Twain support for webcams and cameras

[Jay]

One great feature is the ability to add patient pics using a Twain compliant webcam . After a lot of missteps I have concluded that the big names: Logitech, Microsoft, Radioshack etc. do not care about Twain. Also their hardware is expensive. So here are a few cheap solutions:

1. Get a under $20 webcam on Amazon, for example this one but there are others that are cheaper and will work as well.
Stay away from the high end, big-brand webcams if image capture for OD is all you need.

2. Unzip and place this FREE Twain Driver in your C:\WINDOWS\TWAIN32 folder. If you are scared to do this, read this page first for reassurance.

3. You could also use Amcap for more features but you should license it for $29. If you get the aforementioned webcam from Amazon it comes with a link to customized version of Amcap that is presumably licensed by the manufacturer. So another reason to get that webcam.

4. A Canon digicam will do the same job but you need to worry about batteries or an A/C adapter instead of USB powered webcams. Also, the cheapest digital Cameras is probably more expensive and more likely to fall and break than the most expensive webcam. And for our purposes the picture will not be that much better unless you set up the lighting. But if you still want a digital camera solution you have to restrict yourself to specific Canon models: e.g. all DSLRs should work but they are huge, power hungry and expensive. As far as I know any non-DSLR i.e a Point & Shoot (P&S), would have to belong to this list of Canon cameras that allow tethered shooting. Note that you DO NOT need to buy the PSRemote or any other software for this solution to work. I am just using their list as a reference. Your compatible camera should show up in the "Select Source" window of OD once you connect it. If you are still determined to use a Canon P&S, you could get an older model on Ebay for cheap. We got an old Canon G9 to work but decided to use a webcam to avoid having to worry about batteries or an AC adapter. I have no idea if other brands like Nikon, Olympus or Sony will work; perhaps anyone else who has tried this can post a response.

NOTE: I cannot guarantee that any information provided above will work for you. Use it at your own risk. In particular, make sure you can return any camera or webcam you buy.

[enamelrod]

.

[Rickliftig]

as anyone setup OD t capture images from the inexpensive ebay intraoral cams? ie (MD750a wireless?)

Rick

[savvy]

I have an ebay intraoral wand camera.
I have not been able to get OD to recognize it.
I use Cliniview by Apteryx.
When I try to capture an image using that software, I can get as far as seeing the image on the screen but when I squeeze the button to actually capture the image an error message appears and the program shuts down.

[savvy]

I found this thread awhile back......
I have no idea what the reply means, but perhaps it is language for a driver.
If it is....I wouldn't know what to do with it any way.

http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/TX-TM-Seri ... td-p/71036

[Rickliftig]

I found a great solution for the camera on Dentaltown: This allows you to paste the picture directly into the imaging module.

I purchased the inexpensive ($165+30shipping) wireless ccd camera on e-bay http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-2M-WIRELESS-INT ... 2a0a182530

It comes with an imaging program that is mostly useless.

1) Purchase a small camera viewing program called AmCap for $29.95 on the web from Noel DAnjou http://noeld.com/programs.asp?cat=video (there is a demo available). This is a modified version of the AmCap that comes with the camera.
2) get a key mapping program such as "JoyToKey" to map the camera button to CTR-L for amcap image capture and place it your startup programs so that it is running in the background.
3) Snap pictures to the clipboard and merely 'Paste' them into the imaging module of Open Dental

Darned if it doesn't work! There is a way to do multiple pictures and I will post that as soon as I figger it out.

Many thanks to "softhands" on DT who made this post in 2006 http://www.towniecentral.com/MessageBoa ... 1&st=amcap

[Rickliftig]

Update - it's not picking up the camera buttons, but I'll figure a workaround. i have it feeding into the tablet computer which I will have the patient hold. There are a number of configurable buttons on the tablet (Motion LE1700) and it should be fairly easy to set one of the up as Enter or CTRL-L

Update to the update - One of the obvious tablet buttons is configure to be an enter button - so that will 'snap' the picture. I will solve the multiple picture problem by finding a freeware clipboard utility that can 'stack' entries.

