the highest (brightest) exposure value.

4 is the default value. If your image is too dark, consider increasing the EXP. Or, if your image is too

bright, decrease the EXP. The EXP may be changed on either the camera body itself or via the software.

Camera body:

Use the EXP +/- toggle for on-the-fly exposure adjustments. The software will

briefly indicate the change with an EXP number at the bottom of the image capture window,

and your exposure will instantly change.

Software:

Click on the Exposure tab. You may either click on areas within the grayscale bar to

change EXP, or drag the pointer to a value. Hitting “Default” will bring the exposure back to the

default value of 4.

S C

Darker

for Digital Devices

Brighter

for Printed Media

Exposure

• Use Auto Exposure: As the name implies, auto exposure automatically changes exposure in order

to maintain a medium, optimum exposure in which the maximum amount of details are shown. If

lighting conditions in the room or on the subject are changing, or if the subject emits its own varying

amount of light (as with an LCD screen), you might consider auto exposure.

Automatic exposure adjustment depends upon two things: the EXP (Exposure Value, from 1 to 15), and

the actual brightness/darkness of the subject.

Exposure Value –

Auto exposure with an EXP setting of 10 will always be brighter than auto

exposure with an EXP setting of 4, for one example.

Actual brightness/darkness –

Auto exposure will react to changes in actual brightness/

darkness. With auto exposure on, if you are capturing a bright iPad screen and it dims, the

Ziggi will adjust exposure to brighten the image. If the screen brightens again, Ziggi will adjust

exposure to darken the image.

• To Turn on Auto Exposure: Click the Auto tab in the P2V software, and select “On.” The sun icon next

to Auto will turn green. Ziggi will now constantly determine the optimal exposure for your image, and

may adjust exposure at any time.

Note: Auto exposure should be turned to “Off” for stop-motion animation projects, which rely upon

uniform, consistent exposure.

Focus

Focus refers to the convergence of light in your image. If your subject is “in focus,” light is properly

converged at the right point. If your subject is “out of focus,” light has not properly converged at the right

point. In most circumstances, you want your image to be sharp and in focus.

Ziggi gives you a few tools to achieve proper focus, including the ability to automate focus for convenience.

• Focus modes: Ziggi can be set to one of two focus modes using the Autofocus (AF) switch on

the camera body. The software will indicate which focus mode you are in with either “Single” or

“Continuous” under “AF” in the lower right-hand corner of the screen.

Continuous (C) mode:

In Continuous mode, Ziggi will constantly determine the best focus for your

image and change its focal length accordingly. This is ideal for “set it and forget it” convenience,

and also if the distance between the camera and the subject will be changing. For example, if you

are showing the parts of a phone and are flipping the phone around in a hands-on demonstration,

setting the Ziggi in Continuous mode will ensure your image is always in sharp focus.

Single (S) mode:

In Single mode, Ziggi will stay at a single focal length, and will not try to

constantly adjust itself. This mode is ideal for manual control of focus. If you are capturing a text

document laid on the table which is not moving, single mode will be sufficient for sharp focus.

• Focus button: While the focus button is best for Single mode manual focus control, it will also work in

Continuous mode. There are two focus buttons: the physical button on the camera body, and the four-

cornered “crosshair” icon in the lower right-hand corner of the software. In either case, Ziggi will find

the optimum focus.

Focusing

When focusing, four corners of a red box will appear in the center of the screen and a beep will sound,

letting you know Ziggi is attempting to focus. The image may appear to slightly zoom in and out. When

Ziggi is done focusing, the red corners will change to green corners, and there will be two

quick beeps.

For disabling the beep sound effects, see Page 24, Advanced Settings.

Resolution

Resolution describes the amount of detail (information) an image holds. High resolutions relay more

information (and therefore more detail), and also consume more computing power. Low resolutions

communicate less detail, but are also less demanding of computer resources. Resolution is measured in

pixels, the smallest part of a picture element.

Changing Resolution

To change resolution, click on the Resolution tab in Camera mode. There are six different resolutions

to choose from, ranging from 1600 x 1200 pixels (the highest resolution) to 320 x 240 pixels (the lowest

resolution). As 1280 x 720 resolution (and above) is commonly accepted to be “high-definition” (HD), the

top two resolutions—1600 x 1200 and 1280 x 1024—are HD resolutions, while the four lower resolutions are

standard-definition (SD) resolutions.

Resolution and Frame Rate

Generally, as resolution increases, frame rate decreases. Frame rate is a measure of how many distinct

images are captured in a single second to make up the full-motion video perceived. Depending on

your computer power, high resolutions may result in a low frame rate, and consequently a “stuttering,”

“blurring,” or “strobing” of moving subjects, such as with a hands-on demonstration.

If you find the amount of strobing to be unacceptable on your current resolution, consider lowering the

resolution, which will increase frame rate and reduce or eliminate strobing.

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