MediCapture
Image Transfer Wizard
User Guide
The Image Transfer Wizard copies images from your
MediCapture USB flash drive to your computer.
IMPORTANT NOTE: You must use the Image Transfer
Wizard to copy images from your flash drive to your
computer. Do not transfer images by “dragging and
dropping.” This is because, in addition to transferring the
images, the wizard also converts them to a format that is
usable on your computer. The “raw images” on the flash
drive are not useable on your computer until they have
been processed by the wizard.
M1002A 060720
MediCapture Image Transfer Wizard
Table of Contents
Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 3
Quick Start ........................................................................................................................ 3
Doctor/User Window ......................................................................................................... 4
Welcome Window ............................................................................................................. 4
Select Images Window ..................................................................................................... 4
Advanced Options (Doctors)............................................................................................. 5
Advanced Options (Users)................................................................................................ 6
Image Destination Window ............................................................................................... 7
Copying Images Window .................................................................................................. 7
Congratulations Window ................................................................................................... 8
Tips ................................................................................................................................... 8
Troubleshooting FAQ........................................................................................................ 9
Appendix A: Image Formats ........................................................................................... 15
YUV (Raw) Format ...................................................................................................... 15
BMP Format ................................................................................................................ 15
JPG (JPEG) Format .................................................................................................... 15
PCX Format................................................................................................................. 15
DCM (DICOM) Format................................................................................................. 16
Appendix B: System Requirements ................................................................................ 16
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MediCapture Image Transfer Wizard
Introduction
It’s easy to transfer images from your MediCapture flash drive to your computer. Many users
find they can transfer images just by reading the “Quick Start” section below. If you need more
information, you can refer to the rest of this document.
MediCap™ Image Capture Device
Flash Drive
Captures images to your flash drive. For more
information, see the MediCap User Guide at
www.medicapture.com.
Holds your captured images. Note that
you must use MediCapture brand flash
drives (styles may vary).
Quick Start
1. Press the Save to USB Memory button
When you finish capturing images, press the Save To USB Memory
button on the front panel of the MediCap. This saves the images to
your flash drive. The green light under the button will blink while the
images are being transferred. After the blinking stops, remove the
drive from the front panel.
Save to
USB Memory
2. Plug the flash drive into your computer
Insert the flash drive in the USB connector of your computer.
3. Install the Image Transfer Wizard (first time only)
On your computer, browse to the flash drive. To do so, double-click on
My Computer and locate the flash drive. It will have a name like
MEDICAP-USB. Double-click on it, then double-click on setup.exe.
This will open a window that installs the wizard (mcwiz.exe) on your
computer. Follow the installation prompts.
4. Run the wizard
Locate the MediCapture Image Wizard icon on your desktop.
Double-click on it to open the wizard. The wizard will guide you
through the process of transferring images to your computer.
Notes:
• You only need to follow Step 3 the first time you use the wizard.
• If you can’t locate setup.exe, go to the Support section of
www.medicapture.com and download the MediCapture Image
Transfer Wizard.
• For more information, you can refer to the next sections which
describe the wizard windows. This document also contains useful
tips (page 8) and a troubleshooting section (page 9).
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setup.exe
MediCapture
Image Wizard
MediCapture Image Transfer Wizard
Doctor/User Window
In this window, specify whether you are a
Doctor or a User. Select Doctor if you are a
medical professional. Otherwise, select User
(for example, if you are a patient).
If you select Doctor, you will have more
choices later when you select an image
format. For example, you will be able to save
images in DICOM format which is useful for
doctors and other medical professionals, but
not normally used by patients.
This window is only displayed the first time
you use the wizard. If you want to return to it
later, you can use the Back button at the
bottom of the wizard.
Welcome Window
Use the Browse button to select the folder on
your flash drive that contains images you
want to transfer to your computer. Each folder
on the flash drive (e.g., Case.001, Case.002)
contains images from one “session.” (A new
session begins each time you press the green
“Save to USB Memory” button on the front
panel of the MediCap.)
Once you have selected a folder of images to
transfer, click the Next button.