[Mifa]

We are using XDR for image management, but we've got the same button issue with ebay cameras as well. The solution we've been using for some time now is a usb foot switch (a pedal if you prefer). You plug it in a USB port, then in the control panel you look for it in the joystick/game controller option and identify it as your primary game input... et voila! I think the pedals we use are from Delcom Engineering. I can find the exact ref. if you need it.

[Justin Shafer]

If you guys use Apteryx then download this...

http://www.apteryxware.com/dental/downl ... ideo.shtml

http://www.apteryxware.com/files/downlo ... grader.EXE

It makes the Chinese Cameras work with the capture button... Most of them anyways...

Also, if you want to give a camera twain that doesnt support it.. Try this.
http://puntoexe.com/content/view/4/2/

[enamelrod]

just a question... Is there a way to point open dental to look at apteryx xrays and data directly and organize them under opendentals folders?

[jordansparks]

Not yet.

[DonDDS]

Hi, Jordan
Can I send you a new eBay HK-780 to keep and to mess around with? Mainly,

• To check compatibility with every OD release
  Capture button, or better intergration.... if you guys have time

Thanks.

Don

[jordansparks]

Sure. I won't turn down your generous offer. We can mail it back to you if you ever want it back. We will have more time for things like this soon.

[Justin Shafer]

Why do you guys want to keep your intra orals in a seperate program then your xrays?

[DavidWolf]

I think they just capture the image with the other programs and then use the OD database to store them. I do the same thing with my digital radiographs because as of right now OD is not able to directly capture the image from my Gendex Pan machine or my Visix Scanner.

Why do you guys want to keep your intra orals in a seperate program then your xrays?

[faverymi]

We have XDR and 3 usb wired ebay cameras.

The botton on the camera freezes the image on the screen. Then double click on the "freeze" and "save" and done. Im not computer literate we just set them up on XDR. didn't use any other software.

Goes directly seemless into the xdr database for a 120 bucks.

[khdilger]

Anybody have any more luck integrating the HK-780 camera into XDR?

[doctorjoe]

Do you guys actually have good success with the chinese intraoral camaras. I bought one and the focus range is just a little too far out. It works for anterior tooth, but trying to get a nice occlusal shot of a posterior tooth requires the patients to open wider than they're able.

[Rickliftig]

doctorjoe -

I have had two of them - the first was just like you said. At the longer focal distance, the LEDs did not output enough light for the sensor. The second camera worked pretty well, but not as well as my old acucam. It's big problem was the interface.

I took apart the first camera and tried to work with the focusing ring, but to no avail.

So - now I use my old acucam (for quick shots) and a Pentax optio W80 camera for everything else. The optio has an incredible macro function and a really good flash. I can take a nice series of in in about two minutes. Upper arch, lower arch, left, center and right. It's very easy to setup and change - it cost in the low $200 range from one of the big camera places (B and H I believe). Since it's a 12MP camera, you can easily enlarge the shot to show incredible detail Lester Dine sells the same camera for $750 - how they justify that, I don't know.

I have the wireless Hong Kong camera on the shelf. It works, but the enclosed software is junk. I can get it to work ok after about two or three minutes of pointing and clicking on the computer, but it never seems to be 'ready to shoot' As far as delegating the process to my assistants or hygienist, well, "fuggedaboudit!" I purchased a box to make it point and click with a foot switch, but once again, the software never seems to be up and running.

I hate fumbling with software in front of the patient so 'point and shoot' is my goal.

[khdilger]

Do you guys actually have good success with the chinese intraoral camaras. I bought one and the focus range is just a little too far out. It works for anterior tooth, but trying to get a nice occlusal shot of a posterior tooth requires the patients to open wider than they're able.

