Purchased webcam, it sucks >:(

[SagaLore]

I bought this creative labs live ultra webcam yesterday. It was comparable to the Logitech brand I was looking at, and was supposed to be a mid-quality model. 640x480 at 30fps, 4x zoom...

I tried it out this morning and the resolution is HORRIBLE. Did I buy a lemon? Is the only way I'm giong to get good quality is dish out $300?

 

[Alex]

in my experience 640x480 isn't all that bad... personally i'd always go with logitech thought!

the reviews on the amazon webpage generally say its high quality! so what were you expecting exactly?

 

[AnonymouseUser]

It's amazing how little webcams have improved over the years, but funboy42 has a suggestion.

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: franguinho
in my experience 640x480 isn't all that bad... personally i'd always go with logitech thought!

the reviews on the amazon webpage generally say its high quality! so what were you expecting exactly?

I was expecting image quality like a highly compressed jpeg. Instead, I'm seeing something you'd expect from old 8bit bitmaps with emphasis on fuzziness.

 

[RichUK]

Doh .. nm

 

[Zolty]

Originally posted by: SagaLore

Originally posted by: franguinho
in my experience 640x480 isn't all that bad... personally i'd always go with logitech thought!

the reviews on the amazon webpage generally say its high quality! so what were you expecting exactly?

I was expecting image quality like a highly compressed jpeg. Instead, I'm seeing something you'd expect from old 8bit bitmaps with emphasis on fuzziness.

Is there a manual focus ( I know their lower end ones have this)

 

[Kelnoen]

Originally posted by: SagaLore

Originally posted by: franguinho
in my experience 640x480 isn't all that bad... personally i'd always go with logitech thought!

the reviews on the amazon webpage generally say its high quality! so what were you expecting exactly?

I was expecting image quality like a highly compressed jpeg. Instead, I'm seeing something you'd expect from old 8bit bitmaps with emphasis on fuzziness.

IMO opinion you'll never really get usable quality without switching from CMOS or standard CCD to SONY CCD.

Can you get SONY CCD webcams?
Gimme a nice HD1 CCD, yummy!!

 

[walkur]

I bought a ?60 logitech webcam a couple of months ago, thought it was a nice webcam.
Last week my parents bought a noname rebranded budget webcam from a budget store and asked me if I could install it...

After a we minutes of getting everything to work I saw the image and was thinking to myself "Serves them right for buying this p.o.s. webcam":evil:

Then I notices that you have to manually focus the camera...:shocked:

Checking at the budget store the next day it turned out they were all sold out, and would not expect another shipment anytime soon

*sigh*

 

[loic2003]

Originally posted by: walkur
I bought a ?60 logitech webcam a couple of months ago, thought it was a nice webcam.
Last week my parents bought a noname rebranded budget webcam from a budget store and asked me if I could install it...

After a we minutes of getting everything to work I saw the image and was thinking to myself "Serves them right for buying this p.o.s. webcam":evil:

Then I notices that you have to manually focus the camera...:shocked:

Checking at the budget store the next day it turned out they were all sold out, and would not expect another shipment anytime soon

*sigh*

Could this be the issue, OP?

 

[arcas]

640x480x24bpp @ 30fps = 27MB/sec uncompressed
1024x768x24bpp @ 30fps = 70MB/sec uncompressed

Now, most webcams do some sort of onboard image compression so there's not really that much data going over USB but that's the rate at which the data would have to come off the sensor. One of the darker secrets of the webcam industry is that a lot of webcams that claim to support > 640x480@30fps are really only interpolating (ie. upconverting) the extra pixels.

BTW, the best webcam I've seen/used is the Philips TouCam 7xx/8xx series. These are based on real CCDs instead of CMOS sensors so the image quality is pretty good. They're still only 640x480 (the windows drivers will interpolate to higher resolution but...well...)

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: loic2003

Originally posted by: walkur
Then I notices that you have to manually focus the camera...:shocked:

Could this be the issue, OP?

Maybe.

