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03 Jan 11 - 11:16 AM (#3066250) Subject: BS: HELP! Webcam, what do I need? From: wilbyhillbilly Our friends in France who have finally got online have now said they would like to get in touch and have we got a webcam. I have sorted my digi camera via USB to be able to sit and look at myself, (NOT a pretty picture) but how do I proceed from here. I assume I need some sort of software to be able to go "live", can someone please advise. We are in UK and I'm runnung Win XP Home on this pc. Any help would be greatly appreciated, please keep as non-tech as possible, so I can follow, thanks. |
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03 Jan 11 - 12:08 PM (#3066298) Subject: RE: BS: HELP! Webcam, what do I need? From: Arthur_itus Assuming that you can use your camera for such purposes, all you need to do is go to this website and download Skype. http://www.skype.com/intl/en-us/get-skype/on-your-computer/windows/ System requirements ◦PC running Windows® 2000, XP, Vista or 7, both 32- and 64-bit operating systems. (Windows 2000 users require DirectX 9.0 for video calls). ◦Internet connection – broadband is best (GPRS is not supported for voice calls). ◦Speakers and microphone – built-in or separate. ◦For voice and video calls we recommend a computer with at least a 1GHz processor, 256 MB RAM and of course a webcam. ◦For best quality on group video beta calls, we recommend that calls include up to five people. ◦For group video calling everyone on the call needs Skype 5.0 for Windows plus webcams. You'll also need a high-speed broadband connection (we recommend sustained 512 kbit/s downlink or more) and a computer with a 1 GHz processor (minimum) or Core 2 Duo 1.8 GHz (recommended). If your camera is not suitable then you will need something like these http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/754/195/xx/104/9/criteresn.html This video should help you understand how to download, install and run Skype. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssLj_89FHKI&feature=related Watch it before doing anything. Don't worry too much about any techi speech, just concentrate on what they do. Then if you are happy with it, have a go at doing it for real. |
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04 Jan 11 - 02:02 AM (#3066772) Subject: RE: BS: HELP! Webcam, what do I need? From: open mike my web cam is a simple usb add on device, but my video camera has a web feature too...i found out it does not work with the fire wire cable but the usb cable allows video conferenceing... you might take a look at paltalk...the download is free and you can connect over a private room....actually you might need to pay a bit to get full functioning video for unlimited time...www.paltalk.com is the site that i hosted an online jam on for many years...it was great! some folks regularly use paltalk for international communications.. i think skype requires membership payment...i am not sure, though. i hear a lot about google phone or google voice...and have seen people video conference with that.. good luck...and let us know what you find out! (I AM THINKING OF OPENING MUDCAT JAMS ONLINE AGAIN AT SOME POINT AND WANT TO KNOW WHAT SYSTEMS AND PROGRAMS WORK FOR VIDEO SHARING, TOO) |
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04 Jan 11 - 05:48 AM (#3066836) Subject: RE: BS: HELP! Webcam, what do I need? From: Arnie You can buy a small, round webcam with built-in mike for around £10-15. This will then clip to the top of your screen for ever, and saves you having to fiddle around with a digi-camera. Have a look online as there are many to choose from and they come with software and easy instructions. |
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04 Jan 11 - 06:12 AM (#3066850) Subject: RE: BS: HELP! Webcam, what do I need? From: Arthur_itus Thats normally the best Arnie. I put a link in my post above. Skype is free for videoing to anybody who has Skype on their machine. I use it and it works great even for abroad. We video link with relatives in South Africa. |
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04 Jan 11 - 06:42 AM (#3066871) Subject: RE: BS: HELP! Webcam, what do I need? From: wilbyhillbilly Thank you Arthur itus, it was great seeing and talking to you. Now I shall start making contact with family and friends and get myself one of those "proper" clip on webcam/mic outfits. Once again Mudcat has excelled. Thank you all, from a very happy bunny. |
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04 Jan 11 - 07:06 AM (#3066882) Subject: RE: BS: HELP! Webcam, what do I need? From: Jack Campin I went through three cheap webcams before finding one that would do Skype on my system (MacOS Tiger on a couple of different machines). They can be very fussy about both their software and hardware environment, so make sure before buying that it will work on EXACTLY the setup you have. I still haven't figured out a free Mac-based solution for recording video with one. The microphone on mine (a MacAlly Icecam2) is surprisingly good. The video quality it produces in Skype would be adequate for simple YouTube videos, if I could only figure out some way to save it. |
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04 Jan 11 - 07:07 AM (#3066883) Subject: RE: BS: HELP! Webcam, what do I need? From: Arthur_itus Great stuff wilbyhillbilly. Glad it's all working for you. |
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04 Jan 11 - 11:52 AM (#3067064) Subject: RE: BS: HELP! Webcam, what do I need? From: GUEST,kendall Jacqui and I were on SKYPE yesterday with KT in Alaska, and it worked great. She sounded like she was in the same room with us. I'm sure the UBL platinum speakers helped. |
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04 Jan 11 - 02:36 PM (#3067165) Subject: RE: BS: HELP! Webcam, what do I need? From: olddude Any of them will do fine today, however the big key is your internet speed skype, I live for it, I see my grandson everyday with it |
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04 Jan 11 - 05:36 PM (#3067288) Subject: RE: BS: HELP! Webcam, what do I need? From: The Fooles Troupe I miss the sessions Mike... As far as I can tell, Paltalk is Windows only - and I dropped out of it when they stopped updates for Win98. While I can use Win 7 on the laptop atm, I will be exclusively Linux soon. Skype seems to be available on Linux. I have heard from many gamers that Skype is used a lot for conferencing to coordinate, I think they mainly use voice only. Personally, I'd be happy with sound only for the new sessions, apart from needing far less bandwidth, I doubt that there would be too much call for video originating with me ... and then I'd HAVE to wear clothes too, probably ... sorry, TMI, I know :-p OK, it would be nice to post pics of the instruments... |