The HK-780 takes a pretty nice picture. You have to learn how to get the shots of the teeth though. Watch this video from Digidoc on their camera. It discusses camera placement which really makes it easier to get the shot you need. Placing the camera directly over the tooth is not necessary and keeping the camera towards the anterior of the mouth but angled to get the back tooth works great.

http://www.digi-doc.com/videos/viewvideo/19

One problem I have with the HK-780 is image quality with the barrier sleeve on. Its good without the sleeve but lacking with it.

[openwide]

With the scan button in the images module I am able to capture both my cheap ebay intraoral camera and a cheap ebay single x-ray scanner. Just click the appropriate scan button and it will ask where to capture from. Both devices are listed and neither are twian devices (i think??)

[enamelrod]

when i push scan button it does come up as an option a window comes up and i can take a picture but there is no option to save

[Justin Shafer]

The ebay cameras... MD-960U and MD-830UF have twain built into their drivers. Works with OD if you tell OD to show the scanner\twain interface...

Use a camera with an Empia chip.

[Justin Shafer]

https://sites.google.com/site/webcamlib ... d-download

Neat project.. wonder if we can use... that.

System.Windows.Media.Imaging

[Jay]

Justin. A project for you since you like such things. Write a Universal Twain driver for Canon EOS cameras that supports both Live View and the usual Optical Viewfinder. This will be great for capturing images directly into OD, XDR, Dolphin etc using Canon Macro lenses and ring flashes which are very popular in the dental community. The main feature will be that the camera can be triggered without the mouse (i.e using the camera's shutter button) and yet a preview will be flashed on the PC monitor before being imported via Twain into OD/Dolphin/XDR. Kind of how Canon's EOS Utility works but with added Twain support. It will be hugely popular.

[Justin Shafer]

I can play with it, but I need a Canon camera... And I don't have one... Impossible for me to figure out.

I will look out for a Canon. GREAT idea.. I just need access to a Canon.

[Justin Shafer]

Okay.....

If you tell the Scanner UI Window to show, and choose MultiPage Document Scan, then you should get Multi-Page PDF's

Otherwise chose Scan Picture to scan in a single JPG.

For Empia 2860 Chip's only.

MD960U MD830UF BestCam Probably a Claris i4d.. maybe

[Justin Shafer]

I found out if I use VideoDS.ds (search for it)

With my capture button software (XP UVC Driver, and EM2580.exe) Set for Apteryx...

Then I can use the MD-740 with Open Dental and the capture button.

I don't think this would work on the HK-780, as the HK-870 had 3 chipsets.. last one being Empia.. very rare to find that. Most used 2 other chipsets from very small companies without an SDK.

So at this point, if Open Dental ever does support a camera, it needs to be with DirectX, and support a Still Pin Hardware Trigger.

I have an Amcap Still Pin SDK from NoelD, but it would probably be better just to do the Direct Show stuff on your own with the libs you already got. (So we can see your code!)

Then we can add the Empia SDK.... Or just use the capture button software... and have it set for.. Open Dental... one day.

[adriciu]

I know this is an old thread, but I was wondering if you can recommend a twain drive for a webcam I could use at front desk for face pictures for the patients.
Thanks
AB

[Justin Shafer]

Hi. You need VideoDS.DS

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/wind ... 7cc?auth=1

Most Helpful Reply
STStevenHawkins replied on April 15, 2013See post history
Try this...
Download file from http://progenyes.com/support/videods.zip
Copy the VideoDS.DS file to your C:\windows\TWAIN_32 folder.
Restart PC.
You should have a Twain Device Driver to use !
(this works using my LIFECAM Studio, so should be good for yours.. )
7 people found this helpful

[PhillyChen]

Reviving this thread.
Trying to capture PORTRAITS "directly" into Images module
(without having to take the photo, save it, upload into images).
Anyone successfully using a camera with a Twain driver to do this in Windows 10?
OD tech support said that the Creative webcams are hit or miss. We got one and didn't work.
Do we have to download a separate Twain driver?

[wjstarck]

Hello-

PM Justin Shafer for that. I believe the app he has developed will do just that