Sharp's Internet Viewcam Size Matters


Sharp's Internet Viewcam Size Matters - Page 2

Sharp's Internet Viewcam - Size Matters...

 

Sharp IVC - Use & Abuse!

OK folks, I never said this wouldn't get ugly... :-P

The following movie clip is posted in two formats, "Fine" and "Normal" quality. The normal quality clip is 500K and the fine quality clip is 1.5MB. A Codec will automatically download from Microsoft when you open this file for the first time. This will update your Windows Media Player to handle ASF clips, if it isn't already.

 

1.55MB Fine Recording

500K Normal Recording

Normal mode is intended for emails and quick transport over the net. Fine mode is good for broadcasts on web pages etc.

 


 
Wow... Don't quit my day job, huh? No, I am not TRYING to do "stand-up" either! :-)

The camera comes with an LCD display for viewing your target and also navigating through the camera set up menu that is built in. You can set the camera to record in different quality/compression modes as well as set backlighting etc. It is a very intuitive and easy camera to use, I hardly even picked up the manual during the tests.
 

 Software and Tools

Sharp bundles a number of tools in with the camera. Their editing software, called "PixLab" works well and allows you to convert your files, with the "Bit Rate Adapter", from "Super Fine" to a "Long Play" mode and vice versa depending on the quality and file compression you are looking for.

PixLab - Click image

Bit Rate Adapter - Click Image

Finally, the "ASF Extractor" tool allows you to do some basic video editing....

ASF Extractor - Click image

 

 
 

 A New Toy For Christmas?

Final Assessments

This slick new piece of video technology reminds me of the type of gadget you would see in one of those high end mall stores for people who have it all. It is really quite a high tech piece of gear. The Sharp IVC is said to retail for $699, so it comes with a slightly high end price tag too. Still, for some folks, this mini digital video camera will be an essential tools for giving themselves the edge in getting real time footage posted or sent over the Internet.

The quality of the camera's recording and ease of use is excellent. However, if you want top shelf recording, the file size will grow a little. Never the less, with MPEG4 compression as its native format, you'll get the smallest footprint available today especially in a digital video camera. We think some of our Web Master type colleagues will really be interested in this handy little cam.

 
 

We give the Sharp Internet View Cam a Hot Hardware Temp-O-Meter rating of....

  85 ! - A Spicy side of MPEG4 to go!

 
 
 

Tags:  ATT, Internet, Sharp, mat, view, CAM, IE, AR, AM

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