Index: lams_flash/src/central/flex/VideoRecorder/src/HTTPServices.as
===================================================================
diff -u -rf0bef7d11b4f82936c417e6e55c25fe9bfdb9a82 -r9ee810b8edea430b976c741c310b4d7e030c560e
--- lams_flash/src/central/flex/VideoRecorder/src/HTTPServices.as	(.../HTTPServices.as)	(revision f0bef7d11b4f82936c417e6e55c25fe9bfdb9a82)
+++ lams_flash/src/central/flex/VideoRecorder/src/HTTPServices.as	(.../HTTPServices.as)	(revision 9ee810b8edea430b976c741c310b4d7e030c560e)
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@
 	videoRecorderActions.request.description = description;
 	videoRecorderActions.request.filename = filename;
 	
-	if(!allowUseCamera && allowUseVoice)
+	if((!allowUseCamera && allowUseVoice) || (mic && !cam))
 		videoRecorderActions.request.isJustSound = true;
 	else
 		videoRecorderActions.request.isJustSound = false;
Index: lams_flash/src/central/flex/VideoRecorder/src/VideoRecorder.mxml
===================================================================
diff -u -rf0bef7d11b4f82936c417e6e55c25fe9bfdb9a82 -r9ee810b8edea430b976c741c310b4d7e030c560e
--- lams_flash/src/central/flex/VideoRecorder/src/VideoRecorder.mxml	(.../VideoRecorder.mxml)	(revision f0bef7d11b4f82936c417e6e55c25fe9bfdb9a82)
+++ lams_flash/src/central/flex/VideoRecorder/src/VideoRecorder.mxml	(.../VideoRecorder.mxml)	(revision 9ee810b8edea430b976c741c310b4d7e030c560e)
@@ -164,16 +164,29 @@
 				if(allowUseCamera && cam){
 					videoDisplay.attachCamera(cam);
 				}
-				// else remove the view camera button
-				else{
-					recordingButtonBox.removeChild(recordingButtonBox.getChildByName("viewCameraButton"));
+				// if not allowed to record and no cam available or if just no cam available
+				else if((!allowUseCamera && !cam) || !cam){
+					// remove view camera amd show an alert
+					recordingButtonBox.removeChild(recordingButtonBox.getChildByName("viewCameraButton"));	
+					Alert.show(dictionary.getLabel("videorecorder.camera.not.available"));
+	
 				}
+				// just not allowed to record
+				else if(!allowUseCamera){
+					recordingButtonBox.removeChild(recordingButtonBox.getChildByName("viewCameraButton"));	
+				}
 				
 				// if the mic is to be used, set that up
 				mic = VideoDisplayUtil.setupMic();
 				if(allowUseVoice && mic){
 					videoDisplay.attachMic(mic);
 				}
+				// if no mic detected
+				else if(!mic){
+					// pop an alert
+					Alert.show(dictionary.getLabel("videorecorder.mic.not.available"));
+	
+				}
 				
 				// if neither mic or camera are to be used
 				if((!allowUseCamera && !allowUseVoice) || (!cam && !mic)){
Index: lams_flash/src/central/flex/VideoRecorderFCKEditor/src/VideoRecorderFCKEditor.mxml
===================================================================
diff -u -rf0bef7d11b4f82936c417e6e55c25fe9bfdb9a82 -r9ee810b8edea430b976c741c310b4d7e030c560e
--- lams_flash/src/central/flex/VideoRecorderFCKEditor/src/VideoRecorderFCKEditor.mxml	(.../VideoRecorderFCKEditor.mxml)	(revision f0bef7d11b4f82936c417e6e55c25fe9bfdb9a82)
+++ lams_flash/src/central/flex/VideoRecorderFCKEditor/src/VideoRecorderFCKEditor.mxml	(.../VideoRecorderFCKEditor.mxml)	(revision 9ee810b8edea430b976c741c310b4d7e030c560e)
@@ -170,17 +170,27 @@
 							setWebcamInfo(true);
 						}
 						
