Need Help? Find it Here.

You may occasionally encounter the following screen when you go to record a MotionNote, especially if you are new to MotionNotes, or if you are using a new camera. Don’t be alarmed, because in most cases, this can easily be fixed by following the steps below.

1. Make sure your camera is plugged in.

I know it sounds patronizing, but this happens to everyone. It’s a quick and easy thing to check.

2. Make sure you have installed all the necessary drivers and software.

If it’s the first time you’ve used this camera, make sure you have installed the software drivers that came with your camera. You should also make sure your camera is compatible with your computer; some newer cameras might not work with older cameras. We have a recommended list of cameras available for purchase in the MotionNotes store.

3. Make sure your camera isn’t being used by another application.

Generally, only one application can access your camera at a time. If another application is using the camera, MotionNotes will be unable to use your camera until you quit the application that is using it. Check for other applications that might be using your camera and quit them. Then click the Retry Camera button in the MotionNotes Composer to connect to your camera. Occasionally you might have to click the Retry button twice.

4. Make sure Flash knows where to find your camera.

Most likely your camera can’t be found because Flash is looking in the wrong location. The following steps and screenshots walk you through the process of helping Flash find your camera. You can also watch this video.

a. Right-click (Windows) or Ctrl-click (Mac) in the blank area in the MotionNotes Composer to generate the Flash Player Settings pop-up menu.

b. Select “Settings…” from the Flash Player pop-up, as shown in the Figure below.

This should generate the small Adobe Flash Player Settings pop-up window like you see in the following Figure. You’ll notice it has 5 small tabs at the bottom to the left of the Close button.

c. Select the tab with the little web cam icon - the tab to the far right, as shown in the following figure. The Adobe Flash Player Settings pop-up will change to the following:

d. Click on the menu as shown. Depending on your computer, you may see two, three or more options. These options tell Flash where to look for your camera.

e. Select the correct option. If you are unsure, you may have to try one, and see if it works. When you select the correct source for your camera, it should show up in the record video window, as shown in the following figure. If your selection does not result in the video stream appearing, try another selection.

f. Close the Adobe Flash Player Settings Pop-up by clicking the “Close” button. You should now be ready to record your MotionNotes.

You’ve probably noticed the three buttons in the MotionNote viewer: Website, Reply and Forward. By default the Website button is set to go to the MotionNotes.com, but did you know you can change the destination to go to any website you want? 
 Login to the MotionNotes Composer and got to the Account Info tab.  Under User Profile, one of the editable fields is “Your Website.”  You can change this from www.motionnotes.com to your personal website, your company’s website, or whatever you want.  You see in the screenshot below that I have set mine to go to my company’s website, www.whiteboardlabs.com.  Now, whenever I send someone a MotionNote, if they click on the Website button they will go to the Whiteboardlabs.com website.  

With the latest release of MotionNotes,  you can now change backdrops for each and every message if you like.  Depending on your mood and your recipient, you can select an appropriate backdrop for a message, then select a different backdrop for the very next message.  For the boss, a more conservative backdrop;  for Mom, that latest photo of the kids;  for your buddy down the street, that Chicago Bears backdrop you made (he’s a Packers fan).   Using this new feature is easy.  Just login to your account, and go to “Create New Message.”  At the bottom right you’ll see a thumbnail of the backdrop that is currently selected.  To change the backdrop, simply click “Change Backdrop” and select a new one from the pop-up window.   You can repeat this process for every message.  (MotionNotes is continually expanding its list of free public backdrops.  And remember you can upload your own backdrops in the Account Info tab.)  MotionNotes backdrops help set the mood for your message, and create impact.  Being able to easily change the backdrop should make using MotionNotes that much more fun.

Send MotionNotes on new Christmas and holiday backdrops that have been added to the public backdrops library.  Just login to your account, click on the Account Info tab, and select Manage Backdrops.  You’ll see the eight new designs uploaded and available to use for free.  Select the one you want, then click the button in the corner that says “Set as Default Backdrop.”  Now you can send video Christmas cards to friends and family.  Maybe even create a Photo Album (in Manage Attachments) to attach to your video message.  

MotionNotes provides full support for your flash animations, videos or presentations. The following are a couple of ground rules to get you started.

• The flash file must be a published .swf file. Using the flash player 8 publish setting is recommended.
• Your published .swf file can be loaded into the composer by selecting the, “custom .swf” option in the attachment dropdown.
• The size of the flash movie must be smaller or equal to the viewer window (537px wide by 436px high).
• All flash elements must reside on the stage or masked to equal proportions of the viewer (537px wide by 436px high).
• The flash movie cannot link to external child .swf files.
• The actionscript “_root” selector cannot be used, however the “_parent” selector in most cases is an acceptable replacement.
• For optimum performance use a pre-loader on files above 50k.
• External html links are supported, the use of the “_blank” target property is recommended.

Did you know you can upload your own backdrops?  Backdrops are the photos or graphic designs that provide the background for your messages.  Your video messages and attachments, if you include them, float above these backdrops.  They are wallpaper or backgrounds for your messages.

MotionNotes includes a library of free backdrops for you to use in the Composer, but you don’t have to use any of these.  In fact, you can create and upload any image to use as a backdrop.  Here’s how: 

1. In the MotionNotes Composer, go to the Account Info tab and then select the Manage Backdrops button.  You should see a list of backdrops on the list, with a preview window on the right.   

2. At the bottom left, below the Backdrop Library, click the button that says Add a Backdrop… 

 3. Next you will see a pop-up, prompting you to select the file you want to upload, and providing information about how to prepare your image.  The ideal size is 810 x 610 pixels, but if your image is larger, it will be scaled down after uploading.  Click Select Backdrop File.  

4. You will then get a window that allows you to select a file on your computer.  Find the photo you want to use as a backdrop and click Select.   

5. Now add a Title or Description in the field provided and click Upload New Backdrop.  This will upload your selected file and add it to your personal Backdrop Library.  Note that other users will not be able to use or even see the backdrops in your personal library.  

Technology has enabled us to communicate with one another like never before. We can email or text message a friend or colleague and have our message arrive instantaneously. We can chat or instant message with a person on the other side of the world in real time. Contrasted with communication just 50 years ago, these technologies are truly amazing.

What has been lost, however, is the personal touch. Email, text and instant messaging are all text based. Conveying emotion depends on the writers ability to communicate it effectively with words. How many times have you written an email that was misinterpreted? Or had a typo that completely changed your meaning? Have you ever read an email over and over again, trying to divine the writer’s underlying message, trying to read between the lines?

MotionNotes makes online communication personal again. It allows you to record video messages to send to friends, family, clients and colleagues. Your recipients will see your facial expression, hear your tone of voice, see your smile, your eyes, your body language. The goals of this blog are

• to provide help using MotionNotes,
• to share how others are using MotionNotes,
• post MotionNotes news,
• and to provide a forum to discuss ways we can improve MotionNotes to better serve our users.