Find the best price WebCam that meets your needs
With dozens of WebCam brands on the market and many more models to choose from, shopping for the best price Web Cam that meets your needs can be a frustrating experience. Just figuring out which model is appropriate, and then comparing WebCam prices to find the lowest price can be trying, especially when there are so many choices. Where do you even start?This guide is designed to help you eliminate much of the frustration by understanding what features are important in a WebCam. You will also learn how to compare Web Cam prices between the hundreds of online stores that carry them.
Why a WebCam?
Although there are countless uses for WebCams, these are a few of the more popular functions they serve:- Live video conferencing with co-workers or colleagues
- Record video clips to send to family and friends
- Chat with family or friends in real time
- Take digital photos without using an expensive digital camera
The features explained
Fortunately, there aren't an overwhelming number of features to consider when shopping for the best price WebCam. The features we think are important to consider include:
Video capture speed
Video capture speed is measured in the number of frames that are recorded each second. The more frames per second, the greater the image quality. Even the best price WebCams can record up to 30 frames per second, which will provide great picture quality.
Modem speed
WebCams take up a lot of bandwidth, so if your modem is not fast enough to accommodate the transfer of information, the picture may appear choppy or slow. Most of today's computers come equipped with at least a 56K modem, but even this will not enable the maximum performance of your WebCam. If optimal picture clarity is to be achieved, you will need a high speed connection like broadband or DSL.Still image resolution
Still image resolution is measured in both megapixels and by the ratio of both the horizontal and vertical pixels used to capture an image:Megapixels - the resolution of a picture is calculated by the number of dots or "pixels" that make up an image taken by your WebCam. The greater the number of megapixels, the better quality images your WebCam can take as described below:
1 MP: good for taking pictures for the Web (the best price WebCams are usually 1 MB)
2MP: good for taking 5x7 pictures
3MP: good for taking 8x10 pictures
4MP: good for taking 20x30 pictures
Still image resolution - measured as the number of horizontal and vertical pixels used to capture an image, the goal is to find a WebCam with the highest still image resolution as described below:
640 X 480: good for taking pictures for the Web (the best price WebCams are usually 640 X 480)
1024 X 768: good for taking 5x7 or 4x6 pictures
1600 X 1200: good for taking 8x10 pictures
Video image resolution
When judging video image resolution, keep in mind that today's WebCams are nowhere close to producing the same quality images as digital cameras or camcorders. As a result, the resolution should not be the primary focus of your search. Most of today's best price WebCams are in the 160 x 120 to 640 x 480 range. Keep in mind that the greater the image resolution the better the picture quality you can achieve.
Connectors
The connector is what plugs your WebCam into your computer. Nearly all of today's best price WebCams use a USB connector to plug into your computer. If you have a computer that does not support a USB drive, you will need to find a WebCam that includes a parallel or serial port connector.
Compatibility requirements
Make sure the WebCam supports your computer system. For example, if your system is running Windows 98 or Windows XP, you will need to make sure the WebCam lists these systems as supported.
