This week's gadget from Dickie D is a cheap 2K webcam from China. Said to be a true 2K - 2560 X 1440, 30Fps per second obviously should be better than 1080P. These inexpensive webcams all seem to have wide-angle lenses; one mentions 105 & another 110 degrees. Note that they are fixed non-zoom lenses. But wait, there's more! The two webcams I bought came with a free privacy cover & tripod!
While on Zoom, Karen has an issue where her image freezes while her audio stays the same. Leo says a slow internet connection can cause that. She had Spectrum come out and replaced the modem and router, and that's when it started. Leo adds that it could also be an issue with her webcam. Check using Facetime. If it freezes there, then it's not Zoom, it's a wider video issue.
Dick joins Leo to talk about a new device to combat "Camfecting." That's when a hacker takes control of your webcam with your knowledge or your permission. A webcam privacy cover can help stop that. It's basically a webcam cover slide. It can be easily applied and removed from the device without any traces. You can get a pack of 6 Webcam Cover Sliders for around $8.99,
Gloria wants a recommendation for a reliable 2TB hard drive for her computer and a web camera for zoom. She's taking a class. Leo says that Seagate makes a really good one, but hard drives are pretty ubiquitous now, and the price is dropping. So you can get two of them and swap them out when you backup your data. Swap them out every other week. Also, rely on a cloud-based backup like iDrive (a sponsor of the radio show.) Ideally, you want 3 copies, 2 kinds of backup formats, one off-site or in the cloud.
Jake wants to start his own online business. He wants to get into drop shipping, but also use his webcam to make a living. Leo says it's a great opportunity now due to the quarantine, and people are going to discover new ways to get the things they need. If you have the luxury of time right now, there's no time like the present and technology is at the eye of the storm.
Joe does Zoom with his friends, but he can't see his video. Leo says to check the video settings and make sure it has the right camera selected. Make sure the camera is turned on and any shutters are open. Some webcams have one on the lid for privacy. Also, look in the settings to make sure your camera is actually enabled. The camera may be turned off as a security feature. Double-check in another camera app to see if it works to be sure.
Sal calls to let Leo know about WyzeCam's latest outdoor wireless cam, was just released. Leo says that's a cool design, but it's designed to be battery powered and only turns on with movement, to conserve battery life. So using it as a stecontinuous ady live stream would be problematic. But for a security camera, they will hangle up to 20 events a day for up to two months before recharging.
Fred has a friend who bought a Logitech webcam, but she can't get it to work. How can she set it up? Leo says the camera has no software to install, so the computer should see it as a webcam automatically. Then whatever video conferencing software you use will pick it up. If it's Zoom, click on the icon in the top right corner and go into the settings to make sure the camera is enabled. Skype will be audio and video settings.
Susan installed Zoom to handle her physical therapy sessions online. She discovered though, that her computer has no camera or microphone built-in. So what should she get? She doesn't want to spend a lot in a limited amount of time. Leo says if she doesn't have a laptop or a smartphone, then she needs to be looking to buy a webcam. Leo likes Logitech's webcams. The Logitech C922 or C910 is great. They have built-in microphones as well and plug into your USB port.
Ken needs an inexpensive camera/mic combo to work with his old HP laptop running Linux. Can he use a camera/mic on his iPhone 4s? There is software to do it with Apple and Windows, but Linux is a challenge. You can use it as an IP Internet camera using Linux, but it requires WiFi. Ken doesn't want WiFi. Leo says the Logitech C920 is very affordable and has the mic built into the camera. In most cases, even though the website doesn't support Linux, third party support can make it work. There's an app called CHEESE, which is a photobooth app.
