XPS M1530 Integrated Webcam

I have owned my Dell XPS M1530 since March '08... I never really used the webcam that much, probably only once or twice, until recently when all of my friends seemed to have gotten the Macbook (with the webcam) and I bought some friends, family webcams so now I want to video chat.

So whenever I try to video chat, there is some problem. It always happens to me so I am assuming it is on my end..
If I use Skype, the picture quality is pretty awful, camera freezes constantly mic is decent.
If I use AIM, video quality is better than Skype's, but AIM refuses to detect my mic. It has only been able to do it once and that was when I had my computer hooked up to my surround sound via HDMI.
If I use MSN, video is decent but mic begins to fail after like a minute, only picking up distorted noises or adding an echo to everything.
I have yet to thoroughly use Yahoo, but frankly this is PATHETIC.

This webcam and mic has pretty much been a disappointment on all ends. I am disgusted at the low quality of the picture and the distortion of sound whenever it works. I am contemplating writing some snail mail to Dell to personally tell them how selling such an inferior product is despicable. I bought a friend a 20 dollar Logitech "Quickcam" connect and he has no problems talking to his friends, the video appears better, and the microphone is more fluid. This is a "premium laptop" and yet the webcam and microphone cannot compare to the cheapest third party webcam/mic combo. That is pathetic.

So my question is now that I am done with my rant..
A) What is your experience with the webcam?
B) How can I improve the webcam/mic?
C) Are there any problems (messengers) that seem to be more compatible with the webcam/mic

 

A) Great. No problems or issue' at all (since June 2008).

B) improve in what sense? I would suggest, as a first step, to uninstall the complete webcam software, reinstall it. As for the mic, I would try the same with the driver.

But I really don't know since for me, both the webcam and the mic has been flawless.

C) everything I tried has been compatible with the webcam / mic and working great - includes Yahoo, Windows Live, Skype, InternetCalls, etc...

 

been having some problems with the mic but very minor. Sometimes it doesnt establish the connection right and I just restart the video call...

 

Your problems are related to your internet connection, freezing camera, loss of audio stream etc. I use skype and MSN to chat with family in the UK whilst I live in Asia, normally it's fine but on a bad day when connection speeds are slow I'll get these problems. It's not your hardware, just the connection.

To be honest the quality from the array mic is pretty good and the webcam is good for a built in too. Try recording video clips with the webcam software, you should see the quality is fine and prove the connection to be the problem.

 

I doubt its the connection. . . Actually my situation got worse. The speakers for my computer now refuse to pass through HDMI audio so it won't work with my surround sound. . . and sounds on AIM still don't work... Besides that, my computer was on a chair i had that slightly tilts back (think: typical piece of crap chair seen in dorm room) i threw my backpack down, which hit the chair, the chair tilted, computer fell, and it hit the ground (only like a foot drop) and now right above the left hinge the lid cracked. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?
I am calling Dell and demanding a refund or something. Like I cannot believe the computer has this little durability. I had a Inspiron 9100 which I have dropped 3 feet several times and it still works (besides batteries) and this fell on a carpet! I mean there was resistance.. not like a hard wood floor...

 

Unfortunate about the fall, certainly Dell build quality isn't quite up there with macbooks and thinkpads, but they aren't priced the same either.

If you do need to test the mic/cam try recording sound with audacity, etc and try video with the dell webcam software. Should prove it one way or another. You might have a driver issue, latest drivers could help. Good luck.