Bulbs & Fittings Ideas

I am right now on the internet looking for information that will help me use this webcam to communicate with friends and relatives who live elsewhere.

The camera comes with a CD, and a very thin instruction booklet neither of which tells you anything about the actual usage of the camera to ‘videoconference’.

The book basically says to download the contents of the CD. The CD basically says ‘best of luck to you’. You’re on your own if you buy this webcam.

I wrote to the manufacturer for assistance, and also to the vendor. Both have spent the last week or so ignoring me. If I get it figured out maybe I’ll come back and fill in the blanks here for the next poor soul who comes looking for help.

I gave it three stars out of 5 when my initial inclination was to give it one since I can’t make it work. But, to be fair it actually does work so I can’t really do that. When I plugged it in a small screen appeared, and because the camera was aimed in my direction there I was on my computer screen looking back at me.

Now that is all well and good, but that screen was apparently for me to make a video email to send out. I have no interest in doing that, and there are no instructions for how to do that anyway. I guess I could muddle through and figure that out, but I bought the thing, as I’ve already said, for the purpose of videoconferencing with others.

If I get a rainy day I’ll sit down and play with it, and I will eventually figure things out. But right now I don’t have time for that. Plus, why should I have to do that?

The webcam may get 3 stars, but I can’t give Compaq any at all, and that’s a darn shame. Think twice before you go for this product.

This camera doesn’t work with AOL IM v.5.9 on Windows XP. Since AIM is the only Windows IM that communicates with iChat, you won’t be able to contact your Mac OS X using buddies if you buy this camera.

The cam does work with MSN Instant Messenger (tested with v7.5 on WinXP).

Don’t expect to be able to move around (e.g dance on the spot 🙂 while using this camera; the sensor is quite slow and you’ll be a blur if you even wave your head from side to side.

OTOH, it’s a lot cheaper than some other cameras!