The Links....(I do not always have these turned on)
(Back to my home page)
Cam 1: My PC Monitor -
Actually shows what I am seeing on it. (To show recorded video
clips at times)
Cam 2: Outside view -
showing front yard (24x7 cam) ** Should always be on **
Cam 3: My living room -
recliner/couch (kitchen background)
Cam 4: Forty-Two Feet
Cam - Who knows where it is (various locations), using all of the
42 foot range
Cam 5: My living room -
at PC or looking elsewhere
All my web cams
You can hold down the shift key and press the web cam link to
open it in another window.
Why do I have web cams? This is a question I get from my friends.
I have web cams because I can, I like to mess around with
computer technology, I like the challenge of setting up 4 cams on
2 computers and have them running at the same time, I like to use
the bandwidth in my cable modem since I am paying for it, and it
is something to do, maybe I can meet some people from around the
world. It is great for keeping in touch with distant friends and
family...
Notes on the type of web cams I have:
Cam 1: Video Card/Camcorder. Either my live PC activity, or a
video file I recorded from my camcorder to a mp2 DVD type file.
This is a Sony Handycam Vision (CCD-TRV815). It is basically a
camcorder (video camera). It is connected to my ATI All-In-Wonder
128 AGP 32MB video card with a S-video cable or RCA video cables
if I need a longer cord. This setup gives me the clearest
picture, auto focussing, nitescope (for sleepwalk cam..lol), and
remote control zoom in/out. However, I have to be in record mode
when it is on. So I have to change out the 8mm tape when it gets
to the end or rewind, etc.. Need a loop tape if they make one. If
I leave this Camarades cam up and running for an extended period
of time (4+ hours), then it will lockup the program and my pc
when I try to shut it down. This is on my PC in my living room.
Cam 2: This is a Kensington Video Cam (67014) 400x300 resolution.
It is set at 352x288 for Camarades though. This cam is pretty
good for the price. It has good colors. The pic is pretty clear.
It adjusts well to the light source available. I leave it on all
night and it is viewable with street light as light source. It
does require you to run the Kensington Video Cam Works program to
use it in other applications like Camarades. This could eat away
at your memory and performance. However, I also use that Cam
Works software to take pics for security purposes on a timed
interval, which works even while Camarades is running. If there
is a lot of movement, then the pic can get blury while it
focusses in. Other than that is is good.
This USB cam is connected to a 6 foot USB extension cable, then
to a D-Link USB 4 port hub which handles another USB cam (4). On
PC in my computer room.
Cam 3: This is a Kensington Video Cam VGA (67015) 640x480
resolution. It is the next model up from the one above. Same
thing goes for it as above. You need Cam Works running, etc. It
has a clearer picture than the one above. It only costs about $20
more than the other. I would recommend it. If there is a lot of
movement, then the pic can get blury while it focusses in. Other
than that is is good.
This USB cam is connected to two 6 foot USB extension cables,
then to a USB port on the PC. On PC in my living room.
Cam 4: This is a Creative Video Blaster Web Cam 3. This was the
first cam I bought. Then I figured out I could use my Cam 1 setup
in the process of getting this cam working. It is a decent cam.
Not quite as clear as the Kensington cams. About the same price
as the Kensington VGA above. This cam does not require a program
to be run, just the cam drivers are used. You can use it for
security, it has its own program, but you can't do that when
Camarades is running. I could not use it at all at night (like
Cam 2), it had problems with low light, even when the settings
were selected for it. It would be an ok web cam for regular use.
It captures the TV's picture just fine though, which the
Kensington cams have trouble doing.
This USB cam is connected to three 10 foot USB extension cables,
plus a 6 foot USB extension cable, then to a D-Link USB 4 port
hub which handles another USB cam (2). On PC in my computer room.
Cam 5: This is a Intel PC Camera Pack. It can support 640 x 480
resolution. This is an excellent cam. I would suggest that you
get one if you are interested in a cam. The picture is very clear.
I can leave it running for extended periods of time (40+ hours)
without it affecting my pc and Camarades has no problems with it.
I haven't used it to capture pictures specifically, but it should
function just fine as the video streaming is just series of pics
and that is clear. I have heard of another Intel model that
allows video input into it as well, which would be good for
someone who wants to import video camera pictures to their pc.
So, I am sure that model is as good or better than this one for
picture clearity. I can get video inputs to my video card, so I
did not need that additional functionality. For Christmas one
year, I bought my brother's family the Intel web cam/digital
camera combo. This is a camera that you can use like a true
digital camera and take pictures anywhere. You then hook it up to
the PC with the USB connector to upload the images. When it is
hooked up to the PC, you can use it as a web cam. So far they
think it is ok. It should be just fine. All of the Intel products
seem to share the same video technology, but some have more bells
and whistles than others.
This USB cam is connected to a Belkin USB 4 port hub which
handles a USB mouse and USB printer (which is mostly turned off).
On PC in my living room.
Here are cams that I tried and took back because they were not to
my liking:
IBM cam - the real inexpensive one. did not work with Camarades
at all and the pic was yellowish.
There was also an EZonics cam that was also pretty week. low
quality.
Logitech QuickCam Express - for the normal low end model, this
was not what you would want. It was not sharp in streaming mode.
There was a lot of missing pixels. The color was kind of pink on
occasion. I would not recommend it.