Select Images Window
Use the check boxes on the right to select the
images you want to transfer. The lower-left
corner shows the file format for the transferred
images. If you want to specify a different
format (and access other options), click on the
Advanced link at the bottom of the window (the
Advanced options are described in the next
section). You can view a full-screen version of
the current image by clicking on the Preview
link.
Once you have selected the images to
transfer, click the Next button.
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MediCapture Image Transfer Wizard
Advanced Options (Doctors)
To access the Advanced Options window,
click on the Advanced link in the Select
Images window (page 4). There are two
versions of the Advanced Options window:
one for Doctors and another for Users (for
example, patients). The Doctor version is
shown here and the User version is shown on
the next page. To switch versions, close this
window and use the Back button to go back to
the Doctor/User window (page 4). Then select
Doctor or User.
Note: The options you specify here apply to
the “current” image (the image displayed in
the Select Images window). If you click Apply
To All, the specified options will apply to all
images in the current folder. This is useful if
you want to specify the same options for a
batch of images. If you click Set Defaults, the
specified options will become the defaults for
this window. This is useful if some of the
options you specify are always the same.
Image Format - Specify the format for the transferred images (JPEG, BMP, PCX, PCX
grayscale, DICOM or DICOM True Color). The images on the flash drive are in a “raw” format
that the wizard converts to the format you specify. Image formats are described on page 15.
Show Fields - Specify whether the image will include the First Field, Second Field or Both
Fields. (For an explanation of the video term “Field,” see “Show Fields Option” on page 13).
Here is a general rule of thumb for making a selection that will yield the best results:
•
If you are capturing images of a still object and the camera is stationary, select Both
Fields. This will capture the most detail. Try this option first.
•
If you are capturing images of a moving object (for example, a beating heart) or if the
camera is moving, you should probably select either the First or Second Field (there is
little difference between the two). Selecting the First or Second Field will reduce the
blurry appearance of moving objects, but it also captures less detail than selecting Both
Fields. Only use this option if the Both Fields option results in blurry images.
•
Use the Preview button to test the results of your selection.
Crop Image - Allows you to trim off a portion of images around all four sides. To capture as
much image information as possible, the MediCap image capture device saves the entire video
signal including information that may go beyond the edge of your monitor. Therefore, you may
sometimes see static or warping on the edge of captured images that you do not see on your
monitor. To eliminate these problems around the edge, you can crop 1% to 5% of the image
from all four sides.
Modality, etc. - These fields are only available if a DICOM image format is selected. The
information you specify will be entered in the DICOM header and can be accessed whenever
the image is displayed using a DICOM image viewer (available from third-party vendors).
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MediCapture Image Transfer Wizard
Advanced Options (Users)
To access the Advanced Options window,
click on the Advanced link in the Select
Images window (page 4). There are two
versions of the Advanced Options window:
one for Doctors and another for Users (for
example, patients). The User version is
shown here and the Doctor version is shown
on the previous page. To switch versions,
close this window and use the Back button to
go back to the Doctor/User window (page 4).
Then select Doctor or User.
Note: The options you specify here apply to the “current” image (the image displayed in the
Select Images window). If you click Apply To All, the specified options will apply to all images
in the current folder. This is useful if you want to specify the same options for a batch of images.
If you click Set Defaults, the specified options will become the defaults for this window. This is
useful if some of the options you specify are always the same.
Image Format - Specify the format for the transferred images (JPEG, BMP, PCX, PCX
grayscale). The images on the flash drive are in a “raw” format that the wizard converts to the
format you specify. Image formats are described on page 15. Note that DICOM formats are only
available if you specified “Doctor” in the Doctor/User window (see page 4).
Image Size - Specify the size in pixels for the transferred images.
Show Fields - Specify whether the image will include the First Field, Second Field or Both
Fields. (For an explanation of the video term “Field,” see “Show Fields Option” on page 13).
Here is a general rule of thumb for making a selection that will yield the best results:
•
If you are capturing images of a still object and the camera is stationary, select Both
Fields. This will capture the most detail. Try this option first.
