Re: [OT] PC Video Conferencing - How ?

["haweste" <haweste@xxxxxxx>]

Sorry if you get two copies of this - 24 hours after posting it's 
still not appeared in my inbox, although it did appear on the web 
interface.

Tim H.

--- In ukha_d@y..., "Hawes,Timothy Edward (GEG)"
<haweste@a...> wrote:
> Apologies for the OT post but you guys are the best source of 
knowledge I
> know :-)
> 
> Here's what I want to do:
> There's a few periods when I'm going to be away from home and would
like to
> keep in touch with my family. I can get an local internet
connection
> wherever I'll be and it would appear that I can save a huge amount
on call
> charges if we converse over the 'net. The major problem is one of 
the PCs I
> intend to use is "getting on a bit". I can't replace it ATM
so I 
need to
> upgrade it to enable video conferencing.
> 
> AFAICS my options are to upgrade the Compaq's OS to Win98SE and use
either a
> USB camera (need a USB port expansion card), or my camcorder (need
Firewire
> card). The USB cameras I've seen appear to include VC software, 
would I need
> any special software to use my camcorder ?
> 
> Also, any suggestions as to which modem to buy for the Compaq ? 
Some state
> "video conferencing ready" or words to that effect, others
don't. 
Does it
> matter ?
> 
> What webcams / software should I get, and what should I avoid ?
> 
> Here's what I've currently got:
> ------------------------------------------
> Digital camcorder with Firewire out.
> 
> IBM Thinkpad laptop: 900 Mhz Pentium III, 512 Mb RAM, 20GB HDD, 
Win2K Pro,
> integrated modem, USB port, PCMCIA slots etc
> 
> 
> Compaq Prolinea:
> 100 Mhz Pentium II  (yeah I know, I know ;-)  )
> 4MB RAM (can be upgraded to 512MB IIRC, I'll need at least 128MB 
with the
> slow processor ?)
> 650 MB HDD
> Win 3.11
> No modem (see above)
> No USB ports (GBP ~17 from CPC)
> No Firewire (GBP ~30 from CPC)
> No CD ROM (say GBP 30)
> 
> 
> All comments welcome.
> 
> 
> Many thanks,
> 
> Tim H.
> 
> +

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