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The biggest issue with webcams is the image quality. Webcams measure their resolution in pixels. You can find webcams with resolutions of as few as 100,000 pixels and webcams with millions of pixels. Most people who use webcams agree that 1.3 million pixels (megapixels) is pretty much the highest resolution quality you can use before your video becomes so large it will bog down even a broadband connection.

The next issue with webcams is the frame rate, that is, the number of times the camera “takes your picture” each second. Higher frame rates make for smoother video; 30 frames per second is considered the best. A good camera with a high megapixel resolution and fast frame rate will provide you with excellent video conferencing capabilities. Figure 18-39 shows the author using his headset to chat via webcam using Skype software.

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NOTE Read more about pixels and frame rates in Chapter 19, “Video.”

Most people who use online video also want a microphone. Many cameras come with microphones, or you can use your own. Those who do a lot of video chatting may prefer to get a camera without a microphone and then buy a good quality headset with which to speak and listen.

Many cameras now can track you when you move, to keep your face in the picture—a handy feature for fidgety folks using video conferencing! This interesting technology recognizes a human face with little or no “training” and rotates its position to keep your face in the picture. Some companies even add funny extras, which, although not very productive, are good for a laugh (Figure 18-40).

Almost all webcams use USB connections. Windows comes with a limited set of webcam drivers, so always make sure to install the drivers supplied with the camera before you plug it in. Most webcams use Hi-Speed USB, so make sure you’re plugging your webcam into a Hi-Speed USB port.

Figure 18-39 Video chatting by webcam with Skype

Figure 18-40 This webcam program’s animated character mirrors your movements as you conference with friends or coworkers.

Once the camera’s plugged in, you’ll need to test it. All cameras come with some type of program, but finding the program can be a challenge. Some brands put the program in the system tray, some place it in My Computer, others put it in the Control Panel—and some do all three! Figure 18-41 shows the Control Panel applet that appeared when I installed the webcam driver.

Figure 18-41 Camera Settings applet

The biggest challenge to using webcams is getting your webcam applications to recognize that your webcam is available and configured for use. Every program does this differently, but conceptually the steps are basically the same (with plenty of exceptions):

1. Tell the program you want to use a camera.

2. Tell the program whether you want the camera to turn on automatically when you chat.

3. Configure the image quality.

4. Test the camera.

If you’re having problems with a camera, always go through the general I/O problems first, as this will clear up most problems. If you’re still having trouble getting the camera to work in a program, be sure to turn off all other programs that may be using the camera. Windows allows only one program at a time to use a webcam.

Specialty I/O Devices

The CompTIA A+ certification exams want to make sure you’re aware of four other types of I/O devices: biometric scanners, bar code readers, touch screens, and KVM (keyboard, video, mouse) switches. Let’s look at these fairly specialized devices.

Biometric Devices

If you look up biometrics on the popular Wikipedia Web site, you’ll get the following definition: “Biometrics (ancient Greek: bios = ‘life,’ metron =‘measure’) is the study of automated methods for uniquely recognizing humans based upon one or more intrinsic physical or behavioral traits.” (The quote might differ from what you find because Wikipedia changes pretty frequently, but the gist should be the same.)

The field of biometrics also encompasses a number of security devices, such as door locks and security cameras,