The PlayStation EyeToy USB camera offers two great functions for the price of one. The EyeToy is marketed to allow gamers to communicate with up to 6 users while gaming, but can also be installed and used as a quality Webcam on Windows computers. The EyeToy will work with Windows XP or higher and is compatible with MSN messenger, Skype and other Web camera applications. The following instructions uses a PlayStation 3 EyeToy and Windows XP; following this guide for installation is entirely at your own risk.
You will need
- Playstation EyeToy
- PC or laptop with Window XP or higher
Instructions
Identify the EyeToy and get the correct drivers
- Open Device Manager by going to Start Menu ? Control Panel ? System ? Hardware ? Device Manager.
- Plug EyeToy into your computer’s USB port; if a “Found New Hardware” popup appears, cancel it and continue installing via Device Manager. The EyeToy should appear in the Device Manager list under “Imaging Devices” and should have a big yellow exclamation alert next to it; it will also tell you the EyeToy’s model–Logitech or Namtai.
Download appropriate drivers
- Still in Device Manager, right click on your EyeToy and select “Update Driver.”
Update driver
- In the first dialogue window In the “Hardware Update Wizard” select “No, not this time.”
- Click Next to continue.
- Select “Install from a list or specific location (Advanced).”
- Click Next to continue.
- Browse to the folder where the drivers where extracted.
- Click Next to continue.
- A dialogue box will appear with a warning about the EyeToy’s compatibility with Windows XP; click ‘Continue Anyway.’ This warning simply means that Microsoft does not recognise the drivers and has not given them the “Microsoft Stamp of Approval.”
- After the next dialogue box appears, labelled ‘sel3110” click ‘OK.’
- Read the prompt, and choose ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ accordingly.
Test the EyeToy
- To test the EyeToy as a webcam, use VIDCAP32.exe, which is included with the drivers. This is a webcam preview application that tests if Windows successfully installed the EyeToy as a webcam.
- Open it and click on Preview.
Do
- Ensure no other programs are running on your computer while you install the EyeToy.
