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Document Cameras in the Schlesinger Library Reading Room

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image of hovercam solo 8 model

Sixteen high-resolution, standalone document cameras "Hovercams" are available in the Carol K. Pforzheimer Reading Room. 

Hovercams attach to your PC. Don't have a laptop? We have three laptops to lend. First come, first served. 

1. Download Flex 11 Software

Note: Skip this step if you are borrowing a Reading Room laptop. The software is already installed. 

Visit the Hovercam website that offers a Flex11 software download page.

Select the HoverCam Flex11 software option and follow on-screen installation instructions after software downloads.

2. Connect & Configure Hovercam 

Connect the Hovercam to your laptop via the USB cable and open Flex 11 Software. Here is what you will see:

Click Settings   on the bottom right corner of the menu.

A smaller menu will open in the software.

Click the scan tab to view camera settings.

  • Save folder specifies the folder location where images will be saved.
  • File naming assigns file names.
  • Output format determines image type. The options are jpg, png, tif, bmp, gif,and pdf. 

3. Take images 

The menu at the bottom of the screen allows you to control the camera.

  • Side-by-Side: View the live image through the camera lens alongside the still image you take.
  • Snapshot: Take an image.
  • Multi Scan: Add each image you take to a single, multiple-page PDF document.
  • Zoom, Focus, Control, and Cropping: Manipulate the image before you take it.

Click the expand  icon on the left side of the screen to view thumbnails of your images

Choose Go to Archive to view the images on your hard drive

Troubleshooting

Program won't recognize camera:

  • On most computers, the program will not recognize the camera if the software is opened prior to plugging in the camera. For best results, plug in the camera and wait 5-10 seconds before opening the Flex11 software.
  • Some computers have more than one USB port, and more than one kind of USB port. Check the ports and, whenever possible, choose the USB port labeled "S" or "SS" (matching the imprint on the Hovercam cord). On some older computers, the ports aren't labelled so you'll just have to test them all until you find one that works. 
  • Check to make sure the USB cord is plugged into the correct port on the back of the Hovercam (NOT the port that says "Install"). 

When in doubt, check the Hovercam/USB ports and reboot the software.