![]() ![]() A lot of the software that I mention below can be used without it. I would NOT recommend it for most users, and I only use it for special situations. The final piece of hardware equipment I have is a “green screen” (for chroma keying). But those are more suited to professional streamers and media influencers that broadcast for a living. And I’ve craved pricer upgrades such as the HuddleCam HD or an Alpha-series Sony mirrorless camera (e.g., the wallet-busting a7S III). The less expensive Logitech C920s, C922, and StreamCam are also great alternatives. None of the above experiments compared to the performance of a dedicated webcam like the Logitech Brio (which is what I’m currently using). And I can feed it into OBS as a secondary camera view using an iPad connected with an Apple HDMI adapter-it’s pretty cool, but not particularly useful for virtual meetings. You also lose the Pan/Tilt/Zoom controls and Infrared features, so it’s now restored back to its “security camera” configuration. This was purely out of curiosity since the camera has an extremely large field of view that makes it undesirable except for the most desperate of users. I also converted a security camera I had on hand (the Wyze Pan Cam) into a webcam by applying a special firmware change. But the latency and low-light performance was poor. One option was using the HAYOX capture device to convert HDMI output to USB input (e.g., when connecting a GoPro HERO8 Black in a Media Mod “cage”). And EpocCam works with Android devices and on macOS as well, as well as other competitors that I’ve heard of from other users.īefore for buying a dedicated webcam, I also experimented with other “normal” cameras configured to work as webcams. Although the cameras on iPads and Touch iPods are not as good as recent iPhones, they could be a dramatic improvement over the built-in webcams you’re using. ![]() Not only did I keep leaving it behind, it was also inconvenient to use the phone, as a phone, in this configuration. ![]() A wireless Qi charging pad from Anker was stuck to the back of the X-grip to supply continuous power.Īlthough the iPhone was a high-quality solution, I wanted a dedicated webcam because I kept forgetting it was still mounted above and behind my monitor. To hold the phone at the proper height and angle, I used a Ram Mount X-grip with an extension arm and custom base (a glass brick filled with decorative river stones). To make my iPhone act as a webcam, I used Kinoni’s EpocCam app and PC software. For video I used an iPhone XS Max because it has an awesome camera. Therefore, I began my journey with equipment already at hand. Dell is notorious for their “nostril” cameras, which are mounted below the screen. The Chain of Tools Environmentīuilt-in webcams typically produce terrible video (grainy, choppy, dark, and low resolution) and at the wrong angle. And at the end of the article is a collection of miscellaneous notes, tips, and tricks. Along the way I’ll also mention some alternative tools that I’ve experimented with, since they may suit your needs better. They are presented in a logical sequence: from the source to the destination. Below is more detail on each link in this chain of tools. OBS is just one “link” in the chain of tools used to create my desired output, and each software tool runs on a fairly beefy computer (see the end of article for details). The only “failure” I distinctly remember is for my doctor’s tele-medicine product, and that was because it would not let you choose an input device. So, I’m only “mostly positive” that it will work with Google Hangouts, Google Meet, and Discord. I’ve done so much testing that some of the results are fading into a memory fog. Instead of selecting my actual webcam as the input for my video-conferencing software, I set it to the virtual device named “OBS-Camera.” This technique works for Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Skype, Jitsi, and GotoMeeting. Therefore, I’ve installed the OBS plugin VirtualCam, which makes the OBS output look like a webcam to other programs. Since I’m not actually “broadcasting” or streaming (OBS is primarily for Twitch, YouTube, Facebook Live, etc.), I need something to convert the broadcast into a useable format. ![]()
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