Integration with Webcam on Windows Mobile 6.5 in C#

Question

I need a library that allows my application to capture images from a Webcame.
There are many examples for desktop windows, but no for mobile.
Does anybody know any existing solutions/projects for Windows Mobile?

I have found this one http://cewebcam.codeplex.com/ , but it's implemented on unmanaged c++.

Answer 1

Your best bet is going to be going to the vendor who manufactures your Mobile Device.

They should have an SDK for you to use that will access the device, as this was not something that Microsoft focused on in their Compact Framework editions.

Answer 2

The site (cewebcam) you mentioned offers a USB web cam driver for a specific webcam. Drivers can not be written using C#/.NET.

If you have an USB webcam, you first need the USB driver for Windows CE. Without a driver, you can not access the camera.

To access the video stream of the USB camera, you further need some directshow drivers (Windows CE compatible).

I assume both are rarely available for any USB webcam. But if you are lucky, to be able to access the video stream by .NET, you need some directshow wrapper.

If the above does not match your question (it is not that clear), you possibly asking about using the Windows Mobile 6.5 built-in camera to provide a webcam. Again this needs C++ directshow programming to route the video stream of the camera to an application that supplies an internet video stream.

There are already some apps that 'convert' your windows mobile with camera to a 'webcam': Mobiola, PocketCam, WebCamera and more?

I fear the easiest app you can do with C# and the built-in camera is a web server that provides images taken periodically with the built-in camera.