Changed webcam feature in Messenger—the in-depth explanation
Since a few days, I have the newest Windows Live version, Build 14.0.8117.416. Since I have this version, I cannot start simple webcam transmissions anymore… only video call works. Is that how it works in the new version?? If yes, that’s a really stupid change! Or is the problem located on my end??
Questions like this keep increasing since an intermediate update for Windows Live Messenger 2009 has been published recently. What is it all about? When you want to send or view webcam in this upgraded version, you will launch a video call. This is a changed behavior, and people are quite confused about it.
Piero Sierra, Group Program Manager for Shared Data Experience, has posted the in-depth explanation why these changes to Messenger’s webcam functionality have been made:
There seems to be some confusion on the update to the webcam feature. Let me clarify that one-way video conversations are still very much supported. It is still absolutely possible to “share your video” with a relative abroad who does not have a video camera. Or see someone else’s webcam when you do not have one. Let me explain how you do this: Let’s say you do not have a video camera, and are chatting with a friend who does. In the chat window, click “Video” (or click the webcam icon next to your friend’s user tile). This will set up a one-way video call. You can then mute or unmute your audio by clicking the microphone. You can control your friend’s audio by clicking the speaker icon. Simple as that, and you still have the control. The inverse is also supported (where you have a webcam, and your friend does not).
Some background on what has changed:
In the past, we offered two choices to start a video conversation with someone. You could either click “Video Call” or select “Show my webcam.” Video Call is the full-featured option that includes two-way video and audio. It is how most people expect video calling to work. Show my webcam was a one-way feature, where you could show your webcam’s video to your friend, without audio. This caused a lot of confusion, and our data showed users would often click “Show my webcam”, only to be surprised they didn’t have audio, and couldn’t see their friend. They would then attempt to turn these on separately. Furthermore, the two features used a different video code-path which made switching between these scenarios hard, and also made it hard for the team to make quality & performance improvements to the scenario as a whole. In our latest update, we have simplified the command to just “Start Video Call”… If you have a webcam, but your friend does not, they will be able to see you and hear you, and you’ll be able hear them if they have a microphone. If you do not want to hear your friend, or do not want to share your audio, you can simply toggle the microphone icon next to your picture or the speaker icon next to your friend‘s picture. There are only really two aspects that are different: (1) it is no longer easy to hide your webcam’s feed if you have one enabled when you start a video call (you can still do this using the AV settings dialog). (2) You can no longer set up “webcam rings” with multiple people sharing silent video one-way. There are valid reasons to enable both of these scenarios, but their usage was very infrequent, and made both the user experience and the code overly complicated. This is why we have chosen to move forward with a simpler option. Please look for a post soon about our expanded video capabilities in Wave 4.
With these — amazingly explanatory, by the way! — thoughts in mind, can you now understand why webcam is working differently in Messenger from now on?
More From mynetx
- Messenger problems: Solving Messenger error code 81000306 at sign-in
- Webcam in Messenger – moving backwards?
- Windows Live and You: “Making my views known on behalf of the ‘little everyday user’” (Technogran)
mynetx Recommends
- How to Undo Computer Mistakes in Microsoft Windows (Computer Training)
- McAfee AntiVirus Plus 3User 2010 (phil67)
this really is stupid. i don’t like it at all, could you please just change it back to how it said “show my webcam” it was much easier and less complicated then.
Between us, I’m against this change! I often use the single-show-feature!
They should think about this idea twice…
Well I’m against this new feature of video call ….it’s silly ….i often use show my cam and know i can’t anymore. So i hope it will change sooner as possible …..
Hi, I have a related question here. I assume MSN is sending 320×240 frames, yet the displayed video is 352×288 both for the sent video and the received video, which means my image gets stretched a little. I noticed back when there are two options, when I choose “show my webcam”, it is displayed as 320×240, when I choose “start a video call”, the videos are displayed as 352×288. Is there some setting I can change to make the aspect ratio be normal… Great thanks!