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04 Jan 11 - 05:38 PM (#3067292) Subject: RE: BS: HELP! Webcam, what do I need? From: The Fooles Troupe To use skype, I'm pretty sure you need an account that costs money. Also I would need to organise that thru my ISP, and then would need other accounts for using it from other sites, thru other ISPs. |
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04 Jan 11 - 05:41 PM (#3067296) Subject: RE: BS: HELP! Webcam, what do I need? From: olddude Skype is free, you can purchase their long distant telephone service but I do not know anyone that does that, video chat is free and very stable |
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04 Jan 11 - 05:53 PM (#3067302) Subject: RE: BS: HELP! Webcam, what do I need? From: framus Can anyone tell me how to get a photo from Windows Media to, for example, my profile page in Mudcat. Primitive language would be appreciated, as I'm pretty new to all this lark. Thanks, Dave. |
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04 Jan 11 - 06:49 PM (#3067334) Subject: RE: BS: HELP! Webcam, what do I need? From: GUEST Skype to Skype is free, including video. Skype to any other service costs. |
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04 Jan 11 - 06:52 PM (#3067338) Subject: RE: BS: HELP! Webcam, what do I need? From: Jack Campin You can't get any kind of non-text media into Mudcat except for midi files. It was once possible but isn't any more. |
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04 Jan 11 - 07:20 PM (#3067352) Subject: RE: BS: HELP! Webcam, what do I need? From: framus Can anybody help - it was actually the Irish Tenor Banjo society I was aiming for, Mudcat was just a "for instance"? I've got my photo, I just don't know how to export it. Dave. |
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04 Jan 11 - 07:54 PM (#3067372) Subject: RE: BS: HELP! Webcam, what do I need? From: The Fooles Troupe Generally the site you want to put it on will have their own way of importing the file. Best to look around the help stuff or FAQs etc there. But basically, to use Facebook as an example, once you get to that 'file import' page, you see a 'browse' button, which allows you to find the file on your own PC, and then upload it. You don't really 'export it to the site from your own PC', to use the correct concept. |
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04 Jan 11 - 08:04 PM (#3067380) Subject: RE: BS: HELP! Webcam, what do I need? From: olddude PM me your address my friend, I found a very nice webcam that I had at my office and I will send it to you. Just plug it in and download skype |
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04 Jan 11 - 08:11 PM (#3067381) Subject: RE: BS: HELP! Webcam, what do I need? From: katlaughing our son and I use skype a lot..all free, all easy, though he needs better reception for the video. He's in an RV park with a bunch of others using wifi so it gets overloaded at times. |
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04 Jan 11 - 08:50 PM (#3067407) Subject: RE: BS: HELP! Webcam, what do I need? From: The Fooles Troupe The Skype Download page only shows a Ubuntu version 8 link - I have version 10 on this box, and have found a real V10 link in the package handler - you can also have skype contacts using Pidgin (libpurple) - so if you want to try, let me know... No camera as yet... |
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04 Jan 11 - 09:29 PM (#3067426) Subject: RE: BS: HELP! Webcam, what do I need? From: olddude works with version 10 just fine, However just go to Ubuntu software manager and install it from there, don't download it yourself no need to. I have it on my version 10, works fine |
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04 Jan 11 - 09:31 PM (#3067429) Subject: RE: BS: HELP! Webcam, what do I need? From: framus Thanks, Foolstroupe - I'll try facebook first. Davy. |
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04 Jan 11 - 09:31 PM (#3067430) Subject: RE: BS: HELP! Webcam, what do I need? From: The Fooles Troupe OK it seems to be installed... :-) All Skyped up and no one to call ... :-P |
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07 Jan 11 - 02:03 AM (#3069063) Subject: RE: BS: HELP! Webcam, what do I need? From: The Fooles Troupe From the dnld page Start your free trial for group video calling beta Sign in to Skype 5.0 for Windows. Click on a contact, add more people to the conversation, click the Video call button, and select Get group video from the pop-up message. Note: group video calling is a beta feature which means it's still work in progress - but please go ahead and try it. Remember: everyone on the call needs Skype 5.0 for Windows for group video to work. ~~~~~~ So the Linux types may not work ... |
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07 Jan 11 - 05:31 PM (#3069503) Subject: RE: BS: HELP! Webcam, what do I need? From: The Fooles Troupe OK have got the basic Skype working on both Win 7 and Ubuntu, Don;t know if 'group calls' works on Linux yet, as have had no chance to test it. Ok Open Mike, do you want a test in the near future? |
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08 Jan 11 - 01:57 AM (#3069678) Subject: RE: BS: HELP! Webcam, what do I need? From: open mike yes let's test the jam room... i have found a situation,though, which i would warn others about.. i downloaded Paltalks's most recent version and shortly after that, i had a webpage install itself online, and now "Ask" a search engine seems to have insinuated itself as my home page and i do not seem to be able to put mudcat back in it's place. somehow, the option to change my home page is no longer available to me...i am not sure how to find the homepage menu... |
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08 Jan 11 - 09:02 PM (#3070240) Subject: RE: BS: HELP! Webcam, what do I need? From: The Fooles Troupe I noticed those Ask related 'options' as I installed and unticked them - those 'options' are getting fairly common on a lot of 'free' SW - seems to be a sponsorship arrangement - you don't say what browser and OS. I can assist with Firefox. If you did that windows 'system backup' thingy recently, you may be able to just roll back and recover and then reinstall. |