•
If you are capturing images of a moving object (for example, a beating heart) or if the
camera is moving, you should probably select either the First or Second Field (there is
little difference between the two). Selecting the First or Second Field will reduce the
blurry appearance of moving objects, but it also captures less detail than selecting Both
Fields. Only use this option if the Both Fields option results in blurry images.
•
Use the Preview button to test the results of your selection.
Crop Image - The Crop Images option allows you to trim off a portion of images around all four
sides. To capture as much image information as possible, the MediCap image capture device
saves the entire video signal including information that may go beyond the edge of your monitor.
Therefore, you may sometimes see static or warping on the edge of captured images that you
do not see on your monitor. To eliminate these problems around the edge, you can crop 1% to
5% of the image from all four sides.
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MediCapture Image Transfer Wizard
Image Destination Window
In this window, specify the name that will be
used for the group of transferred images. For
example if you specify “Jane Doe” the images
will be named Jane Doe 001.jpg, Jane Doe
002.jpg, etc. The name you use must comply
with the naming conventions allowed by your
operating system. Try to use only common
characters such as letters, numbers and
spaces. Don’t use special characters such as
<>[]=+"\/:;,.
Use the Browse button to select the folder on
your hard drive or network where you want
the transferred images to be saved.
Once you specified the image name and
destination folder, click the Next button.
Important Note: It is recommended that you select the “Delete Images from my USB flash
drive” option. This will free up space on your flash drive so that you can capture more images.
You no longer need the images on the flash drive because they are now copied to your hard
drive. However, if you are concerned about backing up the raw images on the flash drive before
you delete them, then you can drag and drop the raw images to a folder on your hard drive (the
raw images have a file extension of YUV). However, note that you will not be able to view these
raw images until you process them with the Image Transfer Wizard which will convert them to a
useable format such as JPG.
Copying Images Window
This window shows the progress of the image
transfer process. When the process is
complete, the progress bar will display the
message “Done.” Then click on the Next
button.
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MediCapture Image Transfer Wizard
Congratulations Window
This window indicates you have successfully
transferred your images from the flash drive to
your computer or network. It provides a link
you can click on to open the folder containing
the transferred images. Then you can view
them, move them, etc.
If you want to transfer more images from your
flash drive to your computer, click Next.
If want to exit the wizard, click Finish.
Tips
•
If the USB connector on your computer is in the back, you can plug in the cable supplied
with your MediCapture USB flash drive so that you do not need to reach behind the
computer each time you want to connect the drive. If the USB connector on your
computer is easily accessible, you do not need to use the USB cable.
•
In the Avanced Options window (pages 5 and 6) you can select an image format (for
example, JPEG or DICOM). (You access this window from the Select Images window.)
To set your selected format as the default, click the Set Defaults button in the Advanced
Options window. Then the wizard will continue to use the same format every time you
transfer images.
•
It’s a good idea to regularly use the wizard to move images off your flash drive and onto
your computer. This will free up memory space on the flash drive so you can capture
more images. To move images off of the USB flash drive, use the check box labeled
"Delete images from my USB flash drive after copying them.” This checkbox is in the
Image Destination window (page 7).
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MediCapture Image Transfer Wizard
Troubleshooting FAQ
This FAQ addresses problems encountered when using the Image Transfer Wizard to copy
images from a USB flash drive to your computer. If you are having problems capturing images
to a USB flash drive using your MediCap image capture device, refer to the MediCap User
Guide which is available in the Support section at www.medicapture.com.
1. Brief Description of the MediCapture Image Transfer Wizard
Q. What is the MediCapture Image Transfer Wizard (mcwiz.exe)? Why can’t I bypass the
wizard and drag and drop the images from the USB flash drive onto my computer?
A.
The nature of video capture requires that images be captured to the USB flash drive in a
“raw” format called YUV. When you use the MediCapture Image Transfer Wizard to copy
images from your flash drive to your computer, the wizard converts the YUV image formats
to more standard formats such as JPG or BMP. YUV images cannot be read by your
computer system so you must use the Image Transfer Wizard in order to ensure that the
images that arrive on your computer from the flash drive have been converted to a
standard format.
