My kids wanted to know why their web cam transmits herky-jerky video, instead of smooth life-like action. Being almost totally computer challenged, i thought I might try the good folks here for an answer.  Anyone????     Tuck

Kids on a web cam is a bad idea, I dont know the details, but its bad if they have to ask YOU! ;)

Normally Jonny I would totally agree with you, but, the cam is on the family PC, right in the middle of the family room, They are ONLY on it while me or mom are here. They are making some kind of movie with two other friends for a school project. When the project is done,, the cam goes!!!!!   And,, your right, normally I ask them computer questions, but this one has them stumped. It was an expensive cam (all I do is hand out money ) and it was supposed to be smooth and its not. Beats the hell out of me!!!!!!!  Tuck

tuck wrote on Sep 21^st, 2008 at 3:26pm:

(all I do is hand out money )

Thats the story of my life.....LOL :D

Dude, that cam should not be funky, bring it back!  ;)

Could it be that the machine isn't able to process the images as fast as they're being created?

thats what it looks like Brew, but the simple movement of raising your arm up and down SLOWLY only seems to catch like half the frames . Does that make any sense?

tuck wrote on Sep 21^st, 2008 at 3:58pm:

thats what it looks like Brew, but the simple movement of raising your arm up and down SLOWLY only seems to catch like half the frames . Does that make any sense?

????

I know next to nothing about this stuff.

A web cam is not a video camera. It's primary use is for displaying videos in a text or voice chat service.

The quality will depend on the web cam, the service you are using, and sometimes the amount of resources you have available on your computer.

  All in all a web cam is designed to limit the bandwidth it uses. Some webcams have a super setting.

  Even though people use them to make movies or even to take pictures, using a real camera or video camera is always better. If they want to make movies a real video camera is best. Then they could edit the video into a final product on the computer then "gasp" upload it to youtube. If they do that please encourage them to be creative not just make "me too" copies like everyone else.

Paul

Thanks for the info. Paul.!! By the way, can a video camera be hooked up and used as a web cam? or is that a REALLY stupid question???  Tuck

tuck wrote on Sep 22^nd, 2008 at 7:54am:

Thanks for the info. Paul.!! By the way, can a video camera be hooked up and used as a web cam? or is that a REALLY stupid question???  Tuck

I have a Cannon and a Panasonic DV camcorder and both can be used as web cams.  

So long as you're not trying to use an old Super8 or VHS camcorder you should be ok.

-Dennis-

Tuck,
  I am not sure why they need a webcam. Do they want to be able to see the video they are recording on a computer monitor for feedback? Like Dennis says some video cameras can be used as webcams But I think that would lead to reduced picture quality. Recording the video on a video camera, then uploading the video to a computer to edit, then converting it to the medium required for the project. If this medium is youtube then having the best quality video to start with will result in better quality.

If what you have is an expensive webcam then finding and turning on super mode should give them much better results. Most webcams are designed to upload at dialup speeds.

Paul

  Tuck, ask the kids a couple of questions for me:
1. what kind of video card do you have?
2. how much RAM does the card have?
3. how much system RAM do you have?
4. which video capture and editing program are you using?
  You can just PM, e-mail or IM me on Yahoo if you want with the info. But those 4 questions will probably get to the bottom of the problem......I hope.
[smiley=smokin.gif]

Dennis, Kirk, and Paul, thanks alot for your help guys, according to my wife, they found some way to improve the quality. Something about sliding a control to a higher quality level. Thanks guys, I was pretty confident that I could get help here, and once again, you guys proved it!!!!  Tuck