webcams?

[KangaMummy]

I am NOT thinking of getting one

BUT ............

I was just wondering if anyone has one and how often do you use it?

Is it just if communicating with friends, relatives a long way away or do you have it on all the time?

Do you tidy the room before using it?

Do you dress smartly when using it?

there is no particular reason for asking just being NOSEY !!!!

Oooo shudder no. And I consider myself fairly technologically literate and an early adopter, etc. When I want people to share my world I take photos and carefully choose which ones I have on display!

ohh no!!
MIL suggested that we had one so that she could see the kids whenever she wanted!!!! When I picked myself up off the floor I suggested that that would be a very BAD idea!! Cheek of it or what!!?

Incidentally, I think webcams have some EXCELLENT uses:

a) in sites of ecological/environmental interest. There's a Mount St Helens webcam, for instance, which is fascinating. And there are some Kenyan Safari webcams etc.

b) Highly secure webcams for checking up on your kids in a nursery. I would have loved ds1 to have gone to a nursery where I could check up on him periodically during the day when the staff wouldn't necessarily be aware that I was watching!

c) Silly street webcams/public places - there was one I watched which was on a road somewhere in London. I dunno, but somehow tuning in to see how many white vans passed in 5 minutes was quite therapeutic for some bizarre reason.

But webcam in my own home? No way.

We're planning to get webcams so we can talk and see ds1 via computer. He lives in Los Angeles so home visits are few and far between. I hope webcams have an on/off button so I don't have to be filmed when I'm looking my Haggis MacBaggis best!!

lol at both of you

Yes georginaA I think they are all good uses for webcams but I agree with both of you I would never have one in house

yes suedonim I think that would be brill for you
and DS

I think if my DS was away from home I would want one then but he is only 9 so a while to go yet.

Ah good point, suedonim. Yes, they do have an on/off - make sure the one you have has a light or a switch on the unit though. A friend of mine had hers software controlled and didn't realise that her husband switched it on then sent an instant message to all her friends giving them the URL. She couldn't work out how everyone was guessing what sweater she had on that day

lol at georgina's friend

we have a web cam in the house, had it about a year.
My parents don't live in the UK so it's been a fantastic way for them to see dd! We use it a couple of times a week, dd is just getting the hang of sitting on my lap and talking to Nanny. I don't clean the house or myself.......it's only my family of course! It's only on when we connect with each other, and we set a date to have our 'chats'.It's been a great purchase.

Can see real benefits to those of you who have long distance family. Mil is 100 miles away!! (thought that I'd better add this in case you thought that I was being nasty to her!!)

Yes - we have one too. Great for keeping in touch with bro in Florida, family in N Ireland, and other faraway friends. Wouldn't be without it, even though we don't use it that often, it's great when we do. Don't tidy up though - my friends and family know me well enough!

Lol at the sweater!!

Family is miles away too and we have discussed getting one for 'chats'. Do you find there is a terrible delay. Did you get a cheapy or one of the more expensive ones?

FIL is in NZ, so we use if for him. Other family are 2 1/2 hours away so also good for them every now and then. DD1 is 26 months so she still doesnt really know whats going on but will be great when she is older and cheaper than phone calls to NZ

you need broadband (both houses) otherwise there is a terrible delay. also need a decent sound card. We didn't spend a lot on ours - about £40 and it's been fine. It's made by 'CREATIVE' and we bought it off an internet site.

We have a webcam and use to connect to long distance families. The kids love it and have a great time waving at themselves and relatives. GeorginaA, did'nt know about the Mount st Helens thing or secret cam, do now though . Only thing is the sound from ours on the recipiants end is crap. It only cost us £20 in the sale. My Sister has one with a seperate microphone and it's like listening to her face to face the sound quality is that good. Ours sound like we're on megaphone apparantly.

but flik - isn't it the quality of your speakers affecting how your sister sounds....so you must have good speakers if she sounds really clear. Mum and dad need to upgrade their soundcard - they say we cut in and out a lot

To be honest I don't really understand how it works. Our computer is brand new and we had it made up for us so I think our speakers are in built. When we talk to them I can hear us on a delay and it sounds terrible. We bought a cheapie webcam as we did'nt know if we would get any use out of it, but we do use it alot so perhaps will invest in a new one. Any recomendations?

we have one for long distant relatives. We don;t use it that often, you need to set up a joint time to be online and then choose to switch on. When we bought it we were advised to get one with an integral mike, otherwise you have more money and hassle setting up a seperate mike. None of us have broad band, and my parents have a very slow connection, so we do get a delay, and not always better than the phone.

BUT we discovered early on that you can make short videos using your webcam, and then email them (the programme condenses the amount of information, so it doesn't take to long to send or receive. We have used it loads to take photos or short (30 second) videos of ds and send them to family and friends, really good when you live far away. We are also building up a little file of video clips for ds when he is older. Great because you can video him for 10 minutes, and then cut and edit 30 seconds of him being cute. It has got much harder since he is bigger and wants to see how the camera works!