The Image Transfer Wizard also performs other useful functions. It allows you to preview
images, reduce the blur of moving objects, crop images, and assign a file name to groups
of images.
To install the Image Transfer Wizard, see the “Quick Start” section on page 3. After the
wizard has been installed, you can start it by double-clicking on the MediCapture Image
Wizard icon on your desktop
2. “Load Drivers” Message
Q. My computer uses Windows 98/98SE. When I connect the MediCapture USB flash drive to
my computer, a message is displayed telling me that I need to load drivers. What should I
do?
A.
Windows 98/98SE does not natively support “plug and play” USB. For your USB flash drive
to work, you will need to install the drivers found on the CD-ROM that came with the flash
drive (if any). You can also download the drivers from the MediCapture web site at:
www.medicapture.com/support.htm.
3. No DLL File, DLL File Missing, or Not Found Error When Wizard Starts
Q. When trying to start the MediCapture Image Transfer Wizard (mcwiz.exe) on my Windows
2000, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME, or Windows NT operating system, it will not
start and a “No DLL File,” “DLL File Missing,” or “DLL File Not Found” error is displayed.
A.
A DLL error will be displayed if your Microsoft operating system either does not have the
proper Microsoft Visual Basic System files installed, or the files are outdated. Although
these files are already installed on almost all Windows-based computers, for various
reasons they may be missing or outdated on some computers. To avoid Visual Basic DLL
errors, you can install the latest version of the Visual Basic System Files which are
available for downloading from Microsoft. support at www.microsoft.com.
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MediCapture Image Transfer Wizard
4. Runtime Error When Wizard Starts
Q. When trying to start the MediCapture Image Transfer Wizard (mcwiz.exe) on my Windows
2000, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME, or Windows NT operating system, it will not
start and a “Runtime Error” is displayed.
A.
A runtime error will be displayed if your Microsoft operating system either does not have the
proper Microsoft Visual Basic System files installed, or the files are outdated. Although
these files are already installed on almost all Windows-based computers, for various
reasons they may be missing or outdated on some computers. To avoid runtime errors, you
can install the latest version of the Visual Basic System Files which are available for
downloading from Microsoft support at www.microsoft.com.
5. Runtime Error When Saving Images with the Wizard
Q. The MediCapture Image Transfer Wizard is working fine. However, when I try to save an
image, an error message is displayed such as “Runtime Error 26001: Failed to save to JPG
[or BMP].”
A.
Certain characters are not allowed in file and folder names used in the Windows operating
system. Do not use these invalid characters in the “name group of images” field or in the
name of the folder where the images will be saved. If you use an invalid character, a
runtime error will result.
If you are using Windows XP, do not use the following characters when naming groups of
images or folders because they are invalid in Windows XP:
\/
:
*
?
"
<>
|
Slashes
Semicolon
Asterisk
Question mark
Quotes
Less than, Greater than
Vertical line
If you are using an earlier version of Windows (for example, Windows 2000), do not use the
following characters when naming groups of images or folders because they are invalid in
earlier versions of Windows:
\/
,.:;
*
?
"
<>
|
[]
=
+
Slashes
Comma, Period, Colon, Semicolon
Asterisk
Question mark
Quotes
Less than, Greater than
Vertical line
Brackets
Equal sign
Plus sign
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MediCapture Image Transfer Wizard
6. Other Errors When Trying to Use the Wizard
Q. The previous questions address various error conditions when trying to use the wizard. I’ve
applied the recommended solutions, but I’m still getting errors when I try to transfer images
from my flash drive to my computer. What should I do?
A.
If errors are being displayed on your computer when you access your MediCapture flash
drive, the drive may have become corrupted. You may need to reformat your flash drive.
Important! Reformatting your flash drive will delete all files on the drive. Before
reformatting the drive, be sure to copy any files on it onto your hard drive.
