Web cam

ray qualls · Post by **ray qualls** » 20 Mar 2005 10:38 am

Just wondering if anyone is using a web cam? I bought one last week and have been talking to my son in Iraq. We're using Yahoo as the Instant Messenger. Just thinking that it might be a good way to show something like a steel that you have for sale. Anyone have Pro's & Con's about it? Ray

Roger Kelly · Post by **Roger Kelly** » 20 Mar 2005 12:20 pm

I have a Web Cam and so do several of my Steel friends in Europe. We get together and swap licks and talk about music and Guitars and effects and so on....I have actually shown them how to play certain runs and licks over the Web Cam, and visa versa. It is a good way to communicate. We use Aol IM or MSN Messenger which does pretty good most of the time.

Ken Lang · Post by **Ken Lang** » 20 Mar 2005 5:09 pm

My daughter brought her webcam over at Xmas to use for family back East. The audio was OK but the screen refresh rate was every 3 or 4 seconds. Very disjointed video. Maybe a cheapo device.

ray qualls · Post by **ray qualls** » 20 Mar 2005 6:59 pm

Ken, the web cam that I have, I bought for $20.00 and its like the one you're talking about and has a slow refresh rate. I don't know if more expensive ones work better or not. I don't know anyone else who has one but just getting to see my son in Iraq is well worth the slowness that it has. He gets to see his wife and daughters almost every day so it makes his time over there a lot easier. Thanks for responding. Ray

Will Holtz · Post by **Will Holtz** » 20 Mar 2005 11:34 pm

Generally poor video conferncing is due to a slow internet connection. Even the cheap cameras should be able to do 30 frames per second (standard movie frame rate).