Good cam / shitty cam

[Sia Green]

Well this sucks. My 3 month old logitech actually just went wonky while I was adjusting the settings before I logged on MFC Sunday. It looked as if someone turned the contrast all the way up. I tried unplugging, resetting to no avail. I couldnt get it to work. I did have a backup logitech I used. I thought the mic went bad in the backup, but I think it was just picking up feedback from my monitor. So now Im down to 1 logitech and Im scared it might just crap out like the last one. Im gonna have to buy another ASAP.

 

[ElaySmith]

I use the c910 and I downloaded ArcSoft Magic-i Visual Effects software and now have great control over all my settings and its really easy to use too!

 

[Sweetsam]

I'm still using the logitech orbit. I tried the other logitech the one that I believe most of you like that clips on the laptop, but I can't get the setting as nice as the orbit. It's weird. On the orbit I look so much better than I do when I am on the other one. I don't know what the deal is but I don't have the time to play around with settings every day. So Orbit it is!

 

[JoleneBrody]

Noooooo!!!!!!!
I am so stuck on my 9000! I couldn't even handle the fancy software!

 

[SirLes]

Shit! I've wanted to try the 9000 for a while but haven't gotten around to ordering it yet! I hope I can still get one.

Still seems to be plenty on Australian Ebay ranging from $65-$110
I got 1 for a model friend in Europe a few months ago, cost $75 and $15 to send it to her. Unfortunately she hasn't been on cam since I sent it although I do know that she did get it.

 

[AerynShade]

The C910 seems easy to tweak using the Many Cam software. I love mine.

 

[Blair]

My new logitech 9000 is awesome! All my semi-regulars (I have no real regulars yet haha) said it to me! I add a photo taken with it!

 

[EllaXoXo]

Phew, thanks for posting, Amber!!! I just ordered two to be safe! I feel like this is the cam whores version of safe sex... prostitutes use condoms, cam girls use logitech 9000s

 

[Jessi J]

eek.

 

[Jessi J]

I have a Logitech c910, its a great cam, makes wonderful 1080p videos, however when I am on MFC it tends to REALLY degrade the video quality. My internet runs around 1200kbs when I am on, so I am not sure if it is the setting or what that is doing this. I do use ManyCams when I am on, think this has something to do with it?
ON MFC:

NOT ON MFC:

 

[waogo]

It's the fact that mfc broadcasts your video at far below 1080p. For bandwidth reasons, surely.

 

[Jessi J]

It's the fact that mfc broadcasts your video at far below 1080p. For bandwidth reasons, surely.

While on MFC, I changed the size of the video feed in Many Cams, they said that helped, but that was the extent of it. I wish MFC wouldn't be such cheap bastards.

 

[WickedTouch]

It's the fact that mfc broadcasts your video at far below 1080p. For bandwidth reasons, surely.

While on MFC, I changed the size of the video feed in Many Cams, they said that helped, but that was the extent of it. I wish MFC wouldn't be such cheap bastards.

Well, in the light of the current financial instability across the globe, I would not hold my breath while waiting for that situation to improve any time soon regarding MFC upgrading the system.

Yeah sad fact that while its easy to purchase a classy HD monitor, the pcture you display will only be as good as the video feed. Unfortunately that still means lots of us stuck with viewiing 640x480 or even 320x240 video streams to balance frame rate and resolutions to get a watchable image.

Great thread though... and even though quality of cam was a big factor, its obvious that changing the room lighting, adjusting cam settings etc are all issues that need to be addressed in room setups. Oh and on the lighting note... direct artificial room light can often look much harsher than natural light, but can be improved when it is bounced off a white deflector board, a white wall or ceiling.


The bottom line seems to be... look after your cam, girls and your cam will look after you.

 

[countrygirl84]

A scary reality hit me this weekend...

... Logitech seems to have discontinued production on the Pro 9000.

:crybaby:

There's an extended wait for delivery via Amazon and stores aren't restocking them.

I just retired my original 9000 that I've used since day 1 on MFC this weekend due to the mic losing its quality. I blame all the moisture and steam from oil and shower shows. Luckily I had a backup already, and ordered more for backup for the future. That's when I realized this scary thing.

