Ask A Geek

Q: I am considering getting a Panasonic BL-C131A webcam and want to make sure I am understanding the specs. It says it connects via Ethernet, which I can plug into my router. Does that mean I am able to use it for video broadcasting of myself through websites and be able to use it on messenger? I don’t want to spend more than a whole paycheck if its just a surveillance camera that I don’t need.

Q: I have an IP camera the IQInvision 855 and it sends out jpeg images. I need a server program for Windows that will grab these images from the camera and make the streaming images available on my website. Anyone know of a good server program that can handle this?

Q: Can you help me figure out why my computer freezes when I use my webcam for video chat. I’ve tried my laptop and my desktop, and both freeze. My daughter says she doesn’t have that problem when she video chats with other people.

Q: Does anyone have a suggestion for a semi-picky webcam user? I need an indoors, limited light webcam for use on a java website. I need it to have a remote control with pan, tilt and optical zoom of at least 4x. It also needs to be wireless, but that is only 75% critical. Something non-intrusive and easy to place. I want to temporarily mount it on my monitor, on top of the TV, desk, or wall near ceiling. I am not looking for night vision or anything rugged. I understand I am asking for high end equipment but I do have a limited budget. Hope someone can help me out on this.

Q: I need to communicate with video and audio via skype on a regular basis. I have a Dell Inspiron laptop that I use on a daily basis. Still, I consider myself not to be very electronic-savy. Therefore, I would like a webcam that is easy to use, with a built-in microphone and camera. What are your suggestions?

Q: I have a Q-see DVR card surveillance system. I want to remote access it but I do not have a static IP address and I can not get one. I was wondering, is there another option? Like maybe using yahoo messenger through the webcam? I don’t know how to channel the camera to yahoo webcam though if this is an option.

Q: I just recently bought a new logitech quickcam for my 2003 gateway which has been working fine. Upon putting in the install disk, nothing came up. I proceeded to click “Run” from the start menu and brought up the “D” drive. It displayed everything on the install disk so I tried clicking on it that way. Still, nothing came up. My computer runs on Windows XP. Why is this happening and what can I do?

Q: What Windows webcam software can I use that will show my desktop without being slow and laggy?

Q: I recently loaded software from a Zonet USB web camera and crashed a laptop. I can’t get Windows to open at all using the black screen that offers several ways to open the computer. What I want to do is open Windows and remove the bad program, but I can’t. The computer goes on in safe mode. I don’t know what to do in safe mode when the screen is all black with no Windows Icons. How can I get Windows back working?

Q: The equipment I currently have is:
- Blackberry Storm Phone/PDA with internet access.
- 12v LCD HDTV installed down inside the cabin of my sailboat

-  Webcam or? – I am currently trying to search for the right outdoor Pan/Tilt/Zoom webcam for what I want to be able to do.  I don know the following about the camera:
- The webcam needs to be a wireless Pan/Tilt/Zoom remote control camera (remote controlled via hand held remote and via internet) because it will be installed 20′ up the mast of my boat
- 12v power will be available to the webcam but nothing else.
- The camera must also have night vision or very low light vision.
- I will need to connect to the camera via my blackberry storm internet connection

What I want to be able to do has two separate situations:
Situation 1. I am out to sea on the boat.  In this case I want to be able to:
a.  Have the wireless streaming video transmitted by the webcam go to my HDTV screen wirelessly (think I can have a wireless video receiver that plugs into the TV cause I have seen some cameras that have this)
b. without a pc onboard the boat and without the blackberry storm I need to be able to adjust the PTZ of the camera (hand held remote control for this)

Situation 2:  (this is the tough part).  I am back in port with my boat in the slip and power still available to the webcam.  I am at home and home is not where the boat is.
a.  I want to be able to connect to the webcam over my Blackberry storm internet connection and view the webcam streaming video AND to be able to control the PTZ on the camera to see different PTZ views using my blackberry storm internet connection to it.  It would also be nice to be able tether the blackberry storm to my PC when I am at home and view the streaming video on my PC screen.

Now for the questions:
1. What kind of webcam do I need to buy i.e. what capabilities does it need to have to do what I want to do?

I am very confused looking at the webcams available. Some say they have an IP server built in and I don’t need a PC.  Others advertise the ability to connect over a mobile pda etc.
2. How do I have to set this up in terms of an internet network connection to my blackberry storm?
3.  To connect to the webcam using my blackberry storm do I need to have an internet connection at the boat for the webcam to go to first and then to my blackberry or can the webcam with its IP address go directly to the mobile phone network and then to by blackberry?  Very confusing as I am not a tech geek, just a person who wants certain capabilities.  Can you guys figure this out and tell me exactly what I need to buy for a camera and how to set it all up?  I am lost here in a sea of available cameras and technology but don’t know what I really need and how to do what I want to do with the least cost.

Thanks for your valuable time in just reading this.  I thought if anyone could figure this out you guys could.  I cannot seem to with my limited IT knowledge.

IP Internet Security Infrared Night Vision Ethernet Camera w/Pan & Tilt Control

The Sentinel Professional, Pan-Tilt-Zoom, Indoor/Outdoor Home Security Camera

PANASONIC BB-HCM371A OUTDOOR WIRELESS PTZ (PAN/TILT/ZOOM) NETWORK CAMERA WITH 2-WAY AUDIO, MJPEG, IEEE 802.11G

Grandtec Wireless IP WiFi Webcam Pan/ Tilt Camera PTZ