I am sincerely disappointed in this new change. Why take out an old favourite? To be honest I am now looking for a new instant messaging program just so that I can use the webcam feature. Go back to the way it was guys! This is truly a disgrace to WLM!
i hate this f***ing change with the webcam issues PLEASE ROLLBACK THE DAMN OPTION AGAIN !!! THANK YOU.
this is ridiculous ans stupid for msn you’s should atleast think twice video call isnt good i dont have a webcam but when i share with others
it annoying
plz change it back
This feature doesn’t help!
1. If i don’t have a webcam n want to see my friend..why do i have to see the webcam Image with an Red X on it! This I can avoid if I had “show my webcam” feature.
2. I cant do multiple webcam sessions, that’s even worst! why would they take away good feature like that!
right, this change is so stupid, frustrating and conusing. normally i would go on cam to loads of mates but now i can only go on to one. thing is, that person i go on to normally goes on cam to others too but now they cant because they’re on call with me. seriosly this change is useless. no one likes it. seriously i think you should change it and listen to what people are saying. everyones going to be changing to something different that actually works well for webcam. just please change it back. its useless and plain boring if im totally honest. please change it back to how it used to be?!
what the hell? this is retarded. they’re essentially saying that the average person is too stupid to realise there’s a “video call” button at the top of the window….
What about those instances where you don’t want your webcam shown when you have one? Surely it makes more sense for people to turn on audio if they want it, rather than turning it off if they don’t? What about the times when things are going on behind your desk that you don’t want shown? come on Microsucks! You did so well with Windows 7, and now ruining it with stupid updates like this?
This must be a joke? really? MSN go back to how it was!!! i don’t like the new webcam settings or what ever you wana call it… go back to how use to be with show webcam! and i see alot of people agree with me here…
I agree with everyone above me. This is completely stupid. I barely ever use video call, but i do use just webcam a lot. You need to change it back this is horrible. Just put the webcam only back in. you left voice only in why not leave webcam only in? Your going to lose loads of service cause of this change. I cant go on webcam with more then one of my friends now this is plain out ridiculous.
Stupid idea to remove the show my webcam. Very stupid.
COMPLETELY GAY! DUDE! WTF! Cant even get on webcam alone! Without forcing my friend to go on!! Omg I dont have to hear my friend! I want the ‘Show my webcam’ BACK! SERIOUSLY! Dude this freaking useless for doing this…
Change it back!!! No one likes it!
To be honest, if I wanted to show my webcam, I would use messenger.
If I wanted a video call, I would use skype.
Can’t see much of a reason to use messenger now…
I hate this ,is messs…………full bulls**it….bring my webcam back…
why this change i hate ……………….
I won’t be as rude as others here, but I immensely dislike the change. When both cams are up, even if there’s only one, it makes the messenger more bulky. And I don’t want to have to force my friend to show his. I would prefer it if it went back to the way it was.
This is an awful upgrade. I use my “show webcam” feature all the time. Since this “upgrade” has been done, I can not even try to multi task whether it be with another friend through WLM or another program. We switched to WLM because we started having issues with another messaging program…Can you not change it back?? It seems that more people would prefer the show webcam feature than the voice call feature. There are plenty of other programs out there that people can do voice calls with!!!
msn is full of s**t after this “update” needs to go bk cos its f*****g annoying the hell out of me :@
You have completely sank the boat here. This new feature is immensly rubbish, You’ve outdone yourselfs! I never knew you’d end up doing an epic fail like this! Well done, Bravo Bravo. Sort it or lose alot of people. Simples. *Meercat Noise*
THIS SUCK !! PFFF DOWNGRADE NOW !! NEW MESSENGER SUCK !! PFFFFFFFFFF FUCKING SHIT
yeah cmn listent to evry one, put the cam feature back, and no video calling is not the same, and the quality is way lower, then if u wouldve used the cam feature, WTf seriously u guys should change it back pronto -_-
guys, dont panic!
just wait a few days for a major facebook surprise! their very first Desktopa application MESSENGER!… and dont wait for a change on WLM i test the new beta of WLM 2010 and is worst! SUCKZZZ!
all the WLM pataform will be worst!
