Microsoft LifeCam VX-3000 Web Cam

Introduction- Having recently purchased a budget laptop for my daughter i have been looking at purchasing a webcam for her so she could speak to her nan and grandad who have rcently moved away.My first instinct was to purchase a cheaply priced model off ebay,bargain one webcam purchased for £5.It was a shortlived celebration as i discovered that the laptop did not have a built in mic and neither did the webcam (budget laptops can be a pain).So back to ebay and a slightly more expensive webcam with built in mic,hooray i think not it was a brand that was alien to me and i just couldn't figure out how to configure the damn mic to work. With quite a nice collection of webcams and a smaller bank balance i decided to go against my principles and opt for a Microsoft webcam after all it had to be easy to install and use. The Product- The vx-3000 is a member of the microsoft lifecam range which is touted as being exceptionally good at relaying life like high quality images and excellent quality audio.It also claims to install and function seamlessly and quickly with windows and especially windows live messenger.Bold claims considering my past webcam experience but just what i was looking for (fingers crossed).

 The Features-

 I am just going to list the main features here as i could bore you to death with those listed in the manual. 640 x 480 pixel video resolution Built-In Microphone Automatic Face-Tracking Software Optimized for Windows Live Messenger 2X Digital Zoom Easy to use versatile base Six foot flexible USB cable.


 Installation and use-

 The installation was a dream and so easy i had the product installed and the software up and running in under 20 mins.The integration of the product with windows live messenger was fast and easy and the handy button on top of the webcam allows quick one touch access to the software via windows. On running the video and audio setup wizard i was impressed with both the quality and clarity of both audio and video.The video is clear and crisp even in low light conditions and the ability to capture high definition photo's is impressive.The audio is clear and we have experienced no distortion.The face tracking software works well at keeping you in the centre of the frame giving a better view of yourself when in use. With plenty of software features and the abilty to pan tilt and zoom the image my daughter is having lots of fun when communicating with her nan and grandad (they were so impressed they have purchased the same model). The webcam is easy to use both when fixed on to the laptop or sat on the computer desk and the one touch activation of windows live messenger makes its use so much easier for my daughter (and me).


Summary- This is an excellent product that is very easy to setup and use.It has exceptional performance and the features and software make this a versatile and must have product.Iam not sure on how i should perceive having converted a large portion of my family to the Microsoft brand but this truly is a king of webcams.So this is a recommend from me and i am not ashamed to sing the praises of Microsoft on this occassion. I purchased mine for £17.99 and i must say it was well worth the money and showed fantastic value.

This review is listed on ciao under the user name phensh