Webcams - video recording

[Dreamer]

Any webcam users out there? (no, not the 'adult' kind )

I don't have a video camera, but want to record my band - partly to analyse our performance, and partly to put clips on a website.

So, questions....

Can I use a webcam to record video direct to my laptop?
Can I record indefinately (until I fill up my HDD)... or will it give up after a minute or two?
How much disc space per minute?
Any problems with extending USB cables? (3m passive extensions seem to be available)
Recommendations for a reasonable quality webcam? Logitech QuickCam Pro 4000 ??

I'm interested in recording rather than video confereincing etc.
Any other comments?????

Thanks,
Dreamer

 

[ianf]

DV Camcorder->tape->firewire port on computer->whatever media you want.

...is the easiest way, unless you want to have some sort of 'live' performance on the interweb.

Getting the audio to be of reasonable quality and in sync will be another interesting challenge too. If you can get the camcorder to take a line in from the mixer you use it'd be much better than trying to mic it.

2GB is 9 mins of DV roughly. - You can do a bit of editing etc. on the material too and gve it a bit of a polish.

firewire webcams beat the usb ones, which tend to be USB1.1 rather than 2.0. So you might be able to find one that can offer a decent resolution, but I'd recommend you look to find someone with a DV setup to do the initial capture.

Saying that I've got most of the gear to do it, where and when would you be thinking of giving this a go?

 

[Dreamer]

Thanks Ian... but I forgot to mention that I'm a cheapskate! I can get a 'quality' webcam for < 40quid ... at least ten times that for a video camera. So, will the webcam work as a cheap and (not too) nasty option???

 

[ianf]

it'll work, but the quality will be pretty poor, probably not a great advert. Add to that low light / flashing lights will upset the autoexposure too.

I'm fairly sure getting a lend of a camcorder is the way to go, or having someone video it for you.

 

[Tim]

Webcams

I use a lot of very high quality (£X00) "webcams" in my job and can assure you that a borrowed video camera will generally give you far better image. So go borrow one and forget the cheap webcam - you owe it to your band!

The Other Tim

 

[Deleted account 220427002]

Any webcam users out there? (no, not the 'adult' kind )

I don't have a video camera, but want to record my band - partly to analyse our performance, and partly to put clips on a website.

Thats Fanum counted out for any advice then

 

[Fanum]

Er...............

I'll get me coat.





PS webcams can be pretty good for recording video akkshully.........

Gotta have reasonable light and get it set up OK but you can certainly get a pretty good idea of the feeling of the 'piece' you're filming

There are numerous capture progs out there, a lot are freeware as well......and yes, you can start them off (automatically if need be....movement triggered for example) and you can record up to a maximum file size or up to the capacity of your HD.

I'd agree that borrowing a firewire vid cam would be a better option though