How to setup video call capability on Windows 11?
- Thread starter Santilli
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There are plenty of monitor-mount webcams with a microphone (or two for stereo and better noise reduction). Some have an LED to help illuminate the user in dim light. 1080 is minimum resolution, but there are also 4K webcams at a higher price. Prices are under $50 for a low-grade cheapie or about $200 for a reasonably good one. The Dudering probably has a $2K webcam that is overkill for most purposes. 
I don't use webcam audio, preferring BT headphones for the audio.
Windows supports most any modern USB webcam directly for audio+video and the communication proigram will usually access it through Windows so you don't need any software unless recording/editing like vlogmongers. I suggest getting a webcam that works with TEAMS and ZOOM as those are very common platforms in the 2020s.
I don't use webcam audio, preferring BT headphones for the audio.Windows supports most any modern USB webcam directly for audio+video and the communication proigram will usually access it through Windows so you don't need any software unless recording/editing like vlogmongers. I suggest getting a webcam that works with TEAMS and ZOOM as those are very common platforms in the 2020s.
Santilli
Hairy Aussie
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Anyone's you have used and recommend value wise? And thank you.There are plenty of monitor-mount webcams with a microphone (or two for stereo and better noise reduction). Some have an LED to help illuminate the user in dim light. 1080 is minimum resolution, but there are also 4K webcams at a higher price. Prices are under $50 for a low-grade cheapie or about $200 for a reasonably good one. The Dudering probably has a $2K webcam that is overkill for most purposes.
Windows supports most any modern USB webcam directly for audio+video and the communication proigram will usually access it through Windows so you don't need any software unless recording/editing like vlogmongers. I suggest getting a webcam that works with TEAMS and ZOOM as those are very common platforms in the 2020s.
ddrueding
Fixture
I do use a Canon R8 with a 100/2 (mounted 6' away) and 4k capture card for my webcam, along with a Sennheiser MKE 600 shotgun mic wired to a MOTU M4 interface. If you aren't doing deals and making good money on video calls, you should not do this.
Considering how generic the hardware/software stack is for webcams these days, it isn't that important what you get. None of the normal webcams will look as good as a good phone. I got my wife a Nexigo something that works well, this one looks fine and has a light.
www.nexigo.com
Considering how generic the hardware/software stack is for webcams these days, it isn't that important what you get. None of the normal webcams will look as good as a good phone. I got my wife a Nexigo something that works well, this one looks fine and has a light.
NexiGo N930E Autofocus Webcam
2021 NexiGo N930E USB FHD Web Computer Camera with Built-in Privacy Cover and Noise Reduction Microphone, Plug and Play, Touch Control, HD Web Camera for Video Calling, Recording, Conferencing, Online Learning, Zoom Meeting, Live Streaming
www.nexigo.com
ddrueding
Fixture
Also, if your room has any echo at all, get a mic that you can put closer to your mouth. If you don't want to wear a headset or bother with a lav mic, get something like this
www.logitechg.com
Yeti - Premium Multi-Pattern USB Microphone with Blue VO!CE | Logitech G
Shop Yeti USB Microphone. Features multiple pickup patterns, Blue VO!CE filters, custom mic capsule, studio controls, headphone output, internal shockmount, & more
www.logitechg.com
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
Since most people aren't going to have the setup for using an Interchangeable Lens camera just to do webcam stuff, my serious answer is that even an old phone is a better webcam than about 90% of webcams, mostly because the phone will handle object tracking and noise isolation better than your Logitech or Microsoft whatever. DroidCam allows your phone to be used this way and yes there's a version for incorrect devices as well.
That being said, my partner occasionally has professional need for quality streaming and I use it as well. We have the gear because we both do photo and video work aside from streaming, so we tend to have nice stuff.
Main camera is currently a beaten-to-death Canon RP with an 18-55mm RF-S lens on it. It basically doesn't get moved or messed with and even using the RP in 10MP crop mode makes excellent 1080p video. The second camera, and the one I'd suggest to normal people who don't play computer games on Twitch, is an ObsBot Tiny 2, which has good optics and AI subject tracking since it includes gimbal controls. This is somewhat expensive for a webcam but it is way, WAY better than everything else we tried, although we use it in 1080p rather than 4k.
Since I use the same setup to run tabletop games and occasionally for IT training course, I have pair of old action cams as well. One of them lives on a fixed overhead mount and the other one is just on a long HDMI cable that I can use for close-ups of objects.
The whole thing is run into a 4 port HDMI capture card and run through OBS studio. You can get away with multi-input streaming over USB 3 devices so long as you have enough root hubs to connect all of them to, but then you can get in to weird corner cases where moving a mouse can cause dropped frames if it's connected to the same root hub as a capture card.
