[NEC Avenue]

I'd like to get the Xbox videocam in the near future to videochat with some of my friends and family members so was wondering if any of you have had first hand experience with it. Is the resolution and performance pretty good?

This post has been edited by NEC Avenue: 09 March 2010 - 09:06 AM

[Jerome]

It has been a while since I've used it, but I have done video chat with my parents in the past, since my Dad has a 360. The resolution is decent, and the framerate was good. I didn't have any problems using it. The really nice thing is you can take the camera and also plug it into a PC and use it as a webcam on that too. Though when it's on your PC the resolution isn't too high. 320 x 240 maybe? I'm not quite sure. The box containing the video, when chatting on the 360, shows up bigger then on your computer.

[core238]

It's decent enough, I guess. Admittedly, I've gotten spoiled recently on PC by using Microsoft's LifeCam Cinema for video chat, which the Xbox 360 does not even come close to comparing - especially in low light. I picked that up on sale over the Holidays for just over $40.

I have not tried video conferencing mode on the Xbox 360 yet - I think you are supposed to be able to conference up to five different Xboxes (including yourself) in that mode. Not enough people on my friends list own the 360 camera to actually test that out.

I'd say, if you can pick one up on the cheap, or pick one up used, then go for it. After being spoiled by Livecam Cinema, I'm just wondering if video chat with Project Natal is going to be a better experience, than with the current 360 camera offers. No doubt leading up to the launch of Natal, the existing cam is very likely to be discontinued, if for no other reason than to prevent any confusion at retail about which camera does what.

If you can hold out, E3 is right around the corner. It may pay off just to wait and see the complete 411 of what is happening with Natal, than paying full price now on the existing cam, and then wishing you hadn't by the time E3 is over. I mean, if Natal's video chat capabilities do not impress, you can always go out and buy the current cam, with zero remorse over the purchase.

If you do get the current Xbox cam, then make sure you use it in a well lit room, as it does not handle low light very well. Also, color correction on this thing is terrible. Looks alright in a room with eggshell white walls, but if you ever get it in a room with more warm colors or natural tones, or even wood panel, then from my experience, it's going to distort the hell out of the color, no matter what setting you put it on.

[Jerome]

core238, on 10 March 2010 - 02:21 AM, said:

I have not tried video conferencing mode on the Xbox 360 yet - I think you are supposed to be able to conference up to five different Xboxes (including yourself) in that mode. Not enough people on my friends list own the 360 camera to actually test that out.

Come to think of it I haven't tried that either. Only 1 on 1 video chat. I'm not sure if there are any performance issues when you started adding more people, but one would hope it's fine, though as usual I'm sure it depends on your connection.

core238 said:

I'd say, if you can pick one up on the cheap, or pick one up used, then go for it. After being spoiled by Livecam Cinema, I'm just wondering if video chat with Project Natal is going to be a better experience, than with the current 360 camera offers. No doubt leading up to the launch of Natal, the existing cam is very likely to be discontinued, if for no other reason than to prevent any confusion at retail about which camera does what.

That's a real good point that I didn't even think of. One would assume... and hope... Microsoft would allow for Natal to work as your webcam, making the current Live Vision camera obsolete. Considering the Natal camera is suppose to pick up the subtle movements of the player, one would think it'd be a higher res camera and perhaps give you better quality video during chat. core238 did touch on one thing I forgot about, in that yes, the color reproduction leaves a LOT to be desired.

The only problem with waiting for Natal is the fact that it's coming out in the fall, right? If you can wait to at least hear more at E3 I'd do that (like core suggested). If you can find the camera cheap, and will just replace it with Natal down the road, that'd be fine... if you have no plans to get Natal then it'd make purchasing the current camera easier. I guess it depends on what you're thinking about doing.

EDIT: And don't forget you can use the camera to put your face on your Rainbow Six characters

This post has been edited by Jerome: 10 March 2010 - 08:38 AM

[NEC Avenue]

Thanks for the info and advice guys, very much appreciated. I think I will wait for E3 to see what's up with Natal. If my Xbox doesn't die before Natal launches I'll be getting the Natal console and selling my Xbox.

[whippingboy]

I agree- the vision cam is poorly supported and implemented. Did they add a feature for group video chat? (Where was I?) I've done 1:1 only and have been really disappointed at the poor support. Very few games use it at all. Quality frame rate is fine- but you'll probably need a USB extension cord to get it anywhere close to you. Most people have computers and a webcam is cheap. Use Skype instead with way better results.

[core238]

Jerome, on 10 March 2010 - 10:37 AM, said:

That's a real good point that I didn't even think of. One would assume... and hope... Microsoft would allow for Natal to work as your webcam, making the current Live Vision camera obsolete.

One would hope. One of the Natal promo reels they showed at E3, hinted at the idea, that Microsoft was at least tossing around the idea of a more interactive version of videochat. You can see it at 2:14 in the video. I don't know if we will get exactly that in the final product, but I like the idea they are taking the webcam concept, and at least attempting to integrate it into the LIVE experience, as something more interactive. I could see browsing Marketplace or Netflix with a friend of group of friends, where everyone gets an input into product selection. They could probably get real creative with it, and do something amazing that no one's really thought about yet with that type of functionality, but we will have to see.

Jerome, on 10 March 2010 - 10:37 AM, said:

Considering the Natal camera is suppose to pick up the subtle movements of the player, one would think it'd be a higher res camera and perhaps give you better quality video during chat.

I think I heard somewhere, that cameras they were using in the prototypes were pretty high resolution. Not HD, but much higher than the current webcam. If the final Natal winds up being 720p, I'm going to blow a wad. 720p is not out of the realm of possibility, it is just something that I want too much, and I don't want to feel let down if they do not deliver that.

Jerome, on 10 March 2010 - 10:37 AM, said:

EDIT: And don't forget you can use the camera to put your face on your Rainbow Six characters

Took more a bazillion tries (and two years after I beat the game) to get that to work right. It's a great idea for multiplayer, and would love to see more games us it. However, not with the current 360 cam. With higher resolution, 3D cameras that feature facial recognition, and can track 3D mocap in realtime, Natal should be able to pull off the same feature, not only with creating a better quality texture, but also a lot easier. Gone will be having to sit awkwardly in front of the camera, taking two mug shots - and then waiting forever to see if the two images matched up enough to create the texture. Replaced by a system capable of doing both the capture and creating the texture, in realtime.

If they can get Natal to do the face capture in that manner, they I really do hope this feature comes back in a big way for multiplayer games. Shooters would be obvious, but I can see where it would be cool in racers, and RPGs like Fallout or Mass Effect, where you create your own character. And best still, facial recognition, will keep people from taking a photo of their balls and putting them on their characters.

whippingboy, on 10 March 2010 - 07:53 PM, said:

I agree- the vision cam is poorly supported and implemented. Did they add a feature for group video chat? (Where was I?) I've done 1:1 only and have been really disappointed at the poor support.

I think it is supposed to be in there. I remember the tech for it was developed in Japan last-gen, but never was released anywhere outside of Japan until this gen. I know the Japanese version on the original Xbox, supported five person conferences. I think I remember somewhere the current version we have, was supposed to be an improved version of what was developed in Japan on Xbox 1.

If it is there, I've never been able to try it out.