integrated mics and webcams

this is just my opinion, but it makes a lot of sense...

i think getting the integrated mic and webcam is the worst possible thing you can get with your laptop. they use up the battery life and they are HORRIBLE in quality. why not spend a few extra bucks and get a really good one if it's really necessary? a lot of people are saying how their mics and webcams aren't working right.. but that's only inevitable for that to happen since it is integrated into the laptop.

just my two cents about people wondering if they should get the webcam and mic on their laptops. i highly suggest that you don't get it.

 

I am not going to lie, the quality of the webcam on my 1400 fails to impress... Anyway for something like a webcam that you may use every so often, its pretty handy to just have it built in.

 

I personally see it as one less thing to lug with me somewhere if I see the need for it. I already have a decent one but will keep that if I really need something clear.

 

Well, in my case it's a no brainer. It was a free option so I added it. It works, when needed, and when I don't need it, it's doesn't intefere with anything. I seriously doubt, btw, that when it's not in use, that it consumes any power, and I don't use it when I'm running off the battery. So, in summary: cost - 0, weight increase - 0, power consumption when not in use - 0, convenience - priceless

 

A few things that makes it worthy.
1) It's integrated, so no having to attach an octopus to the top of your screen
2) It's integrated, so no having to deal with software incompatibilities (the horror of installing my previous webcam)
3) It comes with Creative EP-630s, which is I believe a $30-$40 set of earbuds and have a very good standing in the earbud community (so well worth it).

Personally, just having the earbuds come with it makes it a very good deal.

 

Did you get Creative's new drivers with the Windows Vista update downloads? I am actually very happy and impressed by the quality and mic sound!

If not, go ahead and perform a windows update.

 

A few minutes on the battery life here or there is OK. Mics don't use a lot of power, all they do is amplify sound. And the webcam doesn't use power either unless you're using it.

 

Actually, I've read quite a few reviews on notebooks with integrated webcams and they say it does get quite hot even when not in use.. of course that would mean that it is draining the battery.

but yeah.. the convenience factor is the only plus i can think of(besides the earbuds that an above poster mentioned).

 

Jeez, man, did u consider the webcam placement, huh? It's close to an LCD which is a major source of heat, and webcam simply conducts all that heat, did you think about that? or are you trying to say that Big Sam is watching us via our built-in webcams all the time? Anyways, unless someone found a measurable difference in power consumption b/n identical laptops save for a webcam, anything else is just hearsay and doesn't prove anything.

 

dude.. the monitor is never hot. not even close to it. you can touch your screen right now and tell me.. all i'm saying is that people should take time to think about it if they are really consider getting the integrated webcam.

now i told you this is just my opinion, so i don't see a reason for you to attack me. "HUH HUH HUH?!?!" relax, buddy.

 

I'd say if you have the extra money just get it. Its convenient. You're not gonna be recording any great movies w/ it but hey, why not. And I'm pretty sure my webcam doesn't run unless I activate it. Its cool to the touch when its not on and the LED light (obviously) isn't on all the time.

 

Oh, I see, so the webcam is hot and LCD isn't? If u know how LCDs work, ccfls do heat up.. BTW, I think u should relax, not me I said 'huh' once, not four times. Lastly, nowhere you said it's only your opinion, on the contrary, you were stating some conjecture as a fact.

 

the first thing i said is that "this is my opinion" and i have plenty of LCD's.. none of them ever get hot at all, not even the least bit warm.

and yes, we should drop this argument. no need for hostility.

 

You are not saying this is an opinion. Actually, what you are doing here is stating your conclusion as a fact, but it doesn't prove anything. You can't go around saying that webcams consume electricity when not use based on the above argument 'cause it's a conjecture, not a fact. Webcams might experience increased temperature due to many other factors. Like I said, find a test of power consumption of two identical laptops one of which has a webcam and other doesn't, then you might have grounds for such claims. Anything else is total BS.

Now, about LCDs. I don't know what kind of monitors you are dealing with but here in the real world, CCFLs that are ubiquitous in LCD panels do heat up. If you don't believe me, read up on the Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lights (a real misnomer, since CCFL ain't cold). It's plain physics. If you really dealt with many LCDs, I think you should've known better than claim that LCDs go not over room temperature when in prolonged use. BTW, I never said LCDs get hot, but they do get very warm, the bigger LCD, the more heat it generates, although still much less than a similarly sized CRT.

 

guys, may i know how do i use the webcam on the 1520? can we take pics with it? sorry if this sounded stupid...

 

Yes of course you can... If you go into My Computer and choose the Camera you can actually view the real time video/image being captured by it

And yes you can take snaps and save them

 

hmmm..bro, the prob is there's nothing stated as camera in my computer..in fact i've searched thru the whole system...even wif the bundled Live! Cam Avatar, i cant do anything...by the way, i just got my lappie today...