OT: Webcam recommendations?

[Roger Mills]

My wife is doing a distance learning course, and her tutor wants to conduct tutorials via Skype rather than having face to face meetings, so I'm trying to set something up for her.

I've got Skype working - after a fashion - but the video quality which we are producing our end is pretty much crap. I already had a very low resolution webcam which worked, but not very well, so thought that more resolution was needed. I have duly invested in a 3MP (dynamic - allegedly more, static) webcam from Ebay - with built-in microphone and

6 LED lights. If anything, that's worse! I suppose that for £5 with free postage, I shouldn't expect too much!

So the question is, what I do need to get to make Skype work half decently. If I look at webcams on offer at the Skype shop, these cost many tens - or even hundreds - of pounds. Surely there must be something with decent optics for less than that, which actually works?

Any recommendations gratefully received.

[Paul D Smith]

As the other poster has indicated, it very much depends on your internet connection, the other guy's, and what's in between.

To give an example, I regularly Skype in-laws in the US - great. My father (in Birmingham) Skypes friends in New Zealand - great. My father and I have never managed to get a decent Skype call between us - why? Who knows!

But FWIW, I also have a cheaper Logitech webcam and love it.

Paul DS.

[198 kHz]

That's the normal upstream for vanilla ADSL, which is fine for decent quality Skype.

I don't think you can go far wrong with a mid-range Logitech eg

most cams have an integral mic, the best position for the cam is not ideal for the mic, so I use one of these - it's excellent

[Moonraker]

The biggest cause of poor video is slow internet connection, as those of us in the sticks know. Actually Skype should tell you if the connection is naff.

[Dave Liquorice]

The conspiricy theorists have it down to protecting the UK call operators. B-)

[Paul D Smith]

Yes, but if I can reach the US at high speed, my father can reach New Zealand at high speed, why can't we reach each-other at high speed? Makes me wonder whether I should set up a US based UK to UK Skype relay ;-).

Paul DS.

[dennis]

Try the £5 in Asda. ;-)

If it is still bad check that you have enough up bandwidth to actually send decent video. Adsl is well known for having low up bandwidth and poor video as a result. Even cable is quite limited.

[tony sayer]

In article , dennis@home scribeth thus

Dunno..

A speedtest conducted around 1 minute ago gave 9.7 down and 1.08 up on VM..

And as soon as Ursain, AKA Richard Branson gets off his starting blocks its supposed to be faster;)...