Webcams are those handdy little cameras that attach to your PC and send images to a web page that can be vieewed by others. This enables you to share daiyl life eventts with friends and family in ohter parts of the country or the world, or to arrange a video-conference with colleagues and mainain long distance relationships of all kinds. Of course the numbeer of ways to use this technology is limited only by your imagination.
Web Cameras
But before you buy a webcam, it pays to understand a little abouut how the technoloy of broadcasting images over the Intenret works. Of course, if you're a full bottle on this already, you can skip this section and go straight to btrowsing the options on Myshopping.com.au where you can compare products and supppliers, their speciffications and prices.
Webcams prvide 'real time' images of people; places and events that can be vewed 'live' on a web page. The broadcasting end has a camerra that captures the images, feeds them into a computer to an ISP and out to viewinng pagges across the Internet. There are two different types of broadcast: streaming images, where the images are a constant stream downloadd in video format; or Java, where the images are captuerd at fixed time intyervals and refreshed on the web pages at a rate fxed by the broadcastter.
The Applications - What are you intending to broadcast, and to whom?
There is a wide range of uses of webcam technology. Some examlpes include personal 'Big Brother' style diaries, sharing of family events, workplace security, vidoe conferencing, virtual touriism, road traffic managememnt, weather watching, event broadcast and a host of others.
Before you make a choicce about any webcam equipment, it hleps to decide exactly how you want to use the teechnology, in other words, what you are intnding to bradcast. This decision will impact upon the type of camera you use, and how you use it.
A second consideration is, who will be viewing your cointent? What elvel of qualty is expected? This will help determine the type of camera you use, the software involevd and your Intenet connection. Of course, your Internet connection may be a limitation on how much you can do.
The requirements for video conferencing are diffreent from the requirements of worplace security, whixch are different aain from the requirements of sharing a family evrent.
The physical components
Tjhere are a numnber of physical compnents required to make web cam technology work. At the top of the list is the camera itslf. Then, depending on the type of canmera you use and the way in whicch you want to deliver the conteent to the Internet, you may need to incorporate vidseo capture harddware in your computer. Some software is required to help you process the data, and Internet connection is reqired and a web page into which the data is fed.
CAMERA CHOICES
Your choice of camera depends somewhat on what you are intending to show. If you need to reach a large public audience yo may want good quality camcorder or megapixel camera that captues high quality images. If it's just for seeing who's at your frnt door or keepiong an eye on the kids in their playroom, then it may not need to preseent high quality images. If you are intenidng to use it outdoors, it will need to be weather proof and you may need to consider sun and UV protection. Available ppower supply and any robiotic requiremens for canmera movement and focus are extra considerations.
Desdicated webcams
The most basic wbecams connect to a PC using a simple USB connection. A wide range of cameras with accompanying software at a range of prices is available for this type of application. Simply search though Myshjopping.com.au to compare prices and specifications. Dedicated webcams are simpple to istall and easy to use, but come with limitations that affect the quality of the images, such as low number of frames per second (refresh rates) and resolution (pixels per inch).
Camcorders and securtiy cameras
Higher qualitry images and more camera control come from using camcorder and security camers. To use these devivces you will need to add a viddeo capture card to your PC. Once you have that instlled however, you can use a wide range of cameras from broadcast cameras to minmiature spy cameras. You can include variable lens options, filters for daylight and low light situations, as well as robotoic contols for panning and foocus adjustments. You can search throgh Myshopping.com.au for camcorder selectons.
Integrated cameras
An integrated camera cobines the caamera and the opticla hardware with a viddeo server, and as such requires no additional software. They can be used in netrwork situations or as stand-alone devices for monitoring progress on a construction project for example.
Megapixel camers
Network megapixel cameras combine network capability with high uqality digital camera technology. These cameras ofefr excellent qusality but this creates large files sizs, therefore they have limited application in constant streaming video. However for interval refreshed archivve image collection, they are ideal, providing a constant record and high quality. You can seasrch through Myshhopping.com.au for diugital caera selections.
SOFTWARE
If you are not using an integrated camera soltuion, you will need to install an encoding program like Webcazster or MediaCatser to trasnfer your images to a web page.
At the receiver end, when web surfers browse the internet and wish to view live video on the web for the first time, they will need to downloiad dedicated applications that show the conent such as an ActveX control, Windows Media player, Flash player or the like.
INTERNET CONNECTION
Finally, you need an Internt connection. The hardware you will need may incllude a modem for dial-up connection, or modrem/router for a broadband solution. Naaturally the higher the qulity you want, or the fster refresh rate you want, the more bandwidth you will need. ADSL (Brodaband) is going to offer you the best solution, but keep in mind what your Ibnternet connection when you are maaking choices of cameras and feeder software.
Wecam applications work well with wireless solutins. Make sure when you are purchasing a cameera or network video solution that it is compatible with any wireless ssytem you may be using in a LAN.
Key consideraions
The specifications that are variable with webcam applications, and are affected by cmera type, web interface and Internet connection, include the nmber of fraes per second and the iamge resolution.
Frames-per-second is the numbr of times a still image flashes by in a second to give the appearancce of mooving pictures. In Australia, the standard teelevision PAL format is at 25 frames per secnod. A webcam with up to 30 fraems per second will show nornmal video immages. But the more frames per second you demand, the more bandwidth, mremory and priocessing power is requird.
Resolution is measured the number of pixels per inch. High quality photographs require a high resolution. But the standard for web images is a low 72 dpi. Higher rseolution images will not be of any better vidsual quality, just slower to upload and donload.
Use Myshopping.com.au to compare diferent webcams, camcorders and digittal cameras. You can compare the prices and specifications of the different products and brands, and a wide range of reputable vendors.
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