Once I bought a wireless mouse from dollarama. Instead of a functional on/off switch the plastic was just kind of a mold where the switch ought to have been (and was labeled). But it was all one contiguous piece of abs plastic. Like a prop or something. I didn't take it apart but it seemed to have electronics and everything inside it. You just couldn't turn it on. Very weird. I kept it for a long time, partly because it is a very funny thing and partly out of self doubt, thinking one day I'd solve the puzzle. But it was certainly an error in manufacturing, not my abilities. I guess they forgot.
Last week I was in Dollarama and saw they had a webcam with a built-in
microphone for $5.00 (plus tax) under the name "WORK FROM HOME WITH
VIVITAR". I bought it, it works, but... The images from the camera are
clear, but the resolution is ... not so good (640 x 480). The
connector for the camera is USB 2.0.
The built-in microphone has a 3.5 audio plug (which I didn't test). So
this means you will need an microphone input connector on you computer
to use the microphone, If you want to use this was a computer without
a microphone connector (yes, I am looking at you Raspberry Pi
computers) you will also need the likes of a USB sound card, or put
another way you will need two USB ports to fully support this webcam
if your computer doesn't have a microphone jack built in. Also, adding
even a low-end USB sound card would more than double the cost of this
set-up...
The camera base is designed to clip over the top of an LCD monitor, if
you want to use this camera on a desktop or on a tripod you will have
to jury-rig something.
I can see some use cases for a $5 webcam, put it in a somewhat
dangerous place where you know the camera might get damaged or
destroyed, sure, no great loss if things go to @#$%. Need a back-up
webcam in case your good webcam fails, sure it is better than nothing
(but not by a lot). Want to dabble with home security systems, or
simple robots, yes this could be fine to get started with. As a
day-in/day-out video conference webcam with "important" people, NO!!!!
As I see it this webcam is a decent value for the $, just so few $
that you should pay attention to the camera's ... limitations.
Colin.
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Description: GTALUG Talk