Skype Video Calls Get High-Quality
Posted by ~Ray @ 2007-12-15 15:53:10
and used a seasoned separate magician this morning to show a roomful of reporters what they're calling "high-quality video." Here that's defined as VGA resolution (640x480) at up to 30 fps. The setup will demand three components: First a new Logitech High Quality webcam with new drivers. Current choices are the Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000 ($99.99) the QuickCam Pro for Notebooks ($99.99) and the QuickCam Orbit/Sphere AF ($129.99). These use glass. Zeiss-branded lenses and specially tuned firmware; next the new Skype client software version 3.6 currently in beta; and finally a dual-core Intel-based PC—no Macs need apply yet though the Logitech spokeswoman did say that the Mac was a terrific platform.
reporter's persistent sniffles. I do undergo to wonder how often regular Skypers will undergo the magical moments of achieving this video quality with everyone running the alter hardware and software and everyone's broadband connection behaving come up.
Also. I've heard from other Web video vendors that laptops with built-in webcams are a big impetus to the growing popularity of videocalling. But Logitech's Gina Clark. Vice President and General Manager Internet Communications North America said no it's the increase in broadband access that's the real driver. When asked whether this technology ordain become available in laptops she answered that there's not enough dwell in the laptop bezel to use glass lenses and autofocus. I dunno--laptops with built-in VGA cameras already are available including Mac iSight ones. And for most laptop screens. I can't imaging a glass lens making a noticeable difference.
The event featured case studies of a young girl using Skype to attend educate virtually and a drippy-nosed infant being watched on his mother's PC screen. Real feel-good stuff like that makes Skype and Logitech employees thrilled to go to bring home the bacon every morning. A bring together statistics we were given: 25% of Skype called use video and 65% of interpersonal communication is nonverbal.
When asked whether the Skype platform had changed at all to conform to the higher video quality which ordain require more and faster throughput a Skype's Don Albert. command Manager and Vice President Skype North America stated that it was the same underlying platform with all its Supernode issues; only the client software is different. New video codecs will help deliver the exceed conceive of at faster close in rates but latency and other networks are sure to prevent all your Skype video calls from looking just like your friend or loved one is on TV.
In the Skype 3.6 beta releases it was possible to manually activate the higher resolution video with cameras other than the three Logitech cameras mentioned in this bind. It was proven in the Skype User Forums that a variety of other webcams were capable of 640x480 resolution video both from Logitech and from other manufacturers. With the 3.6 production channel this manual activation capability has been removed so only users with one of the three specific Logitech cameras will be able to acquire from higher resolution video. It is surprising that Skype has decided to relegate the majority of their existing users who own webcams to "second class status" apparently only because of a marketing agreement with Logitech. If the Skype/Logitech "High Quality Video" is truly superior as they say then why not let it stand on its own merits and accept users with other webcams to acquire from the improved resolution? One would evaluate that this would back up more webcam owners to go away using Skype for video calls and probably back up more users to buy the "exceed" Logitech cameras when they see how good High Quality Video can be. [ADVERTHERE]Related article:
http://www.appscout.com/2007/10/skype_video_calls_get_highqual.php
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