Webcam, MS Messenger and CPU load

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.webcam (More info?)

All,

I'm going to try setting up MS Messenger to do video calls to my in-laws
across the pond. Presumably the webcam itself adds some CPU load to my PC
so are any particular webcams better than others in this respect?

Paul DS.

--
Please remove the "x-" if replying to sender.

 

[kim]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.webcam (More info?)

Paul D.Smith wrote:
> All,
>
> I'm going to try setting up MS Messenger to do video calls to my in-laws
> across the pond. Presumably the webcam itself adds some CPU load to my PC
> so are any particular webcams better than others in this respect?
>
> Paul DS.
>
Which cam you choose won't make any diffrence. What will though, is the
size/quality of the images you are sending. If I remember correctly MS
Messenger doesn't give you much choice as to size though...max is
320x240 I think.
If you don't already have the cam, I would suggest going to the shop and
having a look at various cams working so you can get the best quality
image as cams vary wildly in their quality. If you are sending/receiving
both video and audio, it is better if you are both on a broadband
connection also.

Kim

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.webcam (More info?)

"kim" <relique_50@yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
news:424a9950@dnews.tpgi.com.au...
> Paul D.Smith wrote:
> > All,
> >
> > I'm going to try setting up MS Messenger to do video calls to my in-laws
> > across the pond. Presumably the webcam itself adds some CPU load to my
PC
> > so are any particular webcams better than others in this respect?
> >
> > Paul DS.
> >
> Which cam you choose won't make any diffrence. What will though, is the
> size/quality of the images you are sending. If I remember correctly MS
> Messenger doesn't give you much choice as to size though...max is
> 320x240 I think.
> If you don't already have the cam, I would suggest going to the shop and
> having a look at various cams working so you can get the best quality
> image as cams vary wildly in their quality. If you are sending/receiving
> both video and audio, it is better if you are both on a broadband
> connection also.
>
> Kim

We will both have broadband. I hate to think what the quality would be like
over dial-up ;-).

As to possible load, I was really wondering whether there was the same sort
of issue as with ye olde "Windows modems" which were nasty Windows 95/98
modems that relied on the processor doing a lot of work, as opposed to
"real" modems which had dedicated hardware.

Someone has to convert the video into something suitable for transmission.
I wondered whether with USB modems there is a basic "grab the frame" from
the camera and then the processor has to convert into something for
transmission whereas with, say, a PCI card and camera, this might not be
pushed off to the card, sparing the processor from this arduous task.

I will go and take a look in the shops but frankly the UK shops are poor and
staffed by people who might, on a good day, be able to tell a Mac from a PC!

Paul DS

 

[dylan]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.webcam (More info?)

"Paul D.Smith" <paul_d_smith@x-hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:424aa7bd$0$297$ed9e5944@reading.news.pipex.net...
> "kim" <relique_50@yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
> news:424a9950@dnews.tpgi.com.au...
>> Paul D.Smith wrote:
>> > All,
>> >
>> > I'm going to try setting up MS Messenger to do video calls to my
>> > in-laws
>> > across the pond. Presumably the webcam itself adds some CPU load to my
> PC
>> > so are any particular webcams better than others in this respect?
>> >
>> > Paul DS.
>> >
>> Which cam you choose won't make any diffrence. What will though, is the
>> size/quality of the images you are sending. If I remember correctly MS
>> Messenger doesn't give you much choice as to size though...max is
>> 320x240 I think.
>> If you don't already have the cam, I would suggest going to the shop and
>> having a look at various cams working so you can get the best quality
>> image as cams vary wildly in their quality. If you are sending/receiving
>> both video and audio, it is better if you are both on a broadband
>> connection also.
>>
>> Kim
>
> We will both have broadband. I hate to think what the quality would be
> like
> over dial-up ;-).
>
> As to possible load, I was really wondering whether there was the same
> sort
> of issue as with ye olde "Windows modems" which were nasty Windows 95/98
> modems that relied on the processor doing a lot of work, as opposed to
> "real" modems which had dedicated hardware.
>
> Someone has to convert the video into something suitable for transmission.
> I wondered whether with USB modems there is a basic "grab the frame" from
> the camera and then the processor has to convert into something for
> transmission whereas with, say, a PCI card and camera, this might not be
> pushed off to the card, sparing the processor from this arduous task.
>
> I will go and take a look in the shops but frankly the UK shops are poor
> and
> staffed by people who might, on a good day, be able to tell a Mac from a
> PC!
>
> Paul DS
>
>

For best quality pictures, which you may not need for video conf, take a
look at the Philips Toucam pro 2 (840K) about £60 in PCWorld etc or for
smaller image stuff the cheaper creatives / logitechs should meet the
requirements at 320 x 240. Also give yahoo messenger a try against the MS.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.webcam (More info?)

[snip]
>
> For best quality pictures, which you may not need for video conf, take a
> look at the Philips Toucam pro 2 (840K) about £60 in PCWorld etc or for
> smaller image stuff the cheaper creatives / logitechs should meet the
> requirements at 320 x 240. Also give yahoo messenger a try against the MS.
>
Umm. The yahoo specs look tempting since they support both Macs (my in-laws
have Macs) and up to 30fps video, albeit a small picture.

Paul DS

 

[dylan]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.webcam (More info?)

> As for your shop assistants...they sound like they are related to quite a
> few of the ones here in Australia!!!

They probably are, we promise not to send anymore, unless they are willing
;o)

Regards yahoo messenger we use it regularly in a group with NZ, Caribbean,
UK, Newfoundland. Tends to slow down a bit with more than one camera but
some users are on dial up. Used it from OZ on dial up when I was there and
we had 4 cameras on and it stayed stable for a good while.