Updated: 15/6/04 - Currently being tortured at work experience. I'll be writing loads of reviews onc...
Updated: 15/6/04 - Currently being tortured at work experience. I'll be writing loads of reviews once the summer holidays come into the horizon. At the moment, I feel too damn tired and lazy to do anything, even type this About Me!!!
Member since:08.02.2004
Reviews:9
Members who trust:2
It was about time that I realised how good a webcam could actually be. I was missing a lot though by chatting to my friends on Instant Messengers and not savouring the functions of it by taking it to the limit.
I bought the Logitech Messenger Webcam at £30 from PC World. I read a lot of previews in magazines on how highly anticipated the product was and the sheer low price. I just couldn’t wait.
The sleek and trendy design really attracted to my senses and shoving £30 at the till was eminent. Firstly, I was bewildered at the price tag, at such a low price with specifications as follows;
• Video capture: up to 640 x 480 pixels • Still image capture: up to 640 x 480 pixels • Frame rate: up to 30 frames per second (with recommended system) • High-quality CMOS sensor, built-in microphone
I
was amazed especially at the resolution of the camera as many others weren’t even in the same league. However, I was a first-time Logitech buyer and I didn’t have any expectations on how the product would actually turn out to be.
Having removed the packaging, I looked in amazement at the number of booklets they provided for; assistance of using the product, guarantee booklet and information on other Logitech goods. The camera was well-packed to get rid of any scratches or marks and also enclosed was a software CD to run the camera.
In the end, there was only one part pf the camera that needed assembling which were the base and the “ball” like camera.
Connecting the camera was simple using a USB port (via 7-port Belkin hub, check my review). But before completing this task, I inserted the software CD for the webcam into the drive which automatically loaded up and presented an interface with a choice of installation options. Another advantage was that the camera and CD is compatible with all versions of Windows.
Installation did not take a lot of time. These were the drivers and a program that allowed carry out many tasks using the webcam. Such options were to; • Take still pictures in any resolutions • Record videos in different resolutions • Use it to broadcast live videos onto the internet.
But before getting into the good stuff, the camera needed to be focused by rotating the focus ring. This could sometimes be a problem as the user is not aware of obtaining the optimum quality in picture. On the other hand, I failed to describe the microphone which is simply a great add-on to the powerful peripheral. This saved me a lot of space as the old long pointed microphone I previously had took a lot of space on my desktop. I was completely bewildered to see a webcam that had a microphone already built-in.
Installing all required software was not a problem as the handy but short quick guide helped me through the process. At first site of running the Logitech software, I was amazed to see how graphical and colourful the program actually was. This greatly encouraged me to use it more regularly than any other 3rd part program.
The options and small detail that was provided was sufficient even those at a younger age. Setting up the camera was hassles because the options appeared upon running the program. It was well-structured by the presence of tabs on the top of the window.
To take snapshots, either the button on the screen was selected or by pushing the button situated on top of the camera. In the end this was effortless. I find that the best conditions to capture images or videos are in broadly lit places. If this is not available then somehow the camera is capable of changing the settings automatically to make the surroundings lively.
The rubber grip beneath the camera is really helpful if the monitor is tilted or it is accidentally pushed as it acts to reduce movement. The Logitech logo is not surprisingly situated on the base of the camera, but it does make the dull grey component to stand-out joyfully.
Finally, the utmost reason to buy the product was to use it on MSN Messenger. It was unbelievable that a program was made available on the Logitech disk to use it on the instant messenger.
However, I was unaware of this and used the messenger setup itself. It was successful as the program detected the camera and microphone built-in on one component. It has been a pleasure using it many times with my friends as they stated that they are able to see me clearly and a splash screen on Logitech appears every time there is a webcam conversation. The clarity on the microphone is also a great feature as no other distortions could be heard accompanied by the sound.
On the other hand, I did not like the size of the wire which connected it to the port; it was simply too small but with the hub it had slightly extended to effortlessly be placed on top of my monitor. Another thing which I find is a slight disadvantage is that the image on the monitor takes approx 0.5 seconds (e.g. an eye blink can be seen in the split second). This could possibly be due to the low specifications of my computer, however I would like that in the near future they take full advantage of USB 2.0 to enable faster rates of transfer. Overall, it was satisfactory.
In conclusion, the design is plain and simple taking a small area of space, whilst it simple looks make the monitor and desktop to look sleek. Quality of the product is at a 120% where users find difficulty to criticise. However, the minor points stated does not affect as much but I believe that Logitech have already learned from it to provide the best in consumer goods.
Advantages: This webcam is the best webcam for messenegr use Disadvantages: ???????????
danielriglin 14.02.2004 (14.02.2004)
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