To reformat your flash drive, browse to it and RIGHT click on it. From the pop-up menu,
select Format. In the Format window, select FAT as the file system. Do not select FAT32.
Click the Start button and the drive will be reformatted. When the formatting is complete,
the drive will be ready to capture more images.
Note: To avoid corrupting your flash drive in the future, be sure to leave it connected to
your MediCap image capture device while images are being saved to the flash drive (after
you press the green “Save to USB Memory” button). While the images are being saved, the
green light under the “Save” button will blink. Do not unplug the flash drive until this light
stops blinking, indicating that the save process is complete.
7. JPG, BMP, PCX, and DICOM Image Formats
Q. The MediCapture Image Transfer Wizard allows me to save images in several formats.
What are the pros and cons of using these various formats?
A.
JPG is the imaging industry’s most common format and is compatible with many third-party
imaging software packages. This format has the advantage of smaller file sizes because it
compresses the image information. The disadvantage is that the compression may result in
a slight reduction of image quality. The MEDICAP uses very little compression so you may
not notice any loss in image quality. In other words, JPG is an excellent format choice for
many users.
BMP is a format that does not use compression so there is no loss in image quality, but the
disadvantage is that the file sizes can be relatively large.
PCX is a format used by some specialized software packages. If you do not have a
particular reason to use this format, you should probably use one of the other formats.
DICOM is a format specially designed for the medical industry. It’s much like the JPG
format except that it also allows data to accompany the image (for example, patient name,
doctor name, etc.). Information and tutorials on DICOM can be found on the Web. The
DICOM options are only available in the Image Transfer Wizard when it is in “Doctor
Mode.” See the next question.
For more information on these formats, see the Appendix on page 15.
8. Cannot Locate the DICOM Image Options
Q. I want to use the DICOM image file format, but it is not showing under the Advanced
features of the Image Transfer Wizard. Why?
A.
The Image Transfer Wizard has two modes: User and Doctor. The DICOM image file
format is hidden in the User mode to reduce confusion for average users who are not
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MediCapture Image Transfer Wizard
familiar with the DICOM format. You can change the mode from User to Doctor at any time.
To do so, launch the Image Transfer Wizard (mcwiz.exe) and click the “Back” button at the
bottom of the opening window to display the Doctor/User window (page 4). Then select
“Doctor.” Once the wizard is in Doctor mode, it will display the DICOM image options.
9. Some Options are “Grayed Out” in the Advanced Options Window
Q. I want to enter the patient’s name and other information about the image in the Advanced
Options Window, but these options are “grayed out” (I can’t type in the fields). What should
I do?
A.
The patient’s name and other information about the image can only be entered when you
are using the DICOM image format (the format has a header in which the information is
stored). To make the Patient Name field and the other information fields available, select
one of the DICOM formats in the Image Format pull down list. But be aware that the
DICOM format is for advanced users who are familiar with this medical imaging standard. If
you create DICOM images, you will need a third-party DICOM viewer to view and manage
the images.
10. YUV Image Format
Q. There are files on my USB flash drive that have a YUV extension. What are these files?
A.
The YUV files are the raw image files that you have captured onto your flash drive. The
YUV format is used because it saves the exact image that is displayed on your monitor with
no loss of resolution. When you transfer the images from your flash drive to your computer
using the MediCapture Image Transfer Wizard, the images will automatically be converted
to the standard file format you select (for example, JPG).
11. My Imaging Software Does Not Recognize Images on My Flash Drive
Q. I use imaging software that is not MediCapture brand and it does not recognize any of the
images on my MediCapture USB flash drive. What should I do?
A.
Images on the MediCapture USB flash drive are in a raw video format (YUV) that is only
recognizable by the MediCapture Image Transfer Wizard. Use the wizard to preview the
images and transfer them to your computer. During the transfer, the images will be
converted to a format you select (for example, JPG). After the files have been converted to
the selected format, you can use your imaging software to view and edit them.
12. Unable To Open YUV file
Q. Why can’t I open a YUV file?
A.
