Using a Webcam for Videos and Chatting

In the early days of the Internet, people were awed at the ability to communicate with others through the chat rooms and instant messages with the speed and efficiency of a phone call. Today it's become second nature to us, and the next step in technology has arrived: webcams. Setting up a webcam can be as simple as snapping an external eye to your laptop, or as complicated as turning your living room into a virtual studio. It all depends on what you want to accomplish.

I usually advise people who want to set up a webcam to get a digital camera and attach it to their computer via a USB port. The software, not the video receiver, is what makes a webcam what it is; the software would take a digital picture at an interval you dictate and upload it to your computer. For many people, however, a digital camera really isn't an option; in this case, a traditional "electronic eye" system works just as well, although it isn't as flexible as a digital camera (a traditional webcam is usually fixed to a point on the monitor or laptop, while a digital camera can be set up anywhere at any angle.)

Do you plan on streaming video? Make sure the webcam setup you've chosen can handle a high frame rate-how many pictures the webcam transfers per second. Fifteen fps (frames per second) is the accepted minimum, but the more the better, up to around 30 fps. Obviously this facilitates the need for high speed internet access. Dial-up is simply too slow and won't be able to keep up with the webcam's frame rate. The webcam software will send the frames to your computer via your internet access through one of a variety of methods, the easiest and most common of which is to convert each frame into a compressed file (called a JPG) and send it to a web server with a protocol known as File Transfer Protocol, or FTP. With FTP you can insert a JPG into a web page and show your images to the online world.

For those without a website or server, you aren't forsaken; you can always send "vid-mail" (a video in the form of email) with your webcam. Just start the webcam program on your computer and record the video you want to send. When you're done, go back and preview the footage to make sure it plays the way you want. There should be a button somewhere in your webcam software that allows you to embed the video in question into an email; when you find it, click on it to open your default email program. Keep in mind that time translates into size on the computer, and the longer your video is, the larger your file size will be-even compressed. If the recipient of your video has a slow connection, a larger file may be too much for them to handle. They don't need any special program to see your video, just a movie player. Most computers will have a default movie and media player that came bundled with the operating system, so that shouldn't be a problem. When the recipient clicks on your email, the video should open and start playing automatically.

Some folks, particularly teenagers, have another use for the webcam, a use that probably made it as popular as it is today: using videos to chat with others via instant messaging in real time. When your webcam is hooked up to the computer and you open an IM program, you should see an option to start the webcam on screen. If you don't see a button readily available, check under the "Tools" section. You should also be able to alter some of the webcam parameters through the instant messaging program, like volume, resolution and the screen's size. Unlike sending a video email, the person you're chatting with will need webcam software in order to speak to you. After all, how can they participate in a webcam chat if you can't see them?

If you're using a digital camera, you don't need to worry about staying in position; just place the camera back far enough that it captures your entire face without readjustment. A traditional webcam is a little trickier: because its position is fixed to the monitor, you need to adjust your own body position to accommodate it. (If you have a fancier electronic eye webcam that can pivot, disregard this.) Make sure you're looking at the camera lens and not the monitor if you want your fellow chatter to see you and not just your profile. A lot of people make the mistake of thinking it's the monitor that can "see" them, when it's actually the webcam. If your webcam doesn't have a built-in microphone, you may also want to invest in some audio recording software-unless your recipient can read lips.

A couple of final thoughts: remember that resolution isn't everything when it comes to webcams. Higher resolution means a slower frame rate, and that can easily disrupt any chat session; it's like a TV screen that freezes every five seconds. It's better to live with a lower resolution than endure a choppy conversation. Also, just as you use a webcam to upload videos to the internet, a resourceful hacker can easily tap into your connection and spy on you without you ever realizing it. Always use a password with your webcam software (one a hacker can't easily guess) and cover the lens when you aren't using it. Keep these things in mind and your webcam experience will be much easier.