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Issue #50: July 6, 2008

Q: My daughter & family are moving to Hawaii, therefore my wife wants me to install a web cam so we don’t miss the grand kids growing up.  I was wondering if you would school me up on the basics of web cams (like if both parties have to have the same IP or messenger service) and what features to look for in a web cam.  Or even a suggestion on brand or model that would be a good fit for my system.

– Rick P.
Fort Walton Beach, FL

A: What you’re looking for is not a web cam, although many people call them that, including many of the companies who manufacturer them.  A web cam is a constant or scheduled video feed to a site on the WWW, such as the new one they just installed on Okaloosa Island, which you can view here: http://tinyurl.com/6gxvlo.  What you want is video teleconferencing, also known as “video chatting.”  This is a great idea for people who are separated by distance, yet want to remain close.  When I was still in the Air Force, I spent a year in Korea, and Spouse Peripheral (Girlfriend Peripheral at the time) and I were early adopters of the technology, so we saw each other quite often.  We actually did a Christmas gift opening “together” when we were over 8,000 miles distant.  Ah, technology!  In our time, video chatting was rather low quality and somewhat unstable, but it has come a long way since then.  Once you’re properly equipped, you should be able to share many happy memories with your daughter’s family via the internet. 

The basics are simple:  First, you need a video source.  The most common type nowadays is the simple plug-in USB camera, available from a wide variety of manufacturers.  They are universally compatible with PCs, and usually sit right on top of your monitor.  You’ll also need a microphone and speakers if you’re doing audio.  Some cameras even have a mic built-in.  Other nice-to-have features are face tracking, automatic brightness, backlight controls, and echo reduction.  None of these features are absolutely necessary, but they can really enhance the quality of your chat experience.  Just remember, more features equals higher cost and more complicated setup, so balance your budget and technical prowess against your desire for quality.  You’ll need teleconferencing software or a web chat service that includes video ability.  These are commonly and often freely available online.  Finally, you’ll need a cable or DSL connection to the internet.  Don’t try this on dial-up – you will not be happy with the results, and may actually give up on the technology out of frustration.  There is no need for you and your daughter to have the same brand of webcam, or even to be on the same IP.  However, you do need to be running the same software or service.

If you’re a regular reader of this column, you know that since I’m not a paid endorser, I don’t recommend individual products.  However, you can perform your own Google searches for things like “video chat software” or, see if there’s any advertising in the package your camera comes in. 

By the way, you might want to consider upgrading your computer.  The specs you sent me for your current system indicate one bordering on obsolescence.  If you’re going to stick it out with your existing system, you at least need a RAM upgrade.


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