 

[Goosemaster]

DV camera + wicked encoding

 

[SagaLore]

If I returned this thing, what would you suggest I buy? I want good quality resolution. I want to be able to teleconference with my family.

 

[marvdmartian]

While webcam resolution seems really crappy (and it is!!), consider too the fact that (at least on a fast connection) you're streaming video onto the internet, that someone 12K miles away can enjoy. Still, after this many years, I'm sorta surprised no one's come up with at least 2MP quality on a webcam. I mean, I remember close to 8 or 10 years ago, when digital cameras were this sort of quality, and look where they've gone now.......why don't webcams enjoy that sort of increase in quality??

 

[loic2003]

Originally posted by: SagaLore
If I returned this thing, what would you suggest I buy? I want good quality resolution. I want to be able to teleconference with my family.

See, I bought a very similar model of cam to yours, mine doesn't have the shiny lens surround, but looks identical otherwise. I'm very happy with camera, but these things often need good lighting to work properly. If there's too little or too much light, it looks porr, but that's probably because it doesn't have a moving 'iris' to compensate for changing lighting and it all has to be done by software (changin exposure, etc). When the lighting is the right level and from the right direction (no bright light right behind me) then the image is sweet.

 

[funboy6942]

Originally posted by: AnonymouseUser
It's amazing how little webcams have improved over the years, but funboy42 has a suggestion.

Funny you brought this up because I was going to. Been using it ever since I made the thread and it smokes all comeras I have ever had and when I tell people (family members) it a ps2 webcam for $11 bucks new they cant believe it.

Best, cheap, way to go IMO without a cheap picture.

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: funboy42

Originally posted by: AnonymouseUser
It's amazing how little webcams have improved over the years, but funboy42 has a suggestion.

Funny you brought this up because I was going to. Been using it ever since I made the thread and it smokes all comeras I have ever had and when I tell people (family members) it a ps2 webcam for $11 bucks new they cant believe it.

Best, cheap, way to go IMO without a cheap picture.

So I can get this and use it on my computer?

 

[de8212]

Not trying to hijack but does anyone know of a good webcam that can stream wirelessly over the network? Plugged into a wall is fine but I want it in a room where there is no pc.

 

[intogamer]

Dude use your digital camera as a webcam

or get a cheap 2.1 camera

 

[Chaotic42]

I've got to ask because I'm curious, what is it that you guys do with webcams? I've never understood the point.

 

[funboy6942]

Originally posted by: SagaLore

Originally posted by: funboy42

Originally posted by: AnonymouseUser
It's amazing how little webcams have improved over the years, but funboy42 has a suggestion.

Funny you brought this up because I was going to. Been using it ever since I made the thread and it smokes all comeras I have ever had and when I tell people (family members) it a ps2 webcam for $11 bucks new they cant believe it.

Best, cheap, way to go IMO without a cheap picture.

So I can get this and use it on my computer?

Thats the one I use with the driver in the thread I made, so yes and you can see the diff with the pics I took. I also used to have a $100+ orbit MP camera too that the sony spanks. Hard to believe it but it is true. I have since sold the Quick cam and the orbit and bought 2 sony ps2 cameras for $22 and pocketed all the rest from the sale of the two cameras.

Originally posted by: Chaotic42
I've got to ask because I'm curious, what is it that you guys do with webcams? I've never understood the point.

For us it keeps us in contact with family out of state. Why pay for a phone call when we can see and talk to each other on the connection I already pay for without having to pay extra?

 

[Eli]

lol.. haven't done much camming eh? I bet it's better than most out there.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: Chaotic42
I've got to ask because I'm curious, what is it that you guys do with webcams? I've never understood the point.

pssst...

Women have webcams too.

 

[Steve]

I just bought a used Eye Toy (black) off eBay for $16 shipped. yay! My first webcam. Thanks to all for the info.

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: Chaotic42
I've got to ask because I'm curious, what is it that you guys do with webcams? I've never understood the point.

pssst...

Naked Women have webcams too.