A video call is a phone call that allows you to see the person on the other end of the line as you're talking. It's common in the conference rooms of major companies, but it is also available for individual home users. You have a number of options, just keep in mind that both you and the person you want to call need sign up for the service you choose for mutual video calling.
Skype The Skype video call service is a free service that allows you to call and view people live from your computer. You just need a webcam and computer or a videophone device. Create an account and download the Skype calling software to get started. Connect the camera device to your computer and follow the setup instructions to configure it with the software so that you can place calls at the same time your image displays on the screen.
http://www.skype.com/intl/en-us/features/allfeatures/video-call/ SightSpeed from Logitech SightSpeed, a service of Logitech, is a paid service available for both consumers and businesses. The consumer version allows you to place calls using a special, streamlined video calling software program called Logitech Vid. Sign up for an account, download the software, connect your webcam when prompted, and place calls directly from the software using a headset. You can add friends and their photos to your Logitech Vid account to call someone in a simple click. b>
http://www.logitech.com/en-us/349/5788?pcid=5787 Oovoo Oovoo allows you to place calls online while transmitting your video image to the other person. Two-way chats are free, or you can sign up for a monthly paid plan to add more participants (ideal for a small business). Download the Oovoo software, connect and configure your webcam and click the "Call" button. With this service, if the other caller doesn't have the Oovoo software or an account, he can call you from his browser instead. Send an invite for video chat to your friends from the program. b>
http://www.oovoo.com/HowToooVooItem.aspx?pname=HowToooVooWebVideoCall Yahoo! Messenger Another free option for video calls is Yahoo! Messenger. This service is well known for text chatting, but also links directly with your webcam to deliver your video feed to your Yahoo! instant messenger screen. Use the Yahoo! Messenger software with a headset to place a call to your friend, who should have the same setup in order to receive video calls.
http://messenger.yahoo.com/ b>
Change the Settings on a Logitech Quickcam Double-click on your Logitech Quickcam icon. This is generally one of your desktop icons. You can also click your Start menu option on the lower left of your screen and choose it from your list of programs. Click "Camera settings" on the right of the new window that comes up. You can also get to the camera settings by clicking "Quick capture" and then clicking the arrow on the far right. Choose which settings you want to work with first. You will have the option of Video and Audio. The video option controls the picture while the audio option controls the sound. Go back to your main window and click "Quick capture." This will activate your webcam and allow you to view what it will look like as you adjust the different settings. Move the bar back and forth on the Brightness, Contrast and Saturation. Do these one at a time while viewing the image on your webcam until you are satisfied with the quality of the picture. Click and un-click your Low Light Boost and Color Boost options to see which, if either, is needed to make your picture quality what you desire. You can turn these on and off based on the lighting of the room at the time. Click on your Audio option once you are satisfied with your picture quality. A check mark will appear if the volume is at a good level. If you choose to reset it, click the Configuration option. Follow the steps on the Configuration Wizard once you select the Configuration option. The wizard will walk you through testing the sound on your webcam to ensure quality during live webcam chats.
Use Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000 b> Install the software first by inserting the CD into your drive and then following the directions. When prompted, plug the USB cable into any USB port of your computer. Position the camera so it shows the best image of you and captures the best sound quality of your voice. Though this is typically at the top, center of your monitor, the device should not be more than three feet away from you. Test the audio reception. When you first start the camera, an "Audio Tuning Wizard" dialogue appears so you can adjust the sound quality and test audio settings. When you finish going through this dialogue, your QuickCam is ready to use. Run the QuickCam software to display the QuickCam bar. This software must be running before you can use external applications that require the camera or microphone. Preview how external applications would display QuickCam images by clicking on the first button. The "QuickCapture" dialogue appears and shows what the camera is seeing in real-time. To test still images or video, click the "Take Photo" or "Record Video" buttons respectively. Use as much light as possible when filming yourself. Though the RightLight technology does improve the picture, it tends to slow down the frame rate. You can prevent this by evenly lighting your self as brightly as you can. Listen to the sound quality of the microphone by connecting earphones to your PC and then speaking in a normal level. You should be able to hear your voice without any distortions. Adjust settings as needed by clicking on the fourth gear button to display the "Settings" dialogue. Improve the sound by clicking the "Audio Settings" tab. Then increase the volume and enable "Suppress Background Noise." If you are hearing an echo during web conversations, enable "Cancel Echo." Improve the video frame rate if it is slow by clicking the "Webcam" tab and running off "Face Tracking." Then click the third "RightLight Settings" tab and disable "Use Automatic RightLight Settings." Play with the video effects by first running an external phone or messaging program such as Skype or Google Chat. Then click on the second masks button on the QuickCam bar to display the "Video Effects" dialogue. Click an effect or filter until it appears at the top of the dialogue. Then click on the green play button to apply it to the video image of the external program. (These effects do not affect the image in the "QuickCapture" dialogue.) To stop the filter, click the red stop button on the top of the "Video Effects" dialogue. Try out the privacy shade by clicking the third shade button to display the "Privacy Shade" dialogue. This replaces the QuickCam video in an external program with a picture.
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