Can I use the built-in webcam in my HP Envy 34 monitor with anything other than Skype for Business?

[krm27]

I got an HP Envy 34 ultra-wide monitor. One of the selling points was a built in, integrated webcam. The marketing promotes this as an ideal monitor for the office, to use with Skype for Business to video-conference.

Well, I don't use Skype for Business, but I still liked the idea of the integrated web-cam. However, it does not work. At all. In the Device Manager, no driver for any sort of webcam is present anywhere. I went to the user manual and it says stuff like, "With Skype for Business, you can use the integrated webcam to...[etc]" Now it is sounding like somehow this webcam can ONLY be used with Skype for Business. WTF??? Really? So if I want to webcam using any other app, I need to buy a separate external? This seems crazy to me, the idea of a webcam that is somehow "dedicated" and restricted so that it can only be used with one particular app.

First, I wonder if I'm just getting paranoid, because this does seem really crazy to me. Am I wrong, or is this webcam restricted to use with Skype for Business only?! And if it is supposed to be restricted like that, is there a work-around? I mean, clearly it has all the necessary hardware for a working webcam, there ought to be some way to circumvent any Skype restriction so it can be used for all purposes...maybe? Anyone know if that's possible, or if anything like that might already exist?

Thanks,
Ken

 

[R_1]

any program that needs the webcam can use the webcam, there is not to my knowledge, a skype only camera.
the same way you can use other camera apps with the camera in your phone.

the monitor maker got paid to push skype as the default camera app. bundled applications are often like this, this means that they are an option, you have choices.

 

[krm27]

Thanks, but that just means that the webcam is simply not working period, so then there's the question how to fix that.

UPDATE: I figured out that I could use my work Office 365 account to get Skype for Business on my home computer, which I did. Ran the app, and it did not detect any webcam. So basically the pop-up integrated webcam on this does not work with ANYTHING. I am trying to figure out if I am missing something, like a separate power button for the webcam, or if maybe there's some webcam driver for it that I need, but I'm coming up empty. No button anywhere on the monitor, or per user manual, needed to activate webcam. When I go onto this product on the HP website, it only lists two drivers, one for the monitor as a whole and one supposedly to use Windows Hello with the webcam. Note, I tried to install the latest monitor driver and my computer said I already had the latest. I then did install the "windows hello webcam" driver, and nothing changed (and still no webcam driver shows up on my device manager). So the webcam is still a useless pop-up brick. Did I mention I have the same monitor at work and it also does not work there? So it does not seem like I got a lemon, it seems like this product just does not come with a functioning webcam... How is it more people are not complaining about this? I saw one other person post on the HP forum that her webcam was not recognized by her PC at all... Does ANYONE have one of these monitors where the webcam works? Can you e-mail me your driver?

Ken

 

[R_1]

My OCD is making me ask. the USB cable is connected from the monitor to the computer? the camera cannot use the monitor cable and will need it own conduit to talk to the computer.

 

[krm27]

My OCD is making me ask. the USB cable is connected from the monitor to the computer? the camera cannot use the monitor cable and will need it own conduit to talk to the computer.

Okay, you got me. I only had the monitor connected via HDMI. I went back to the user guide and it appears that it is telling me to hook up HDMI and USB and mic line 3.5mm. After connecting the usb, the video on the webcam worked. I also had to connect the 3.5mm to get audio to work.

So, problem solved. In my defense, the quick start guide was kind of confusing because it first says to connect the computer via different ALTERNATIVE cable choices (hdmi, displayport, etc.) and where it goes on to talk about connecting the usb and mic line kind of looked like just more alternative cable options, so I skimmed past that since I had chosen to use HDMI.

I guess HP assumes most people know they'll need separate cables for the webcam than for the monitor display, or I think they'd make this more clear, maybe have a part on their support torubleshooter, which was no help.

Thanks,
Ken

 

[R_1]

Glad to hear its working, enjoy your monitor.