Earlier quoted context omitted.
How would that work? Which application supports it? I don't know of a native way to do this.
VLC? OBS?
Where's the "call a friend" button in VLC?
Why webcams aren’t good enough
201–210 of 297 posts
Re: Why webcams aren’t good enough
#202Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm an amateur musician with a USB audio interface, several hundred dollars worth of microphones (though for office work, it's just the Shure SM27 condenser), and wired set of good headphones. And it is glorious. Until everyone got used to it, I got consistent compliments on the sound quality. You'll sound like a radio DJ. Because everything is wired, latency is minimal and a lot less of "okay, go head. No, go ahead.…
I always thought a headset is better than external mike as you can move around and dont get background noise. Is there a reason not to use a headset mic? Half my team use speakerphones and it drives me nuts.
The only concern I generally have with microphones for the vast majority of my life is music. Only recently have I concerned myself with the sound quality of online meetings. :) Meaning I'm not the best to ask, but maybe better than anyone else you know. But again, I think anything that's wired with microphone that doesn't have to deal with what comes out of speakers (feedback) is going to be a big improvement, even headsets. And moving around is a factor, as I'm leashed to my desk (though with a long enough headphone cable extension that I can work the resistance bands during long meetings). If I were worried about background noise, I could switch to a dynamic microphone.
Anyway, if you've got a headset you're happy with and no one complains, I'd just use that if it were me. Again, I've got the "good stuff" lying around already, so I just use that. I would not recommend anyone else go that road unless they have other uses for the gear.
Re: Why webcams aren’t good enough
#203The software in windows is terrible for logitech. On mac there are third party software that lets you adjust literally everything. And doing so I can make the C920 look just as good as my iPhone especially in good lightning.
Can you share the third-party software you are using? I hate my C920 right now. I'm already pale, and it makes me look on the edge of death in every call.
It’s literally called webcam settings in the App Store. Has a rainbow app icon.
Re: Why webcams aren’t good enough
#204Earlier quoted context omitted.
Can you share the third-party software you are using? I hate my C920 right now. I'm already pale, and it makes me look on the edge of death in every call.
Would also love to know, I use a C920 and the white balance is terrible even compared to my (worse in most other ways) Macbook Pro camera. I've seen people share config software for these on Windows but haven't seen anything that looks decent for Mac use.
It’s literally called webcam settings in the App Store. Has a rainbow app icon.
Re: Why webcams aren’t good enough
#205Earlier quoted context omitted.
You need a mic preamp somewhere in the signal chain. Sadly, many manufacturers have been pushing "USB mics", which bundle the preamp and an analog->digital converter into the mic body, and they've been very successful at marketing/selling these devices. I say sadly because these devices violate rule #1 of digital audio: there should only be 1 sample clock. The moment you start using these mics in combination with any…
Got any recommendations on "proper" audio interfaces which are reasonably affordable?
Not the OP but I've been very happy with Scarlett Focusrite, both for video calling and hobbyist-level guitar recording
Re: Why webcams aren’t good enough
#206Earlier quoted context omitted.
You need a mic preamp somewhere in the signal chain. Sadly, many manufacturers have been pushing "USB mics", which bundle the preamp and an analog->digital converter into the mic body, and they've been very successful at marketing/selling these devices. I say sadly because these devices violate rule #1 of digital audio: there should only be 1 sample clock. The moment you start using these mics in combination with any…
Got any recommendations on "proper" audio interfaces which are reasonably affordable?
More or less any USB interface that is less than 8 years old will work across all major operating systems. You will find lots for sale on EBay.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m...
More or less anything from Focusrite, Presonus will serve you well. They'll get the job done until you care about subtle details (which may never be necessary), and might still be fine even after that.
If you're using Linux, the only thing to be sure of is that the device is described as either (1) "class compliant" or (2) "works on iPads" or (3) both. Linux users have much to be grateful towards the iPad for, in particular the ban on drivers meant that USB audio interface makers really had to get their act together to ensure that their devices worked with a generic USB audio driver (just like the one on Linux).
Re: Why webcams aren’t good enough
#207Earlier quoted context omitted.
No, "Enable HD" does absolutely nothing.
If you're on a Mac you may be able to pipe it through CamTwist. I can add more info if you're interested but would take some work to dig up.
No, Linux. I think I have found out how to use gphoto2 and a direct usb link instead of the capture card, which may fix it, but that'll have to run on my main computer, not my slow laptop.
I'd love to be able to tell the v4l driver for the usb capture card to just not offer the 640*480 resolution. That would fix it in a better way. Anyone have any ideas how to do that?
Re: Why webcams aren’t good enough
#208Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm an amateur musician with a USB audio interface, several hundred dollars worth of microphones (though for office work, it's just the Shure SM27 condenser), and wired set of good headphones. And it is glorious. Until everyone got used to it, I got consistent compliments on the sound quality. You'll sound like a radio DJ. Because everything is wired, latency is minimal and a lot less of "okay, go head. No, go ahead.…
I always thought a headset is better than external mike as you can move around and dont get background noise. Is there a reason not to use a headset mic? Half my team use speakerphones and it drives me nuts.
> I always thought a headset is better than external mike…
It is, because users don't have to worry about mic technique or having a studio-quality room.
Re: Why webcams aren’t good enough
#209Earlier quoted context omitted.
I've always been amazed that Apple did the camera bulge. I'm quite sure that an iPhone not being able to lay flat on a table without wobbling would have caused Steve Jobs to throw it at whoever designed it.
Well, according to this random article I didn't fully read and just now searched for to justify the rest of my sentence's unfounded speculation ( https://www.businessinsider.com/iphone-case-survey-2014-7?op... ), the vast majority of phone users put cases around their phones, so perhaps the opinion is that the bulge is negligible at this point, and the pursuit of thinness is in part to accommodate users with cases.
The problem is that if you assume case-usage in the design, then the whole thing about it being physically premium materials, smoothly rounded corners and such stops making sense -- you're going to shove it in rubber anyways. The only thing that matters then is the screen itself, and maybe the hardware buttons (eg volume controls)
Re: Why webcams aren’t good enough
#210Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm an amateur musician with a USB audio interface, several hundred dollars worth of microphones (though for office work, it's just the Shure SM27 condenser), and wired set of good headphones. And it is glorious. Until everyone got used to it, I got consistent compliments on the sound quality. You'll sound like a radio DJ. Because everything is wired, latency is minimal and a lot less of "okay, go head. No, go ahead.…
How do you connect all this to the computer? A typical PC has a single TRSS analog socket. Do you use some USB interface that accept a separate microphone and a separate headphones jacks? If you do, any advice on what to look for and what to avoid?
Motu M2 works like a charm.