- PC cameras or webcams are compact cameras that you can attach to your computer. A webcam is just like a digital camera. The only difference is that a webcam makes compact digital photos that can be easily uploaded and sent across the Internet. You can either use a webcam through e-mail or with instant messaging programs such as Windows Live Messenger, Gtalk, Skype and Yahoo! Messenger.
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A webcam has a small lens at the front that enables it to capture light with the help of small light detectors called charge-coupled devices (CCD). The picture taken by the camera is converted into digital format by the CCD. A web cam takes pictures and immediately transfers them onto the computer, as it does not have a built-in memory.
A webcam is connected with the computer with a USB cable. This USB cable provides the camera with power and takes back digital information stored by the CCD of the webcam to the computer. The camera takes still images every 15 to 20 seconds. The images are converted to JPG file and are sent to a Web server. The size of an image taken by a webcam is one-tenth the size of an image taken by a digital camera. The small size of image allows faster transfer to the internet. The images captured by a PC camera are of low resolution; they are grainier, blurred and more pixilated. -
If you want to email video, you have to first load the software that comes with your PC camera onto the PC. To begin recording the video message, press start or record. Press stop and preview your video. Then click on e-mail or send and your default e-mail program will automatically open up. You can now e-mail your video message. The recipient of your message does not need to have a software installed onto their PC to view your video message; they just need to open the attachment to view your video.
To chat using instant messaging PC cameras can be used to chat with instant messaging programs like Skype, Gtalk, Windows instant messenger, Yahoo messenger and msn messenger. Both the parties need a webcam in order to chat visually. To start the live chat, click on the tab that says Start a video chat. Click on the call button to make the call to any of the contacts on your list.
