By Ishant Gupta
Webcam can just not be used for video chat, but can be put to use for many other purposes like creating fun video zones, photo effects, motion detection, live video streaming, and time lapse videos and for many other wide range of applications.
Empower your
Webcam
Detect Infrared
light with a webcam
Infrared lights which are invisible to a naked eye can be seen with
the help of most of the webcams and smartphone cameras. In this context, the
webcams can be used to check whether an infrared remote control is working
properly or not. Many of the webcams use infrared LEDs for their source of
light, making them to be used also as a night vision camera.
Software based
motion capture
If there is a PC, a webcam and a stable broadband connection with you,
then you can take photograph or video by setting up the webcam. To make it
happen, you need is some free software like Yawcam( visit www.yawcam.com for it). Yawcam works with
Windows 7, Windows vista and Windows XP operating system. Additionally when the
motion is detected, options are available to adjust the sensitivity. Linux
users can also access this site, www.lavrsen,dk
for getting software for motion detection.
Web based video
surveillance
Yawcam can also be used for video surveillance but there is also other
choice in the form of Go-to-Camera (visit www.gotocamera.com)
which can be used for surveillance. After logging in to your account with Go-to-Camera site (register with the site, if you are a
new user), you can use the web camera to access live snapshot. These snapshots
can also be viewed in mobile phone browsers, as they are compatible with mobile
phone browsers. You can also visit www.ugolog.com
for enjoying the services of video surveillance.
Record videos
To use the fun webcam effects, one can visit sites like Picanom (visitwww.picanom.com) and Cameroid (www.cameroid.com). The advantages of these
sites are that they provide online services, without the need to download and
install any additional softwares for fun webcam effects. While using these
sites, the only thing to be taken care of is to check if the webcam is
connected properly and to allow the site to access flash when it requests for.
Apart from these sites, you can also visit Manycam (www.manycam.com). Manycam offers different
avatars of myriad options, background effects and accessories. With all these services available, you can
use the webcam to its fullest in enjoying these applications.
Instant live
streaming
There are many sites that provide free services of live streaming,
using which you can see live stream videos of more than one people at the same
time. When you successfully create account with these sites, you will get a
webpage (it will have a link) dedicated to you, which will host your live
channel. When you want to share your live streaming videos with your friends,
the only thing you have to is to provide them with the link of this live
channel webpage, through which they can see you live.
The advantage of these sites is that, the viewer’s require no sign in
and they can also directly live chat with the broadcasters. There are few sites
like ustream.tv, justin.tv, livestream.com which provide free services that
support live streaming videos involving more number of people.
Time lapse video
If you click multiple photographs at a regular interval and when you
create a video by merging all these photographs, it will appear as if the time
is passing quickly illustrating that even still photography appears like a
video. This effect is said as time lapse video. One can download free software,
Flix (visit www.nimisis.com/software.php)
and install it to use this feature.
