Any windows webcam as good as the iMac one?

[slackerinabox]

My dad has a top of the line pc webcam (logitech, I believe) and the video quality's atrocious compared to the cam built into my iMac. I tried his cam locally so I know it's not the network.

What's a windows webcam with the best IQ? When my wife chats with her mac owning family on iChat it feels like a totally high quality experience (that's modern) while skype to skype with my dad feels antique

 

[T_Yamamoto]

might be the monitor

 

[Slugbait]

Not sure how well it is these days, but a year or so ago Skype only supported HD cams that you bought directly thru Skype, and there were, like, three. The options have increased, you can check them at http://shop.skype.com/webcams/. Other cameras not listed may be supported for HD on Skype, but not sure. For MS cameras, I think you still need to use WLM for HD for the time being.

Another thing I believe is a consideration is the other person's camera: I think Skype uses lowest-common-denominator, so if the other person ain't rocking a compatible HD cam while you do, both will send/receive in SD.