need (first) webcam advice

[rhubarbodendron]

[note to Mods: if you feel this fits better into MISC please don't hesitate to move the thread. As it is a technical question, I thought it'd best fit in here]

I'm going to buy a new computer and am also planning to get my very first webcam so that I can work from home and have video contact to colleagues but also to my doctors.

As I've never had a webcam before, I've had a look online and checked the user comments on many products. Alas, that only managed to puzzle me further as I was unable to find one that doesn't have technical problems or bad customer service.

• Could you please help me with some advice and insider tips? What cam do you use and would you recommend it? What others would you recommend if yours is not perfect?

Technical background:
My new computer is going to have WIN10 home edition (yes, I know, but I have no choice *sigh*)
Intel® UHD-Grafik 630 card
USB 3.1 and USB 2.0 sockets
(Please tell me if you need more tech specifications!)

I'll need the cam exclusively for communication. Excellent image quality is required for the online-appointments with my doctors; the surroundings are rather dark - the cam must be able to deal with that. And a good sound quality is important but if the image is perfect I'm willing to waive that condition as I can also use a headset.
My pain threshold is 100 Euros / 120 USD but a stripe of gold-pressed latinum more won't ruin me. (hey, we need a Ferengi smilie!)

 

[Owain Taggart]

I'm a fan of the Microsoft Lifecam. It has excellent image quality and sound. I don't know if they have any newer models since I got mine a few years ago, but it's black and cylindrical. My recommendation though would be to unplug it when you know you're not going to use it.

 

[rhubarbodendron]

thanks for the advice That one was indeed one of the top of my list but according to user comments at Amazon, from a certain update on these cams ceased to work properly with Win10 anymore. Apparently the problem is known for over a year now but still MS hasn't reacted with a new driver nor a new cam

 

[Owain Taggart]

Oh, sorry to hear. Yeah, as it turns out I haven't used mine for over a year mostly because I've never needed to use it after I moved to Windows 10 and never tried to. I have a similar problem with Logitech products and a lack of new drivers. They still sell them on the market but they don't seem to be adequately supported. I think this stems from a change Microsoft made to how drivers work in Windows in general, but that manufacturers haven't bothered to update them.

 

[rhubarbodendron]

yes, that's what made me despair when I read the Amazon user comments. Logitech is the most popular brand but apparently has huge probs with drivers and very bad customer service. I suspect that Microsoft wants a little too much to keep their data secret. They are infamous for not publishing any of their source code. That makes it hard for manufacturers to write functioning drivers. They seem to nit understand that this way they lose customers. I myself run a second machine with Linux and since that one is open source, there are proper drivers for any hardware you might possibly install. But being on the old-ish side and having grown up with MS, I feel uncomfortable with the look and feel of Linux.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Yeah, you would think that something as necessary as drivers would be an important component to keep updating, especially if these things are still sold as if they're still supported, Windows logo and all. It is frustrating. I myself have more or less decided to no longer buy Logitech products. I used to like them and find them reliable,but within the last 10 years or so saw a decline in their product quality. I still use a Logitech mouse, but after this one goes, it might be my last from them. My last product was a keyboard I had paid a lot for at the time, but I remembered feeling very unimpressed with the build quality for the amount of money I had paid for it. It was a very stiff and sticky feeling keyboard and eventually the space bar broke off and couldn't be put back into place (compared to mechanical keyboards where popping keys out to replace them is encouraged). So, once that broke, I bought an aluminum-based mechanical keyboard from Corsair and never looked back. That thing is very sturdy and can take a beating, and I paid less for it than I paid for my Logitech.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Well, I have some good news for you! Today, I've decided to connect my webcam because I'll be helping someone else with their Skype setup. Initially, after plugging it in it said it wasn't recognized, and I was about to pull the usb plug, but then a moment later something happened and it eventually detected the camera successfully as a Microsoft Lifecam. This was while Skype was running, so maybe Skype did something? I wasn't getting any picture though, so I exited it and reopened it, and sure enough, I get a picture! So, I think whatever problems they initially had with this camera, they fixed. So, don't despair