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Use Your Video Camera as a Netcam

There are many benefits to using a camcorder as a netcam.

By The Screen Savers staff and Greg Melton July 31, 2001

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Video Highlight Leo discusses how to use your camcorder as a netcam. This video only available for RealPlayer.

Related Articles · Installing Your Netcam · Expert Netcam Tips · Life of a Netcam Call · Get on the Netcam Network · Join the TechTV Netcam Network Q: Can you use a camcorder as a netcam?

-- William, via email

A: Not only is it possible to use a video camera in lieu of a netcam, but the video camera will produce a better picture.

Netcams are inexpensive for a reason. They have a fixed focal length, no special features, and they serve one purpose: to get your image across the Internet. Camcorders cost hundreds of dollars, have lots of features, and provide a better-quality picture. Whether you can use your camcorder with your equipment depends on how you are using your netcam.

There are many video-capture cards on the market that allow you to hook the video camera directly into your computer. The video-capture card turns the analog data from your video camera into bits that the computer can process.

Currently, the high-end video-capture card we like is the ATI All-In-Wonder Radeon. This card features much more than just video-capturing capabilities, though. If you're not looking to get any extra features, the ATI-TV Wonder will do just fine.

Once you have installed the capture card and drivers, connect the video camera via RCA jack to RCA jack, and your netcam software should recognize the video camera.

Or, you can do it another way.

If you have a camcorder with FireWire, it's now possible to use it as a netcam, thanks to Teveo.com. Its free netcam service now supports these FireWire cards: ADS Pyro Digital Video, ADS Pyro ProDV, KDS 1394 Capture Card, and ViewCast Osprey.

This sounded so good to be true that we had to try it out. And you know what? Our FireWire camcorder produced some of the best Internet video we've seen to date

-- Anonymous, July 31, 2001


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