Buying a second-hand Kinect is a cheap option to get a 3D scanning capable device. Though it is not designed specifically for that purpose it can, using the right application, create a 3D model of an object, a room or a person.
I’ve tried several times to install the XBOX 360 Kinect to my Windows PC with no success, but finally, I’ve made it work.
There is a Windows version of Kinect. It costs about 155€ and I guess it is easier to install on a PC, but I had no intention to expend that money while there are second-hand units for about 20€. A friend of mine bought one for 6€!
What do you need to connect the Xbox device to Windows? You need an adapter that you can order to Amazon and it costs only 12€.
The converter just feeds with some extra current to our Xbox Kinect and also adapts the Xbox plug to a standard USB 3.0.
There are no more hardware requirements. All you need is to install the software to make it work, and at that point is where I got in troubles.
If you read the available tutorials on the web, the first step is installing Kinect for Windows SDK and after that connecting your Kinect to any USB 3.0 port. The device should be autodetected and de Kinect devices (camera, audio, and motor) will be shown on the Windows Device Manager.
Instead of that, what I got after installing was this:
If this is also your case and you installed the latest version of Kinect for Windows SDK (version 2.0), try the following:
- Unplug the Kinect from the USB 3.0 port
- Remove the version 2.0 software (It is advisable though I didn’t remove it from my computer)
- Install the previous version of Kinect for Windows SDK (version 1.8):
- You can find it at the Microsoft Site
- or you can download it from here if it is not available there.
- Plug the Kinect again in
- The correct drivers will be now installed
What todo do after that?
- Try installing Kinect for Windows SDK Toolkit. It contains a lot of utilities and POCs to show the capabilities of Kinect technology for Windows.
- Scan an object or even yourself to make a 3D printing
- Skanect is a very good choice, but the free version only allows exporting a limited number of polygons. Nonetheless, the result is at least curious and you can recognize yourself though you print it using Blue Sky PLA)
Skanect Scanner - Reconstructme is also a good option, though is less straight and I think it is more focussed on making a virtual color model of the object.
Reconstructme while Scanning
- Skanect is a very good choice, but the free version only allows exporting a limited number of polygons. Nonetheless, the result is at least curious and you can recognize yourself though you print it using Blue Sky PLA)
Both Recostructme and Skannect will allow you to export a .obj or .stl file and then you can post-process it with the application of your election.
Wow, so easy!! thank your very much for this nice explanation, i read so much about the struggles with kinectV1 in WIN10, and now it simply works!
Thank you so much this worked a treat on my windows 10
Thank you for commenting Chris.
Can i install SDK 2.0 in windows 10?
It didn’t work for me.
Thank you. thanks and thanks , really help me.
I’m really glad to hear that.
Thanks for comment.
Thanks so much!!!
😉 Thank you for commenting!!
Were you able to get the Kinect also running within Skype on Windows 10? For me only the Microphone is available but not the cam…
I have both (personal & enterprise) Skype versions installed on my PC.
this! this… i can’t get the camera to work no matter what i try… help
Sorry, I don’t know how can I help you.
Regards
Same here.
same
I tried last time no access to kinect. Sdk 1.8 ll be nice with usb 2.0 l hope. Thank u.
Hi, were you also able to use the Kinect within Skype on Windows 10? If so, can you explain how you did it? Thanks in advance!
I have both (personal & enterprise) Skype versions installed on my PC.
Sorry for the double post above, I didn’t see that you have to accept the comment I created.
Were you able to use the Camera within Skype (personal & enterprise)? If so, were there any additional configurations needed from your side? What Windows 10 version do you have installed? 1909?
Don’t worry about the double post.
Though I have Skype (both versions) intstalled on my PC I have never used any camera (webcam or Xbox on) within it.
Sorry, I can’t tell you if it works or not.
I’m having an issue. I downloaded the 1.8 Driver and connected the X BOX 360 Kinect Unit (with the two adapter boxes I got with it), but when I see the drivers in Device Manager, I only see one (“Kinect for Windows Device,” not the other (Camera, Security Control and Audio Array).
I must be missing something. When I open the Skanect App, or any other ap, it just doesn’t sense the camera. It’s just like the Computer isn’t recognizing the camera. Any input is appreciated. Thank you.
Until you get the right driver installed probably you will not be able to make it work.
Try to uninstall (and reboot your machine after each software removal) the previous drivers (the latest one)
and how can i use the kinect for discord skype or others apps like this ??
I can’t help you on that. Sorry.
Mine seems to be working as a microphone. I can’t get it to record using it’s camera in anyway. Is it possible to work in like meetings or just as a camera.
That worked Great! Thank You
Thanks for commenting John.
Regards
First I downloaded the 1.8 driver then I deleted all the kinect drivers in my download folder, now when i try to re download it doesn’t work. I’ve tried many things and many times but every time it doesn’t work. Any ideas
The setup process is instant and never work
:/
Thank you very much.