WHAT WILL THE CAMWHORES DO?!

I suppose dealing with the faults of the newer models will sooner or later be a requirement. Oh well.

I just got a new one for $54 from Amazon... literally just got it. I can't wait to use it tonight!!!

 

[bawksy]

Regardless of how 'HD' your webcam is, MFC downsamples video streams in the model client software to 320x240, which isn't even SDTV resolution. If they were to double the resolution in both dimensions to 640x480, it would roughly quadruple the amount of bandwidth needed for that model.

Consider the following:
-many models have trouble getting a good enough internet connection to do the 320x240
-MFC is cheap as all hell
-None of the major competing cam sites (that I'm aware of) have better resolution streams

I'm all for MFC adding support for higher-def streams, but I really don't think it's going to happen in the near future.


Also, considering that the crappy 320x240 feed that MFC allows is so beneath the capabilities of any reasonable webcam, it's absolutely pathetic that so many models have webcam setups that can't even do the 320x240 properly. Hence why I shame them in this thread.

 

[Sevrin]

-None of the major competing cam sites (that I'm aware of) have better resolution streams

LJ offers up to 800*600 for those models whose connections can handle it. Streamates also offers a HD option, but I'm not sure what that works out to.

 

[AlexiaRose]

 

[Lydia_Deetz]

Holy pixelation

 

[Charlotte_UK]

A scary reality hit me this weekend...

... Logitech seems to have discontinued production on the Pro 9000.

:crybaby:

There's an extended wait for delivery via Amazon and stores aren't restocking them.

I just retired my original 9000 that I've used since day 1 on MFC this weekend due to the mic losing its quality. I blame all the moisture and steam from oil and shower shows. Luckily I had a backup already, and ordered more for backup for the future. That's when I realized this scary thing.

WHAT WILL THE CAMWHORES DO?!

I suppose dealing with the faults of the newer models will sooner or later be a requirement. Oh well.

I was thinking of getting a 9000 & I panicked after reading this lol so I've just bought one! :-D

 

[AnaHeart]

I hope my cam isn't too terrible, although given the lighting situation in my current cam room it could certainly be better. Hopefully when I move the lighting will improve but I apologize until then!

 

[Charlotte_UK]

Got my Logitech 9000 today! So far I can't say I notice a difference between it & my c910 but I wont know until I go on MFC.
What are the best settings for it? I mean resolution size & standard/widescreen. I will have a play around with the settings when I'm online but if there are generally agreed on settings for it, it would be good to know! x

 

[Tffny]

Heres the difference between my laptops built in & my c510 in low light. Wayyy better. Still need a 9000 though.

 

[Mikeythegeek]

Look at the top of the pic. It's not a big deal, but still quite distracting.

 

[EveCates]

The c910 is a ton better than the 9000 as long as you use the old version of the software you will have the same control over the settings. I still have issues from time to time but it is usually a result of my lighting, not the cam.

 

[Avalynn]

I just got a new cam! I think this is a success story..

 

[AmberCutie]

I just got a new cam! I think this is a success story..

Much improvement!

 

[nzhere]

Nice which cam did you have before? and what are you using now?

 

[bawksy]

I just got a new cam! I think this is a success story..

A better test, at least in the context of cam-whoring, would be to take before and after screencaps of the members' view of your MFC feed. Of course a high-res camera is going to look better than a low-res camera (like the C910 vs the 9000) when you're taking full-res photos, but what happens when you're doing a 320x240 MFC feed?

 

[Avalynn]

I'm not sure, I've never figured out how to screencap my own feed. I assume what I see in MFC isnt what viewers see?

I went from the built in cam in my laptop to a logitech c525. It's 720p and takes 8mp stills. It's not amazing but it was on sale for $40 and a lot better than the one I had

 

[Rosemary]

I'm not sure, I've never figured out how to screencap my own feed.

Dunno about the other question, but this one:
There is a button on your keyboard that says 'PRTSC'. It means 'print screen'. Push it, then open paint (or w/e) and hit 'paste'. Viola! !
Then you crop it accordingly