Web video chatting?

[josh6079]

She is wanting a camera to talk to her daughter when she goes to school. She basically wants to have a live video conversation over the net. I don't know if she needs a microphone AND a web camera or if some cameras have microphones in them or something. What should I recommend her? She's not wanting anything fancy/expensive.

 

[JDMnAR1]

Yes, some web cameras do have integrated microphones. If she isn't wanting anything high-end, recommend the cheapest Logitech/Creative/etc that will work with the two systems involved. Make sure if either of them are running Vista that you get one that is compatible. You an often times pick up the Creative Labs WebCam Instant (or some similar low-end camera) for FAR or close to it, and that particular model does work with Vista.

 

[josh6079]

Thanks

 

[wwswimming]

i use a webcam in conjunction with a headset. the webcam has a microphone,
but it doesn't work right for 2-way conversations. i'm not sure if the term is
"feedback" ... it's working normally ... the sound gets garbled-static-y/ish.

for software, MSN Messenger. the friend i talk with asked me to load Skype.
we tried that, Messenger works better.

 

[TungFree]

costco has 2 webcams in a single package from Microsoft. a total of 60 dollars 30 each not bad.
radio shack has a mic and ear headset where the ears are a tiny bit bigger than a silver dolor and a stiff mic. that only pivots a tiny bit. the quality is excellent. feedback usually is from speakers where they hear your mic then the hear a delay echo on your speakers ( speakers into your mic then echo to them) so best to use earphones not speakers