It worked fine until the Windows 10 2004 update. Now it doesn’t and I need it to work.
Can you please help me?
I read that it could be possible with this, but I cannot install it. https://s3.amazonaws.com/com.occipital.skanect/SensorKinect093-Bin-Win64-v5.1.2.1.msi
Please help. Thank you.
Thank you very much!
Thanks for commenting Tiago.
I keep getting there’s an error and I can not find anyone to help me – it won’t load past the screen before the stick figure comes up. Idk what’s going on but I need help please
I understand your point of view, but English is the most spreaded language. I could write in Spanish, my native language, but probably only a few readers understand Spanish.
There are excellent translation services available.
BTW, thanks for commenting 🙂
run the color basics program in the toolkit and screen cap that window. this is very round about way to accomplish your goal but it works well for me.
After following this and many guides and STILL not able to get Kinect 360 working for Windows 10, here is what I ended up doing:
Following this guide, I still kept ending up with the XBOX NUI drivers under USB drivers, instead of the ones in this guide under Kinect for Windows. What you MUST do is open control panel, right click each of the XBOX NUI drivers, as well as ‘Audios’, and MAKE SURE YOU CHECK THE BOX THAT SAYS DELETE THESE FROM COMPUTER. Then, unplugging and replugging in the Kinect will activate the proper Kinect for Windows drivers to install instead.
What was happening is the basic default drivers Windows 10 wants to install are the useless XBOX NUI/USB kinect drivers, which prevent the drivers from the SDK download from auto installing when the Kinect is connect to your computer. Even simply deleting them doesn’t solve this, which is why its SUPER IMPORTANT to check the box that says remove these from computer.
After following your instructions. all I get when I do the replugin for the usb is xbox nui motor. the light on the xbox 360 kinect still wont come on.
On my old windows 7 computer with the USB 1 ports at least it lights up the camera as its suppose to.
Just cannot get this newer Win10 computer to recognize it
this solved my problem!!! THANK YOU!! 😀
Thank you so much! Now I can use my Kinect with Windows10, Thanks!
THANK YOU so much for this. I had stumbled my way through most of the process on my own (X360 Kinect), though I could never figure out why I couldn’t get ReconstructMe to recognize the Kinect. Turns out I needed both the Kinect sdk AND the developer toolkit installed, and voila, I’m able to scan myself with this ol’ 360 kinect.
Thank you for commenting. I’m glad to hear that!!!
This is very neat! I’ve been looking for something to do with the old Kinect, thanks for figuring this out and posting! Super helpful!
Hi! Please with this- I have Xbox 360 Kinect E console (model 1538). Is the model equivalent to kinect v1? And, if yes or/and if does not, will this tutorial work with the model? Im just starting with this, i’d be a great help.
Thank you in advance.
i mean…. IT would be a great help… if you could clarify this for me hehe. Thank you!
Incase anyone is asking the same question. The tutorial works like a charm with the model stated in the comment 😀 Also, I’m wins10.
Thank you for the tutorial!
Wanted to try scanning some things for 3d Printing stumbled onto this post and had my old kinect running on my win 10 PC in no time.
Thank you for the time and effort.
Have had great luck with getting it to install, and use with the Developer Tools, but no luck getting it to work as a webcam. However, you can use OBS Studio to work around this. Install OBS Studio and these two plugins: OBS-VirtualCam plugin (Creates a virtual camera for other software to use OBS output), and SirLynix/obs-kinect from Github (allows you to choose your Kinect 360 as a direct input). You can also use a Window Capture as an option in OBS if you want to use some of the developer tools/features.
Run OBS, create a new source -> KinectSource, and set your source to display full screen. Once that is done, click ‘Start Virtual camera’. In your meeting software, choose ‘OBS Virtual Camera’ as your camera and Robert’s your mother’s brother.
LOTS of YouTube guides on setting up OBS and using it as a virtual camera, and at least a couple on setting up a Kinect 360 with it.
same
hey. I want to use kinect 360 on my notebook (I’ve windows 11 on it ). I installed sdk version 1.8 +tool kits version 1.8 and kinect run time.
my device recognizes all of the drivers but can’t install kinect for windows camera correctly.
this is the device status:
(Windows cannot load the device driver for this hardware. The driver may be corrupted or missing. (Code 39)
{Bad Image}
%hs is either not designed to run on Windows or it contains an error. Try installing the program again using the original installation media or contact your system administrator or the software vendor for support. Error status 0x)
can you help me with it?
It still did not work for me!
when opening device manager all I’m getting is Kinect sensor devices and underneath the only one detected is the WDF KinectSensor Interface 0.
This is very different from what it shows for you when you access device manager.
I am not sure what the problem is but I’m using a windows 10 and I have downloaded SDK v1.8 according to instructions.