How to "recognize/see" an attached USB device

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Mac OS X hosts.
Rower Bob
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Joined: 21. Nov 2021, 23:22

Re: How to "recognize/see" an attached USB device

Post by Rower Bob »

1. Thanks so much for that tip on how to reach Task Manager via the Taskbar. I have started a collection of these in the Apple Notes.app.

2. While the microscope alleges it can be used with a Mac, when I searched the Q&A on Amazon.com, there were lots of complaints from users who could not get it to work with their Macs. I have two Macs: a 2015 iMac running Big Sur and a 2012 MB Pro running Catalina. Directions say to connect the device to your Mac via USB, turn it on, then launch either Photo Booth or QuickTime.

In Photo Booth a screenshot in the device's manual shows a cursor hovering over [Camera] in Photo Booth's desktop menubar and one of the choices offered is the microscope. I tried this with both computers; in neither one was I able to find that camera in Photo Booth or Quick Time.

4. Here's a link to a desktop screenshot showing the data on the Camera I downloaded, the link to which came from the manufacturer of the microscope.
https://www.icloud.com/iclouddrive/0Y3O ... a_settings

3. I'll go back and read those responses pertaining to webcam passthrough earlier in this thread.

I am greatly appreciative of all the help being offered to a newbie here.
Rower Bob
Posts: 15
Joined: 21. Nov 2021, 23:22

Re: How to "recognize/see" an attached USB device

Post by Rower Bob »

An additional quick question, if I may,

I have read the VB manual on this question but I am still not absolutely sure which choice to opt for when closing down Windows after having used the microscope:
• Save the machine state
• Send the shutdown signal
• Power off the machine.

The latter is the default, so go with that?
Rower Bob
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Joined: 21. Nov 2021, 23:22

Re: How to "recognize/see" an attached USB device

Post by Rower Bob »

I went back to the earlier post about WebCam passthrough, clicked on the link to the VB instructions page and found...

Get a list of host webcams, or other video input devices:

$ VBoxManage list webcams

When I launched Command Prompt and entered this I got: $ is not listed as an internal or external command, etc.
Rower Bob
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Joined: 21. Nov 2021, 23:22

Re: How to "recognize/see" an attached USB device

Post by Rower Bob »

I see, further down in those VB instructions:

Attach a webcam to a running VM, as follows:

VBoxManage controlvm VM name webcam attach [host_path|alias [settings]]


What to enter in [host_path|alias [settings]] is, alas, beyond my understanding of Windows.
mpack
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Re: How to "recognize/see" an attached USB device

Post by mpack »

Rower Bob wrote: When I launched Command Prompt and entered this I got: $ is not listed as an internal or external command, etc.
The $ sign is your terminal prompt, you don't type it.
Rower Bob
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Joined: 21. Nov 2021, 23:22

Re: How to "recognize/see" an attached USB device

Post by Rower Bob »

Thank you, but it still doesn't work. When I entered - VBoxManage list webcams - after the prompt and hit Return, I got 'VBoxManage' is not recognized as an internal or external command, etc.
scottgus1
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Re: How to "recognize/see" an attached USB device

Post by scottgus1 »

Rower Bob wrote:which choice to opt for when closing down Windows after having used the microscope:
• Save the machine state
• Send the shutdown signal
• Power off the machine.
"Send the shutdown signal" is best. It's like tapping a computer's power button. It can be the same as shutting down the VM OS from the Start Menu, if Windows is set to shut down when the power button is tapped.
Rower Bob wrote:Here's a link to a desktop screenshot
Regrettably, the Icloud website crashes when I try to get the screenshot. Try cropping and resizing to get the size of the picture under 128kB then use the forum's Upload Attachment tab.
Rower Bob wrote:I tried this with both computers; in neither one was I able to find that camera in Photo Booth or Quick Time.
I'd keep working on this with Apple and the scope manufacturer, as it will be easier to work without a VM.
Rower Bob wrote:When I launched Command Prompt
Vboxmanage runs on the host computer not the VM.
Rower Bob wrote:What to enter in [host_path|alias [settings]] is, alas, beyond my understanding of Windows.
The manual says that the output of 'vboxmanage list webcams' on the host gives host_path and alias. Apparently you'd use one or the other in "VBoxManage controlvm VM name webcam attach".
Rower Bob
Posts: 15
Joined: 21. Nov 2021, 23:22

Re: How to "recognize/see" an attached USB device

Post by Rower Bob »

Regrettably, the Icloud website crashes when I try to get the screenshot. Try cropping and resizing to get the size of the picture under 128kB then use the forum's Upload Attachment tab.
Thanks, first time I have ever had anyone write back and not a problem with these photos I post on occasion via my links to my iCloud account. Try it again, please, as I have downsized it. Perhaps the "readout" from the camera app might provide some clues.

I will write the manufacturer and tell him of the problem I am having viewing the output from the microscope on both my Macs. Will post if they respond. Their English (the company is registered in Hong Kong) can be a hoot.
Rower Bob
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Joined: 21. Nov 2021, 23:22

Re: How to "recognize/see" an attached USB device

Post by Rower Bob »

I began going through all the Q&A on the Amazon page for this microscope and found this.
For PC, this is just a camera. Use the default webcam viewing app on your PC/Mac (or any other webcam viewing software you want), as it's way better than the garbage software they offer.
There are also open-source scientific apps like YouScope, which let you capture experimental image sets and videos with metadata/etc for record keeping purposes. This may be awesome for a budding scientist, but have a steep learning curve (protip: use the "OpenCVGrabber" device type).
In Windows, what is the "default webcam viewing app"?
mpack
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Re: How to "recognize/see" an attached USB device

Post by mpack »

Rower Bob wrote: In Windows, what is the "default webcam viewing app"?
The Camera app. Look for it in the Search menu. Note however that Win10 may not install this app by default, in which case you can easily find it (free) in the Microsoft store.
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Rower Bob
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Re: How to "recognize/see" an attached USB device

Post by Rower Bob »

I went to the Start menu and Camera is there.

When I launch it, with the microscope attached and turned on, the camera window opens with "We can't find your camera." Error code is 0xA00F4244.

Having downloaded the microscope software via the URL provided by its manufacturer, I assume that its drivers are up to date.

I am looking up the Error 0xA00F4244 and one of the suggestions begins with "Press Windows and the l key". I tried searching in the VB manual, found the instructions for Soft Keyboard but that keyboard has no Windows key. Also checked Typing Special Characters, but nothing in there either.

Do you know the keyboard combo to emulate the Windows key?
mpack
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Re: How to "recognize/see" an attached USB device

Post by mpack »

I'm not willing to parse the correctness of advice I didn't give, and I know of no reason to try <windows>+L, which in any case AFAIK only serves to lock the PC - and I don't see how that is relevant to our discussion. If you do want to lock your PC you can do it from the start menu.

If the Windows Camera app is not picking up the camera then it isn't connected. Look for it in Windows Device Manager, in the Cameras branch. Then follow the usual USB FAQ to get it connected: USB Basics and Troubleshooting.

I should mention that the cheap microscope camera I have here, i.e. the one which created the screenshot I included above, has a really crappy USB connector which disconnects under its own weight. It's easy to tell that it's happening because you hear the USB disconnect sound. Another reason to check Device Manager. Also, I assume you created a filter in the VM settings to capture the microscope. Simply plugging it into the MacOS host will not work: it has to be captured by the VM.
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