I just got a Logitech QuickCam Pro for Notebooks and it looks great.
The cam is very small, has only a 3 ft. cable. I had to get a USB extension cable.
QuickCam Pro 9000 may be even better for a weather cam positioning, it is the same high quality optics, but has a 6ft. cord and a different housing.
I am posting this information for anybody looking for a sub $100 cam, either of these might be the one to get.
The image quality is outstanding. It has auto focus, but you can manually set it in the driver settings if you want. If you are just using it for a weather cam with Weather-Display webcamcapture.exe you can just install the driver only. You do not need to install the complete software. It gives you these options at time of install if you select advanced install.
I recommend downloading the current software from the logitech web site and install it before plugging in the cam. The software on the install CD is outdated.
I tried out a Microsoft LifeCam VX-6000 and it was no good at all for looking outdoors. The clouds were easily bleached out and some trees in the foreground were always too dark. None of the settings would correct these issues. (Not recommended)
I also tried out a Creative WebCam Live Ultra, the image was so so, better than the Microsoft LifeCam VX-6000, but the problem was the cam would go black sometimes after a reboot requiring the driver to be uninstalled/reinstalled. (Not recommended).
It certainly makes a difference thats for sure.
I found that with the RightLight it actually shows the outside as light longer, does that make sense?
erm, you get longer daylight for the images, when mine shows the image below its actually black outside
Mine is at 352x288 but i have now set it to 640x480 but i am sure i loose out on quality due to it being on
a 30 meter cable and a USB 1.1 extender, so i am loosing out big time, but i will see what its like tomoz
The only bit you need to remember, i take it you have the logitech software installed?
if the camera drops out for any reason and you need to start it again, you will need to untick and re tick the
right light setting again, dont ask, i dont know, lol also you need to have the Auto focus off (thats if you have that)?
In case anyone is interested in getting the Quickcam 9000, Staples has the Quickcam pro 9000 for Notebooks for $99 with a $50 mail in rebate for a net of $49.99. Not sure if it also applies to the other 9000 model. This lasts until the 26th. Next cheapest I see is $75 from Amazon and some other places.
Steve
Staples has this camera for 100$ with a 50$ rebate. Online they show they are out of stock but I called local and they had 2. The guy told me it wasn’t a floor stocked Item (That makes me wonder if they are doing away with the 9000?)
Well finally bit the bullet and got the Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000.
Setup was a breeze, closed WDwebcamcapture, unplugged VX-6000, installed Pro 9000 software and plugged the cam in and boom was back up and running again
I am using Manual Focus and maybe not 100% perfect I like it so far, the real test will come at night time as all the VX-6000 gave me was a pure black picture…
The pro 9000 is better at dusk and dawn thats for sure
At 6pm tonight i think it was the Basic cam was pitch black where the
pro 9000 was still showing daylight quite well.
If theres some light then it should pick it up, mine picks up the street lights
bouncing off the low clouds but not brilliantly, you can make out the trees
and the mast if im lucky…
Just dont try to using it over Remote Desktop if its streaming video you will
kill it
Bob - did you do that between 7am and 9am today - the two pics are decidedly different!! A lovely day down in Florida!! My friends in IA and Aardvark have snow today and 28deg.
I switched the cams between 12 Noon and 1 PM ET and yes definite difference between the VX-6000 and the Pro 9000, I will never buy another MS VX cam I will tell you that…
You running your life cam with WD WebCam Capture and Vista by chance?
I have (had) the VX-6000 too and never could get it to run right.
I’ve got the Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000 now.
I ran the MS VX-6000 on a Vista machine for my Backyard cam for a bit and other then occasional, unexplained stopages of the cam, it ran fine but since I have placed the Logitech Pro 5000 in place of that cam I have had No Problems at all.
I really think that the MS web cams have a ways to go to catch up with Logitech…
I wasn’t aware of any issues no, and right now 7:30 ish AM ET it all seems fine?
Last night was crystal clear dark night, no clouds to reflect light and not much of a moon but the full picture wasn’t completely black and I expect that with any clouds and/or more moon it will do far better then the VX-6000 did.