YUV image files are not supported by typical image viewing programs. Use the
MediCapture Image Transfer Wizard (mcwiz.exe) located on the MediCapture USB flash
drive to preview the YUV images and transfer them to your computer. During the transfer,
the images will be converted to a standard file format of your choice. Once the files have
been transferred to your computer and converted to a standard file format, you will be able
to open them with common image viewing programs.
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MediCapture Image Transfer Wizard
13. Mcwiz.exe.manifest File
Q. I clicked on the mcwiz.exe.manifest file and nothing happens. What is this file and how do I
run the wizard?
A.
The mcwiz.exe.manifest file is not the wizard. It is a hidden system file that is required by
the wizard on some versions of Windows. To run the wizard, click on the mcwiz.exe file.
14. Image Quality
Q. Are there ways to improve the image quality of captured images?
A.
The MediCap captures exactly what your video source is taking a picture of – there is no
loss of resolution. In other words, the images captured by the MediCap can only be as
good as the pictures taken by your video camera (or other video source). If you are working
with moving images, your can reduce blur as described in the next question. Also various
third-party imaging software packages are available (such as Adobe Photoshop) that can
help you enhance captured images (this is one of the big advantages of working with digital
images rather than hard copy). For example, you can use imaging software to lighten or
darken the image, increase or decrease the contrast, etc.
15. Moving Objects Look Blurry
Q. Some of the images of moving objects that I captured with my MediCap are blurry; the
edges seem “jaggy.”
A.
You can reduce blurring of moving objects by using the “Show Fields” option in the
MediCapture Image Transfer Wizard (it’s in the Advanced Options window described on
pages 5 and 6). To reduce the blurring, select either First Field or Second Field, NOT Both
Fields. To check the results of your selection, click on the Preview button to display a fullscreen preview of the image. (See the next question for background on this issue.)
16. “Show Fields” Option
Q. In the Advanced options window (pages 5 and 6), there is an option called “Show Fields.”
What is this?
A.
The Show Fields option allows you to specify whether the Image Transfer Wizard will save
the First Field, Second Field, or Both Fields of each image. The selection you make can
affect how clear and sharp your images are for the reasons described here.
To understand what a video “field” is, it is first necessary to briefly review how a video
camera works. To record an image, a video camera scans a series of horizontal lines of the
image. The beam makes two passes to record one complete image (called a “frame”). On
the first pass, only every other line of the image is scanned (the lines in between are left
blank). Then on the second pass, the lines in between are filled in. Each pass is called a
“field.” Therefore, two fields make up a complete image.
The process of scanning fields on a video monitor happens so quickly that it is not
discernible to the naked eye. However, when an image is captured and “frozen,” the fact
that it is made up of two fields may become apparent, especially if a moving object is being
captured (for example, a beating heart).
If an object is moving fast enough, it will be in one position when the first field of an image
is scanned and will be in another position when the next field of the image is scanned.
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MediCapture Image Transfer Wizard
When the two fields are combined (the technical term is “interlaced”) to create the captured
image, the moving object will appear blurry or "jaggy" and the frozen image may flicker on
the monitor. This effect can also occur if the camera is moving and the object is still.
To help reduce the blurring caused by a moving object, you can select that only one of the
two fields that make up the image will be saved. The other field will be discarded. You
make this selection in the Show Fields option of the Advanced Options window (see pages
5 and 6). You can select that the “First Field” or “Second Field” be saved (there is usually
very little difference between the two) or you can select that “Both Fields” be saved.
Saving just one of the two fields that make up an image can help eliminate the blurry effect
from moving images, but it also decreases the resolution of the image since only half of the
data for the image is being saved. Therefore, it is recommended that you normally select
the “Both Fields” option. Save just one field only when it is necessary to eliminate a blurry
effect from movement.
17. No Images on the Flash Drive
Q. I captured images to my flash drive using the MediCap image capture device, but when I
insert the flash drive in my computer and try to use the wizard to transfer the images to my
computer, the wizard cannot find any images on the flash drive. Where are the images?
A.
