Web Cam

[Tara S]

Hi,

Absolute technophobe here. I'm thinking about adding a webcam to my computer. Any recommendations (brand etc...)?

tara s

 

[incognito989]

I use a logitech:
http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/products/productlist/US/EN,CRID=20

You can usually pick up one cheap even at walmart or something - doesn't have to be the newest, best thing. I have an original 'quickcam' that works and does exactly what's needed. Got it for around $30 at the time, IIRC.

Get a USB one though, provided your pc has the ports. The other, older types, are harder to setup and use.

 

[cyberski]

Hi,

Absolute technophobe here. I'm thinking about adding a webcam to my computer. Any recommendations (brand etc...)?

tara s

Logitechs are probably the most popular and most avaliable brands since they are avaliable at all of the more common Office Max, Office Depot, Best Buy, Staples stores, etc.....
They have a very decent "quickcam messenger" that starts around $50 that's an ok cam, and then one that's about $80 that has zoom which is a really nice cam, and then there's the one I most recently upgraded to, the Quickcam pro 4000. It's price starts at about $100, but as with any of these, you keep an eye out for the sales, and combine the rebates and all, and like with mine, I only payed $70 and it was shipped free, and it's a very nice cam.

 

[Tara S]

Thanks for the quick reply guys!

I do have those USB ports, so I'll make sure I look for that connection type.

tara s

 

[SnoopDog]

Thanks for the quick reply guys!

I do have those USB ports, so I'll make sure I look for that connection type.

tara s

And we all know what you want to do with it.
Have fun,

Snoopy, woof-woof

 

[Tara S]

And we all know what you want to do with it.
Have fun,

Snoopy, woof-woof

 

[incognito989]

And we all know what you want to do with it....

You mean there's something else that can be done with them?

 

[SnoopDog]

You mean there's something else that can be done with them?

I guess there are one or two options

Snoopy

 

[Tara S]

Actually, I'm more interested in strictly g rated video chatting with my friends around the world. I don't think I'd have the nerve to abandon by anonymity to show my skinny self on a site such as this

 

[SnoopDog]

Actually, I'm more interested in strictly g rated video chatting with my friends around the world. I don't think I'd have the nerve to abandon by anonymity to show my skinny self on a site such as this

That's what I meant

Snoopy, always having second thoughts

 

[Tara S]

Ahhhh......

 

[I'm Wild Cherry]

My first thought was...

"My, my... How nice it is of her to want to show her Grandmother how nice the new scarf looks."

I can't believe you guys would think anything else!

 

[Tara S]

I'm hoping to save a bit on my long distance phone bill as well - after all a picture is worth a 1000 words.

 

[incognito989]

I'm hoping to save a bit on my long distance phone bill as well - after all a picture is worth a 1000 words.

Offtopic, but...

If you have a broadband connection you can get a *great* deal with vonage:
http://www.vonage.com/

$34.95 for unlimited long distance within the us, and super cheap international rates. Probably work better for you if you're trying to cut phone costs. If your internet connection is fast enough, you can do the webcam stuff at the same time too.

 

[Tara S]

Offtopic, but...

If you have a broadband connection you can get a *great* deal with vonage:
http://www.vonage.com/

$34.95 for unlimited long distance within the us, and super cheap international rates. Probably work better for you if you're trying to cut phone costs. If your internet connection is fast enough, you can do the webcam stuff at the same time too.

Thanks for this site - I'll look into it. Though cutting phone costs is always good - most of the people out of town I want to communicate with - we do already through the computer, not so much the phone at all.

Do you use Vonage - does it come through clearly?

 

[incognito989]

Do you use Vonage - does it come through clearly?

I don't use vonage directly, though it is something that I was looking into as a business expense. As it is, I'm likely moving to a 100% cellphone use system with my nextel.

But I have read a lot about it from very satisfied customers, and talked to a couple folks that use it. Sounded just like a regular phone to me. It's said that it soulds 'like a cell phone' but without the cutouts that you can/do get due to loss of reception (since that's not possible in this situation).

The big cable companies are also trying to get into the business of selling 'voice over ip' as it's called, to basically take over the market from the telephone co's. So it's only going to get more pervasive and used in the future.

 

[Tara S]

I passed the vonage link onto one of my friends who is pretty interested in lowering her phone bill - her boyfriend is going to school on the other side of the country - so I'll see what it's like if she gets it hooked up, which I'm certain she will.

Been googling "web cam" etc since I first posted. Seems like the logic-tech is the way to go. I also found quite the large number of cam chat type sites. Are any of these any good? Just say, for example, in a moment of weakness I should stray into more recreational uses of the cam - is there a best site to go and chat?

 

[incognito989]

Been googling "web cam" etc since I first posted. Seems like the logic-tech is the way to go. I also found quite the large number of cam chat type sites. Are any of these any good? Just say, for example, in a moment of weakness I should stray into more recreational uses of the cam - is there a best site to go and chat?

We like moments of weakness here

I've always been partial to yahoo chats, though they're sometimes inane... the software's pretty decent.

 

[Tara S]

I think its free as well - some of the other ones I've clicked on seem to want you to buy a membership - which has its advantages and disadvantages.

 

[incognito989]

Yeah, I'd be careful with some of the pay-for ones. Never know what they're about until too late usually.

But yeah, yahoo is the big one, I think. MSN has it too, I'm pretty sure. There's other software out there to do it but not so much as a service, but rather something others'd have to load on their pc's and contact you directly with too. Depends on how 'intimate' you wanna get, I guess

 

[Tara S]

Depends on how 'intimate' you wanna get, I guess

You never know... Especially after a couple of margaritas on a Friday night...

 

[redfunguy]

cant go wrong with a logitech
thats what i use and even my old modle gives great pictures

think of it this way...
Logitech started out making Mice and Webcams

Sony started out making audio equipment
HP makes printers
Intel makes computer chips
Kodak makes film

Those brands are good names but i would use thier webcams


check out http://www.cnet.com and look at the reviews before you buy

 

[cyberski]

Here's a few coupon codes to save ya some bucks:
$20 off $75 or more purchase @ Office Depot.com online orders only, but free shipping if it's over $50, so ya can't beat that.
Coupon Code #1: 050092227
Coupon Code #2: 67805035
Coupon Code #3: 46451455

 

[Tara S]

Here's a few coupon codes to save ya some bucks:
$20 off $75 or more purchase @ Office Depot.com online orders only, but free shipping if it's over $50, so ya can't beat that.
Coupon Code #1: 050092227
Coupon Code #2: 67805035
Coupon Code #3: 46451455

Gee thanks

 

[cyberski]

Gee thanks

Welcome
<~~~~Never pays full price for anything computer related if he can help it