TV chatting — the future is now ! But it surely is expensive . BetweenLogitech ’s Revue($300 for the box and $ 150 for the Cam River ) , andCisco ’s $ 600 Roman emperor moth - price offering , you might feel left out . But you have ( affordable ) options .
https://kotaku.com/logitech-revue-google-tv-box-full-details-299-this-mo-5657345
FaceTime is unexampled , and awful , and laptop computer television calls are cool — of course . But being capable to plop down on your couch with your kids , married woman , frankfurter , or just by yourself , and fulfill your television screen with the live video of roll in the hay ones ( or foeman ) has always been one of technical school ’s big promises . And now it ’s gradually make the consumer market — which is enceinte , and will make grandparents across the mankind ecstatic . But does vividly and conveniently keep in touch have to be so expensive ? No .
So what does the acting arena look like ?
Cisco Umi – $ 600
Cisco ’s video offeringisn’t just chat , it ’s telepresence , babe . Which mean nothing . So what are you grow for your yummy selling cant ? 1080p telecasting calls , 720p call transcription , and a stupefying $ 600 price tag , plus $ 25 per month for unlimited calls ( an extra $ 300 a year ) . As Kyle account yesterday , the Umi “ has autofocus , autoexposure , lily-white balance , optic soar , and a motor for panning and tilting as involve . ” It ’ll also interface with Google video chat . But $ 600 is prohibitively expensive for many ( most ? ) of us . allow ’s keep stab .
Logitech Revue – $ 450
In the name of beauteousness , we ’ll get this out of the direction flop now : theRevue does far , far more than video chat . So , with that caution , allow ’s make it absolved that we ’re only taking its video chat functionality into consideration here . The Google goggle box - capable loge alone will run you $ 299 — it ’s the separate camera and mic apparatus that bumps the price up to $ 450 . That being say , Logitech is draw a bead on to sell the box with a heavy emphasis on video vociferation .
When we ensure out the Revue ’s first unrecorded demo yesterday , we were quite impressed by the faithfulness of its video schmoose powers . station and take in call seemed to be a breeze , our picture interlocutors were well heard , and the rapid growth function seemed handy for those with aloof couches . That being said , $ 450 is still $ 450 — likely far more than most need to spend to see their acquaintance ’ somewhat facial expression , and a relevant knock against the Revue given the time Logitech reps spent fawning over the picture schmooze functionality .
So there we have it — the heavyweights . Cisco ’s Umi and Logitech ’s Revue are atop a price tag mound . But they are by no substance queen of the vid chat mountain . If you do n’t want to spend more than $ 200 , you could still love clear , well-to-do video calling from your TV .
Microsoft LifeCam Studio – $ 100
Jason ’s impressions say it all — only a hundred bucks for 1080p television that ’s “ fairly darn just . ” Now , this is just a webcam — it does n’t have net connectivity of its own . But all you ’ll need to get yourself couch - chatting with it is something you probably have anyway — a laptop . soak up to a PC or Mac , you’re able to place video call via Skype or Windows Live Messenger for free . gravel the LifeCam atop your telly , plump down the laptop next to the TV , and connect the two with a dirt cheap DVI or HDMI transmission line . roar . You ’ve get HD video recording calling on your television with an Mount Rushmore State price .
Microsoft ’s 1080p LifeCam Studio Webcam
Skype for TV – $ 149 to $ 179
If you ’ve got a Panasonic or Samsung TV , there ’s a chance you ’ll be able-bodied to lay video calls with the hardware you already own , add only aSkype - approved camerathat goes flop up top . Several TV series within both company lineups have Skype support ramp up in . For Samsung owners , the $ 149 FREETALK cam will give you gratuitous VGA telecasting call , while the $ 169 Panasonic version offers full 720p calls .
Microsoft Kinect – $ 149
If you own an Xbox , the $ 149 Kinect will give youfree VGA video call to any other Kinect possessor or Windows Live Messenger drug user . Like the Samsung Skype River Cam , this is n’t HD , but it ’s specifically designed to keep couch - ground chatters in the picture . Windows Messenger support also mean you ’d be able to use the Kinect to video dial anyone using the aforesaid Microsoft LifeCam setup .
https://gizmodo.com/video-kinect-lets-you-chat-with-xbox-live-and-windows-l-5563100
CiscoLogitechMicrosoftPanasonicSamsungSkypeTelevision
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