Affordable, easy to use, and downright fun, today's web cameras are changing the way people communicate over the Internet. Web cams are tiny cameras that can perch on top of your monitor and capture video and still pictures, saving them directly to your computer's hard drive. Here's how you can turn a web cam into a powerful tool for your home or office.
Quick installation guide
If you're worried that you may not be up to the technical challenges of installing a web cam, don't despair. The most popular web cams today feature easy USB plug-n-play functionality, and all it will take is a few simple steps to get your own web cam up and running.
- Read the directions that accompany your camera for any specific instructions.
- Insert the disk that came with your camera into your computer. This should install software and drivers automatically. You may need to restart your computer when the installation program is complete.
- Plug the camera into a free USB port. Your computer should detect the web cam as new hardware and lead you through the completion of the installation process.
- If your camera does not come with a microphone, you will need to plug an external one into your computer's sound card if you want to use sound.
- Using the software that came with the camera, check to see if it is working locally. If it's not working, uninstall the camera and start over.
A picture is worth a thousand words
Whether you use your web cam for business or to keep in touch with friends and family, you'll quickly discover how much more you can say when you have a picture to complement your words. More direct and immediate than text communication, using a web cam can help you stay close.
Send video e-mail
Record accompanying audio along with your video, adding your own music or commentary to your message, and send it in an e-mail message. With some web cam software, you can send a video clip or still image as e-mail directly from the program you use to record the pictures. The recipient should be able to view it with one of the multimedia programs that come preloaded on most computers.
Enhance your presentations
Video clips or stills can beef up your business presentations, making them more interesting and effective. With video recorded by your web cam you can do the following.
- Include messages from key personnel not in attendance.
- Give potential customers a remote tour of your plant or office.
- Play a video product demonstration for customers.
Stills and clips recorded with your web cam can be played within many presentation software packages, including Microsoft® PowerPoint.
Make your web pages stand out
Custom images can make your web site stand out from the pack. By uploading still images taken with your web camera, you can personalize your web pages with photographs that are uniquely yours.
Live web cam feeds have become commonplace on the Internet, streaming live video of everything from traffic conditions to activity inside ant farms. Whether you intend to provide a service to others or merely to amuse yourself, the possibilities are endless and include the following.
- Stream live weather conditions from where you live.
- Keep tabs on your home.
- Show the daily progress of a project.
Setting up a live web cam is not difficult. Once you decide where to place your camera (make sure it's legal), you'll need to download and install the software that allows you to use your camera as a live web cam. You'll have to set up your computer to dial your Internet service provider on request if you're running your live web cam over a modem.
Use your web cam for video conferencing
Video conferencing enables you to conduct real-time meetings with personnel at remote locations. Since video conferencing allows for the exchange of visual as well as audio information, it often eliminates the need for face-to-face meetings, saving you travel expenses, time, and fatigue.
Most video web cams support the industry standards for desktop Internet protocol video conferencing. With your web cam, computer, and video conferencing software, such as Microsoft NetMeeting, you can videoconference activities such as meetings, presentations, performances, and more.
Microsoft® is either a registered trademark or trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
|
Printable version
