Hey, It was a good price.
Written: Mar 07 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: fun, easy to install, VERY versatile, extra software to send to friends/family
Cons: slow 'net connection means slow VC, the games have little value.
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| Brood_McEto's Full Review: Intel PC Camera Pack |
I had been wanting a PC cam for some time. Just wanted one, had no specific use for it. One day, not too long after Christmas, I was shopping in Wal Mart. I found the Intel PC Camera Pack on a shelf almost out of my reach. I stretched a little, and pulled it down. I took it to the counter, and got a price check. $59.88. Great, I'd just put my gift card to it and knock the price down $25.
I was thoroughly pleased with my purchase. For less than $40 I bought a camera with some of the highest frame rates on the market. It was EXTREMELY easy to install. Pop the CD in, *pow* it loaded. Plugged the USB cable into the USB port on my computer and *pow* I'm looking at myself.
This camera is great. Although the still pics it takes aren't great (72dpi), they are still usable. Recording live video is a little choppy, but better than other brands I've seen. Lighting is a must. You must have good lighting in the area of the camera, or you'll look strange, or you won't be seen at all. Fluorescent light tends to 'bleach' the picture. Incandescent doesn't always give you enough light. Toying with light settings will help with getting a better pic.
It has a knob on the top of the camera. I assumed it adjusted the shutter or something. I never read instructions. I played with it a little and found out that it would focus on different distances. Handy when doing a close up of your favorite Star Wars action figure. It also can focus on quite a distance, handy when recording your brother sleeping on the couch with his mouth wide open.
I've had a lot of fun with this camera. The games that came with it were fun for a bit, but they have no real replay value. Shoop! is fun for a bit, but eventually you get tired of 'slapping' the ball towards the hoop.
I've only done video conferencing once. It was interesting. Of course, faster connections would prove better video. It was still fine. I was able to understand what people were saying, and able to see just about everything that was happening. I wasn't really impressed with video conferencing. It may be good if you're talking to someone you've never seen, or haven't seen in a long time. I found myself trying to do things and show things with the camera. The camera is great, I'm just not thrilled with the concept of video conferencing.
Who should get this? Everyone! Grandparents, parents, kids, grandkids, uncles, aunts, you name it, and they should get it. The neat thing about this package is that it comes with 'share' software. You buy the camera, load the software, and send the other disk to whoever you want. Just put a stamp on it and mail it. Now, they can see you and hear you. If they have a mic you can hear them. If they have a camera, you can see each other. It doesn't have to be an Intel camera. Just a camera. Nice touch, Intel.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
Brood_McEto
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Location: San Marcos, TX, USA
Reviews written: 45
Trusted by: 14 members
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