I HATE THIS STUPID MOTHA FOKKA CHANGE TO? CANT U FOKKING SEE EVERYONE HATEEEEEEEEEEEEES IT????????
Dont like this at all NO
can you please return the show webcam option
I am sorry to say this , but this very very stupid. The fact that you guys are not listening to us , just prove that MSN Live Messenger will go dead soon. Simple as that. Havent you Microsoft always been saying ” We always listen to your feedback” . Our feedback is , that the new feature sucks and we want the old feature back. Seriously false advertisement there. Just because a few had problems , dont bring it on the rest of us who want the “Show webcam only”. The feature was the only reason i chat on MSN . Now i can only webcam chat to one person. How can we get use to it , when the feature has been on MSN for years. Seriously its pointless for you guys to do this especially in an update . Why didn’t you guys added in the new Windows Wave 4. We all just want the old feature to come back. Its was much better.
Please Microsoft , listen to our Feedback . Change it back . We liked it the old way .
как всегда на высоте
i agree with every one else if this msn doesnt get rolled back i will stop using it and use yahoo im or some other source!!
What if I don’t want to show my web camera? This is the worst update ever, he doesn’t even answer that simple question
since new update, i cannot do web cam or video call, i have unstall restalled …removed again try to down load another msn, but this ne one always comes up , now i checked my cam settings and everything working great, so my problem is msn new update.!!!!!!!
the more i try looking the more i gettign annoyed , plz help sort this out asap!!!!!!!!
now how do i try and fix this plz as i cannot do nothing no cam no vidoe call grrrrrrrr NOT HAPPY WITH THIS AT ALL
Well I have found the answer to my ‘problems’ but the explanation sucks. I use Skype for videocalls and messenger for show my webcam. I do not want to make my friend show theirs if they do not want to. We never want to use audio. Put it back the way it was rather than try and become like Skype. Let skype and others have the videocall market and get messenger back to show webcam as soon as possible. The change is crackers and useless. I can see I will have to go to yahoo or something unless we get back the old functionality.
this is stupid I can’t believe microsoft actually decided that this change was for the better, what were they thinking, I want to roll back to the old build but because of the way messenger is installed now it checks for the latest update I’m going to write an angry email to someone or just leave this blog comment to back everyone else up that the new build fails!
Give my webcam back… i dont want Video Call only… I will change to use google talk if MSN still do very stupid things!!!!!!!!!
Damn this change is so stupid !!!!
I was arguing wit my boyfriend why he only sent me the video call !!!
i found out just now !!!!! it makes everything become bad!!!!!
slow motion image !!! i’d better go to skype!!!! if u wouldn’t improve this shit !!!
HATE THIS FEATURE! Dislike video calls and preferred to just send show my webcam twice! please reconsider because personally id rather downgrade msn’s than use this idea! its horrible and causes so much trouble. At least with show my webcam option you could use it for more than one person!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
you don’t even put the option on anymore to hide that you have a webcam from others now? you brag about your new privacy system and how its TOP NOTCH when in fact it really isn’t… come on windows…fix these issues stat.
The only stupidity here is the fact that people are STILL using WLM to communicate with friends! There are tons* of free and even open source programs that do the very same job with much less noise, they’re ad-free and even run more smoothly than this heavyweight and effusive WLM.
* i.e Emesene, Pidgin, Trillian, aMSN, Mercury Messenger and so on. I personally use Emesene in both Linux and Windows™.
agree with everyone else, this change totally sucks. rly annoying
The explanation of deleting the “Send Webcam” feature is total BS. I’m, sorry, but that’s how I feel about it. Whenever I wanted to do video call, I was clicking on appropriate button. Why do we have to suffer because of some idiots that click too fast before they think?
The “Video Call” feature takes too much computer resources. My fans are spinning like crazy, and laptop generates too much heat as if I would be gaming. “Show Webcam” worked perfectly.