You may have forgotten to press the green “Save To USB Memory” button on the front
panel of the MediCap before removing the flash drive. When you capture images with the
MediCap, they are captured to an internal memory area (not the flash drive). The images
are only transferred from internal memory to the flash drive after you press the green “Save
To USB Memory” button.
Note: While images are being saved to the flash drive, the green light under the Save
button will blink. Do not remove the flash drive until this light has stopped blinking,
indicating that the save process is complete.
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MediCapture Image Transfer Wizard
Appendix A: Image Formats
The following sections describe the different types of image formats available in the wizard.
Some of this information is highly technical and is provided for advanced users. Do not be
concerned if you do not understand all of this information. Simply use a common image format
such as JPG.
YUV (Raw) Format
The MediCap captures images in YUV format, also referred to as a “raw image format.” This is a
lossless format that can be converted into 24-bit RGB color (or less), progressive or interlaced.
YUV images are stored at the highest possible resolution for “studio quality video” as defined by
the ITU-601 standard (excluding HDTV). In this resolution, there are 720 pixels per active video
line. The number of lines in each fully interlaced image frame is 525 for NTSC and 625 for PAL.
YUV images use a raw image file format, meaning that it saves the video image pixel by pixel in
each frame. Using this format allows image archive technicians to clean up images that contain
fast movement prior to archiving by selecting a single field from the captured frame. YUV
images are not natively supported in Windows operating systems and require the MediCapture
Image Transfer Wizard for previewing and converting to other supported formats.
BMP Format
The BMP (bitmap) image format is an uncompressed “pixelmap” format that corresponds bit-forbit with the image displayed on the computer monitor. This format is widely used by Windowsbased imaging software.
A bitmap is characterized by the width and height of the image in pixels and the number of bits
per pixel, which determines the number of shades of colors it can represent. A bitmap
representing a colored image will usually contain pixels with one to eight bits for each of the red,
green, and blue components, though other color encodings are also used.
BMP images typically have larger file sizes than JPG images.
The Image Transfer Wizard creates color BMP images with a file size of approximately 1.4MB.
JPG (JPEG) Format
The JPG image format (also referred to as JPEG) is the most widely used image format on
Windows-based computers. It uses a highly efficient compression algorithm.
JPG images typically have smaller file sizes than BMP images. Since JPG images are
compressed, the images are slightly degraded from their original content. In many cases, the
benefits of reduced files sizes outweigh the slight decrease in image quality.
The Image Transfer Wizard creates color JPG images with a file size of approximately 80KB.
PCX Format
The PCX image format uses a type of image compression which was supported by early
versions of Windows Paintbrush.
The PCX format is widely used by third-party electronic medical record software. The format
supports high-quality images with file sizes that are typically smaller than the BMP format.
The Image Transfer Wizard creates PCX images with a file size of approximately 1MB color or
400KB grayscale.
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MediCapture Image Transfer Wizard
DCM (DICOM) Format
The DCM (DICOM) image format was created for use by the medical industry. DICOM stands
for Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine. This format allows patient and other
information to be stored in the image file header which can be retrieved by third-party DICOM
image viewing software. The following types of information can be saved in the DICOM image
header: modality of the equipment used to capture the image; institution in which the image was
produced; attending physician; patient’s name, ID, age, and sex; initial diagnosis of ailment; and
other image comments.
The DCM format is most commonly used in radiology applications.
The Image Transfer Wizard creates DCM images with a file size of approximately 400KB
standard or 1.2MB True Color.
Appendix B: System Requirements
MediCapture USB flash drives require the Windows operating system and support for a USB
connection.
MediCapture USB flash drives are supported on the following versions of Windows: Windows
XP (all versions), Windows 2000 (all versions), Windows ME.
MediCapture USB flash drives are also supported on Windows 98/98SE, but require that you
install drivers which are available in the Support section of the MediCapture web site at
www.medicapture.com.
The MediCapture Image Transfer Wizard is not currently supported on the Mac or Linux
operating systems.
Additional minimum system requirements:
•
128MB RAM
•
600MHz processor
•
1GB free space on hard drive
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