For audio, I either use a Shure MV7 or the Rode wireless Lavs. Both of these options are around $150/mic but you will be judged for having bad audio a lot more than you'll be judged for any other part of your setup. A 240p webcam and decent audio > a 4k video stream + hearing every bit of environment noise and/or having to yell to be heard.
That being said, my partner occasionally has professional need for quality streaming and I use it as well. We have the gear because we both do photo and video work aside from streaming, so we tend to have nice stuff.
Main camera is currently a beaten-to-death Canon RP with an 18-55mm RF-S lens on it. It basically doesn't get moved or messed with and even using the RP in 10MP crop mode makes excellent 1080p video. The second camera, and the one I'd suggest to normal people who don't play computer games on Twitch, is an ObsBot Tiny 2, which has good optics and AI subject tracking since it includes gimbal controls. This is somewhat expensive for a webcam but it is way, WAY better than everything else we tried, although we use it in 1080p rather than 4k.
Since I use the same setup to run tabletop games and occasionally for IT training course, I have pair of old action cams as well. One of them lives on a fixed overhead mount and the other one is just on a long HDMI cable that I can use for close-ups of objects.
The whole thing is run into a 4 port HDMI capture card and run through OBS studio. You can get away with multi-input streaming over USB 3 devices so long as you have enough root hubs to connect all of them to, but then you can get in to weird corner cases where moving a mouse can cause dropped frames if it's connected to the same root hub as a capture card.
For audio, I either use a Shure MV7 or the Rode wireless Lavs. Both of these options are around $150/mic but you will be judged for having bad audio a lot more than you'll be judged for any other part of your setup. A 240p webcam and decent audio > a 4k video stream + hearing every bit of environment noise and/or having to yell to be heard.
Santilli
Hairy Aussie
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OK. Here is my tech problem. When I'm on Instagram, and both the computer and the phone are on, I try and either accept on the computer, or unable to accept it on the phone. If I accept it on the computer, it tries to link up an obselete speaker setup. I can't take it on the phone. Even though it rings, there is no was to hit the accept/something button to take the call.
Thoughts???? Maybe just turn wifi off for the phone, so it doesn't hook up with the computer?
Thoughts???? Maybe just turn wifi off for the phone, so it doesn't hook up with the computer?
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
Solution: Don't use Meta products or services.
Santilli
Hairy Aussie
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Thank you. Really good advice.
Going to try this one:
NexiGo N960E 1080P 60FPS Webcam with Light, Software Included, Fast AutoFocus, Built-in Privacy Cover, USB Web Camera, Dual Stereo Microphone, for Zoom Meeting Skype Teams Twitch
Mainly because it was 30 bucks off, and nearly the same price as the one recommended above, by DD above.
Going to try this one:
NexiGo N960E 1080P 60FPS Webcam with Light, Software Included, Fast AutoFocus, Built-in Privacy Cover, USB Web Camera, Dual Stereo Microphone, for Zoom Meeting Skype Teams Twitch
Mainly because it was 30 bucks off, and nearly the same price as the one recommended above, by DD above.
Santilli
Hairy Aussie
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So lately I've been targeted by scammer, hustlers, etc. trying to get money, anyway they can. I've found that, thanks to Instagram, a LOT of them are from Nigeria. REALLY? Instagram can't figure out maybe they should ban users from Nigeria, pretending to be white girls, living in Oceanside, CA, or LA, CA????????However, Instagram will list their country of origin, if you spend time looking at each account...
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
Again, don't use Meta services. A friend of mine gave around $3k, a few hundred at time over the course of a couple months, to some dude using a picture that was revealed to be on literally hundreds of Twitter and Instagram profiles.
The aggravating thing is that my friend is a 25 year old single mother. She didn't have $3k to give, and she was just naive enough to not question what was going on. She thought she was starting a new relationship.
That shit is actively cruel and it pops up all over. Dating apps, Snapchat, any kind of social media.
The aggravating thing is that my friend is a 25 year old single mother. She didn't have $3k to give, and she was just naive enough to not question what was going on. She thought she was starting a new relationship.
That shit is actively cruel and it pops up all over. Dating apps, Snapchat, any kind of social media.
ddrueding
Fixture
It will become way more common and effective once the AI tools become capable enough to run it without humans.
My online friends are always curious why I want to meet in person at least once early in the relationship. Even if everyone is human, you're far less likely to turn on someone whom you've met.
My online friends are always curious why I want to meet in person at least once early in the relationship. Even if everyone is human, you're far less likely to turn on someone whom you've met.