This very thorough “explanation” does not fix anything. All they are explaining is that they are too lazy to write a little more code to make everybody happy. I often would have my cam open for a couple people at once….no more. But heck! I can can go buy a new HD webcam and an new PC that can actually handle it! Yay!
i want my show my webcam feature back.. otherwise could someone here tell me a way to downgrade my WLM to its previous version… this new feature sucks big time!!!!
well sorry for posting again i found a fix actually i found the old version on my other computer luckily copied all the contents in program files\windows live\messenger and overwrote the files in the same path on my newly updated messenger.. and bam!!! show my webcam feature is back up again….. anyways i thought you guys would find it helpful since no one is really happy about the so called new feature which prevents retards from clicking the wrong button IMO those ppl shouldn’t be allowed to use a pc in the first place if they cant tell apart a videocall from just allowing the other party to see your webcam….
Okay this is the stupidest shit ever!!! can please change ti back before i decide to go to yahoo and STAY with yahoo? Like this is bullshit! I loved being able to be on cam with all my friends and they could if they wated to WIOTHOUT microphone.. and now i can only be on cam with one person liek WTF what if i wanna be on cam with my mom and dad who both live in different houses away from me. Eh? Then what? you have ALOT of unhappy people.
Wow… did Microsoft even think about people with slower connections, like me? I’m on dial-up, not by choice, but because I’m STUCK on it. I actually use one-way webcam from times to times, because it actually works. Now they expect me to try turning on full video calling? With sound? On dial-up? They’re kidding me here. By removing this option, they completely removed the webcam features for people with slow internet. Seriously, I’ve been a fan of Messenger for over 10 years, and I would actually encourage my friends and family to use it. It was my favorite IM program by a LONG shot. But this time I’m seriously pissed off. Thanks Microsoft for making my life even more complicated. I live far away from most of my friends, and I enjoyed doing one-way webcam with them once in a while. Not anymore. There’s no way I’m updating. This was a seriously ridiculous decision.
Write them and let them know show stupid this change was, I went back to msn 7.5, the more people complain, the better the chance they’ll change their mind https://feedback.live.com/default.aspx?productkey=wlmessenger&scrx=1
…… can u turn it back or something cuz i rly fucking hate this idea and i guess many do. …. just so u know many have and many will leave u and go to other sides, u have ruined the moste of MSN now…. Thank u
Bring “show my webcam” back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ZuZu thanks, i wrote them. Im really pissed from that, its SO STUPID!!! Its like when you cant use back door in car and you have to go on back seat with front door. RIDICULOUS!!!
what is the point in taking off, one way webcam, it was working just fine, and everybody loved it, now Windows live messenger has been spoiled and has got too be losing people who go on it !
This was the most retarded feature fix, not only does the video codec suck, what are users with poor bandwidth going to do?? hmm looks like im going to Gmail…
ms needs to bring bill gates back cuz obviously the new management cant get anything right.
How seriously stuoid is this move? Well I won’t be using MSN no more and neither will my family, I have always told my neice to never trust anyone online. If they want to cam, they show theirs first, so she knows, who is on the other end is, who they say they are. Now she would have to show her cam at the same time, and not only that she has to share voice. She’s 14 going on 15, she’s not into all this mute mic and so on. At the end of the day, if I dont want to share my cam, that should be my choice and not MSN’s. The matter is already being investigated by several countries comsumer and online services. I would feel my family was much safer online, if they wasn’t being pushed into having to share cam. If im at work and want the gf to see me, but not have her on cam, because Mr x is a perv, I can’t. You clearly haven’t thought this through and for that reason we are out. Oh and that bull about not many people using the webcam feature to be on cam to more than one, is wrong, because people have 3/4 way calling, but I reckon that will be back at a cost. Its all about control with Microsoft, we don’t own our own Computers anymore, with silly admin rights. I can wait for Someone to slap Microsoft so hard in the courts, coz that day is coming.