Developments in technology have made it possible to use Android phones as a webcam. This eliminates the need to purchase a webcam if you currently do not have one. Using an Android phone as a webcam allows you to communicate via video in various platforms including Skype, Google Talk, Facebook and MSN too. Generally, if you have good connection, the quality of video and audio is as good as if you were using a standard webcam.
Find the Best Webcam
To get started, you need to ensure that your phone supports video functions and is connected to Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. Then, go ahead and choose the Android application that you would like to use to install the camera. Although you might find several applications, the best are IP Webcam, SmartCam, DroidCam.
Each of these applications has its advantages and disadvantages. For example, you might have a hard time installing IP Webcam application to work on Google Talk. Also, this application does not have an audio function. IP Webcam might consume more space on both the computer and mobile, than the other two applications. With the DroidCam, you cannot adjust features such as the resolution and the video format. SmartCam works using Bluetooth supports both audio and video functions and its video format and resolution are adjustable.
Overall, the three applications are the most functional and one of them should be able to work effectively on your phone. In addition, all these applications have a similar way of functioning to transform your phone to a webcam.
A computer client program hosts all three of these applications. As such, it is required that you download the application and install it before it can function properly. The process of downloading and installing either one of the applications on your computer prompts the computer to identify the application as a webcam that is usable in Google Talk, Skype and other platforms that use webcams for communication.
Once you download the application, open it and then look over the settings. You may choose to create a username and login password. If you are using the IP Webcam application, you may adjust the resolution, frame rate as well as the camera quality. Additionally, you may use the default port number 8080 or create your own number.
Navigate down to the bottom of the mobile page and then click on the “Start server” tab. This will allow you to preview the camera installation that appears on the background of the webpage. You will also have access to the IP Webcam application address that will appear at the Start tab of the application interface.
Next, head over to your computer (it should be connected to the internet) where you want to use the camera. Open the web browser and enter the port number as well as the IP address that you received upon downloading and installing the application on your Android device. You should be able to see the video streaming from your mobile phone if both the phone and the computer are well connected.
Now, the next step is to install and integrate the webcam application onto the Skype platform. From the web, download a plug-in that is compatible with the webcam application. When the plug-in installs you will need to enter the port number IP address and any login information that you may have created. This will mark the successful installation of the webcam and you should now be able to communicate as though you had a standard webcam. You might have to restart you computer for it to pick up the application but in most cases Skype should be able to pick up the application immediately it is installed.
Find the Best Webcam
To get started, you need to ensure that your phone supports video functions and is connected to Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. Then, go ahead and choose the Android application that you would like to use to install the camera. Although you might find several applications, the best are IP Webcam, SmartCam, DroidCam.
HOW TO : Use Android Phone as Webcam
Each of these applications has its advantages and disadvantages. For example, you might have a hard time installing IP Webcam application to work on Google Talk. Also, this application does not have an audio function. IP Webcam might consume more space on both the computer and mobile, than the other two applications. With the DroidCam, you cannot adjust features such as the resolution and the video format. SmartCam works using Bluetooth supports both audio and video functions and its video format and resolution are adjustable.
Overall, the three applications are the most functional and one of them should be able to work effectively on your phone. In addition, all these applications have a similar way of functioning to transform your phone to a webcam.
A computer client program hosts all three of these applications. As such, it is required that you download the application and install it before it can function properly. The process of downloading and installing either one of the applications on your computer prompts the computer to identify the application as a webcam that is usable in Google Talk, Skype and other platforms that use webcams for communication.
Installation Process
Once you download the application, open it and then look over the settings. You may choose to create a username and login password. If you are using the IP Webcam application, you may adjust the resolution, frame rate as well as the camera quality. Additionally, you may use the default port number 8080 or create your own number.
Navigate down to the bottom of the mobile page and then click on the “Start server” tab. This will allow you to preview the camera installation that appears on the background of the webpage. You will also have access to the IP Webcam application address that will appear at the Start tab of the application interface.
Next, head over to your computer (it should be connected to the internet) where you want to use the camera. Open the web browser and enter the port number as well as the IP address that you received upon downloading and installing the application on your Android device. You should be able to see the video streaming from your mobile phone if both the phone and the computer are well connected.
Now, the next step is to install and integrate the webcam application onto the Skype platform. From the web, download a plug-in that is compatible with the webcam application. When the plug-in installs you will need to enter the port number IP address and any login information that you may have created. This will mark the successful installation of the webcam and you should now be able to communicate as though you had a standard webcam. You might have to restart you computer for it to pick up the application but in most cases Skype should be able to pick up the application immediately it is installed.