The fun of Web cams
A Web cam is a simple digital camera that attaches to your computer. With the right software and an Internet connection, you can use it to send video or still pictures to the world. With a microphone as well as a Web cam, you can send sound too, allowing you to have a face-to-face video chat with a friend on the other side of the world. Alternatively, you can use a Web cam to broadcast “live” video or publish regularly updated images on your personal Web site.

And as an Internet user, you can find many sites broadcasting all sorts of different things using Web cams. In fact, people were making fly-on-the-wall video broadcasts on the Web long before Big Brother and other reality TV shows were even thought of.

What Web cams can do?
The uses of a Web cam are only limited by your imagination. You can use one to:

 - Video conference (or chat) with relatives and friends across the road or across the world. Of course, they will need to have a Web cam, microphone and the same chat software as you.
 - Send a still image to your Web site every few minutes. This is the most common use of Web cams these days, as it works on all Internet connections and it is not as obtrusive as other broadcasts. To do this you will need some HTML knowledge on how to add an image and also how to make a page refresh automatically in order to update your image. Check out HTML Goodies to learn how to do this.
 - Set up your own security system using motion detection software. Any motion detected will be photographed and emailed to you at work or uploaded to a Web site for you to look at later. See an example at www.geocities.com/osz/rob2/wanted.htm 
 - Broadcast your own Internet television show. To do this you need a high-speed broadband connection and

Fun sites
Check out these local Web cam images:
www.enzed.com/cam.html
www.webcamnewzealand.orcon.net.nz/newzealandwebcams.html
Snow and surf cams

There are several brands of Web cams available, and you should check out as many as possible before buying. However, currently two companies dominate the Web cam market: Creative Labs and Logitech.

Both companies make quality Web cams, but the software packages provided with the cameras are very different. The standard software with all Logitech Web cams allows you to perform most Web cam functions from one easy-to-use program, but it also limits what you can do.

Many people buy a Web cam for broadcasting from their personal site. Unfortunately to do this with the software provided by Logitech, you need to use a subscription service that allows you to have your Web cam image or live broadcast on a site. If you don’t want to pay this extra monthly fee and still want your images displayed on your own site, then you will still need to pay extra. You’ll have to purchase alternative software like Webcam32. It is unfortunate that Logitech has done this because either way, you’ll be hit with an extra fee.

On the other hand, Creative’s software allows you to upload images to any Web site you want. Creative also includes motion detection software for home security and several other programs, although these vary between models.

Web cam resolutions
When shopping for a Web cam, one of the key specifications to look for is its resolution. This simply refers to image size as measured in pixels – the thousands of tiny dots that make up any electronically produced image.

A higher resolution image has more pixels than a lower resolution image. This means you can display the image at a larger physical size. Alternatively, you can display the image at a similar physical size but with a greater density of pixels, improving the quality of the image. Either way, it’s generally desirable to have a camera, monitor or other visual device capable of displaying as many pixels as possible.

Most Web cams have a maximum image resolution of 640 by 480 pixels, referring to the width and height of the image. That’s a total of around 300,000 pixels, which is not good by digital camera standards, but it’s fine for most Internet uses.

In fact, you shouldn’t use really high-resolution images on the Internet. They take too long to download and, with video, result in slow, jerky clips.

For this reason, dial-up Internet users often use a low resolution when video conferencing with a Web cam. It’s also the reason why video clips on the Web often are provided in two sizes: One very low resolution for dial-up Internet users, and one higher resolution for broadband users.

However, the quality of images produced by Web cams depends on a number of factors, including the quality of the lens and other components, as well as the camera’s pixel capacity.

Interesting facts and Useful tips

The first Web cam
In the early days of the Internet, staff and students working late at the University of Cambridge’s computer lab set up the world’s first Internet Web cam for practical reasons. They went through a lot of coffee to keep them awake during the night. For some staff, the coffee pot was out of visual sight from them, being up a flight or two of stairs, so someone devised a way they could see when the coffee boiled – by putting a camera in front of it and broadcasting it onto everyone’s computer screen. It was such a novelty, the site ended up becoming visited by thousands of people over an eight-year period. It was switched off in August 2001. You can see the last image on what was the coffee pot site (www.cl.cam.ac.uk/tmp/xvcoffee.jpeg).

Is your Web cam on?
If you have a broadband connection and you leave the computer on constantly, it’s probably a good idea to make sure the camera is off when you are finished with it. Consider covering the lens with a small cloth when you are done. This will help reduce the chances of showing the world something you don’t wish to. Some Web cams even come with a lens cap to help you out.

Setting up your Web cam
Connecting your Web cam is a breeze. Most Web cams connect by a standard USB connection, or occasionally FireWire, meaning you simply plug the included cable into the back of your computer, then follow the installation instructions that come with the camera.

One thing to remember about Web cams is that not all come with a microphone built in. In this case, if you want to talk to people using video conferencing, you will need to purchase one separately.

Useful tips for using Web cams
Most Web cams are designed for use indoors only. Full sunlight results in images that are very washed out.
Don’t forget to focus your camera. And if you change what your camera is pointed at, you’ll need to refocus. Unlike digital cameras, Web cams are yet to come with autofocus.
If you want to add some extra interactivity to your Web cam, you can get a pan and tilt base for it, allowing people who visit your site to control where your camera is pointing. See www.trackerpod.com for more.
If you are getting a Web cam for your laptop, be sure to test it first as some older notebooks don’t put out enough power through their USB ports to run the camera.
How to set up a video conference
The easiest way to start video conferencing with your family and friends is to download the free MSN Messenger. You can download the latest version from messenger.xtramsn.co.nz. Apart from your Web cam, you’ll also need a microphone. Some Web cams come with a microphone as part of the package.

The person at the other end will also need to download and install the program, as well as have a Web cam and microphone installed. You will both need to sign up to the MSN Messenger service, and this can be done by simply registering a Hotmail account.

Once you are both signed up, open MSN Messenger and click the “Add Contact” link at the bottom of the window. Follow the prompts and enter each other’s Hotmail email address.

When you see your friend on the list in the window above, simply right click on their name and select “Start a Web Cam Conversation”. If this is the first time you have done this, a wizard will start and configure your camera, microphone and sound card. Make sure you read the instructions and the directions. Once this is done you will be able to talk to your friend and see them at the same time.