+						// set up camera
 						cam = VideoDisplayUtil.setupCamera();
-						mic = VideoDisplayUtil.setupMic();
-						
+
 						if(cam){
 							videoDisplay.attachCamera(cam);
 						}
-
+						else{
+							Alert.show(dictionary.getLabel("videorecorder.camera.not.available"));
+						}
+						
+						// set up mic
+						mic = VideoDisplayUtil.setupMic();
+						
 						if(mic){
 							videoDisplay.attachMic(mic);
 						}
+						else{
+							Alert.show(dictionary.getLabel("videorecorder.mic.not.available"));
+						}
 						
+						// don't allow recording if neither cam nor mic is enabled
 						if(!mic && !cam){
 							videoControlBar.recordButton.enabled = false;
 						}
@@ -202,17 +212,27 @@
 							setWebcamInfo(true);
 						}
 						
+						// set up camera
 						cam = VideoDisplayUtil.setupCamera();
-						mic = VideoDisplayUtil.setupMic();
-						
+
 						if(cam){
 							videoDisplay.attachCamera(cam);
 						}
-
+						else{
+							Alert.show(dictionary.getLabel("videorecorder.camera.not.available"));
+						}
+						
+						// set up mic
+						mic = VideoDisplayUtil.setupMic();
+						
 						if(mic){
 							videoDisplay.attachMic(mic);
 						}
-						
+						else{
+							Alert.show(dictionary.getLabel("videorecorder.mic.not.available"));
+						}
+
+						// don't allow recording if neither cam nor mic is enabled
 						if(!mic && !cam){
 							videoControlBar.recordButton.enabled = false;
 						}
Index: lams_flash/src/common/flex/org/lamsfoundation/lams/common/util/VideoDisplayUtil.as
===================================================================
diff -u -r61df3f3f473a3619f93c63ceb879ae36438020e8 -r9ee810b8edea430b976c741c310b4d7e030c560e
--- lams_flash/src/common/flex/org/lamsfoundation/lams/common/util/VideoDisplayUtil.as	(.../VideoDisplayUtil.as)	(revision 61df3f3f473a3619f93c63ceb879ae36438020e8)
+++ lams_flash/src/common/flex/org/lamsfoundation/lams/common/util/VideoDisplayUtil.as	(.../VideoDisplayUtil.as)	(revision 9ee810b8edea430b976c741c310b4d7e030c560e)
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 	import flash.media.Camera;
 	import flash.media.Microphone;
 	
+	import mx.controls.Alert;
+	
 	public class VideoDisplayUtil
 	{
 		public function VideoDisplayUtil() {}
@@ -57,29 +59,40 @@
 
 		// gets a camera and sets it up
 		public static function setupCamera():Camera {
-			// get cam
-			var cam:Camera = new Camera;
-			cam = Camera.getCamera();
+			var cam:Camera;
+			
+			// if a camera exists
+			if(Camera.names.length != 0){
+				// get the camera
+				cam = Camera.getCamera();
 				
-			// setting dimensions and framerate
-			var iFps:int = cam.fps;
-			cam.setMode (320, 240, iFps);
+				// setting dimensions and framerate
+				var iFps:int = cam.fps;
+				cam.setMode (320, 240, iFps);
+				
+				// set to minimum of 90% quality
+				cam.setQuality(0, 90);
+			}
+			else{
+				// no camera was detected, return null
+			}
 			
-			// set to minimum of 90% quality
-			cam.setQuality(0, 90);
-			
 			return cam;
 		}
 			
 		// sets up mic
 		public static function setupMic():Microphone{
-			// get mic
-			var mic:Microphone = new Microphone();
-			mic = Microphone.getMicrophone();
-				
-			// setup rate
-			mic.rate = 44;
+			var mic:Microphone;
 			
+			// if a microphone exists
+			if(Microphone.names.length != 0){
+				// get mic
+				mic = Microphone.getMicrophone();
+
+				// setup rate
+				mic.rate = 44;		
+			}
+
 			return mic;
 		}