Fun With Netcams!
May 13, 1998
By Jerry Day
We've been covering netcams all week, showing you how to set one up and giving you tips on looking good, whether you're using the 3Com BigpictureTM kit or your home video camera. The next question is, "What do I do with this thing?"
Of course, the best use for your netcam is to call us here at Call For Help, but you can also use it for videoconferencing with friends and family. You can even make new friends by checking out the VDO ( http://www.vdo.net/ ) or NetMeeting centers.
Netcams aren't just for live encounters. VDO makes a program called VDOMail, which lets you send video email or audio postcards to your friends. But make them short, because even a 10-second message can make for a very large download.
You can also create your own home movies, if you have the right software. The 3Com BigpictureTM kit comes with Asymetrix Digital Video Producer 4.0, for example. You can use this software to grab single frames of video and either print them out or place them on a webpage.
One of the most common ways people use their netcam is as a spycam. We've got a few right here at the techtv studios; you can check them out at interact. There's thousands of spycams accessible via the Web, showcasing everything from fishbowls to the Pakistani skyline. Recently, the particularly enterprising have come up with more practical applications. For instance, you can monitor your children at the day-care center without having to leave your office. Or, you can set up your own spycam in the kids' room or trained on the cookie jar in the kitchen so you can keep an eye on what the little ones are up to as you work in your home office.
And lest we forget a more mundane but infinitely practical use for your netcam: use it to make a video archive of all your possessions for your home insurance needs.
From techtv.com/callforhelp
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