idea: webcam


C

ceejyahbutt

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i realize its a bit late in the game, but a big feature with computers is communication. a big means of communication found in laptops and computers are webcams for facetime, skyping, etc. especially with the pyras connectivity potential, i feel like this would be a big step up feature in addition to making is "faster" and "more "efficient."
 
Well, since we aren't having a camera, you can always use an external web cam. 

-Glyph Reader
 
ceejyahbutt - i propose a challange for you. find (or build if youre good at that kind of stuff) a webcam thats small enough to carry with the pyra, and works well with it :)
 
 
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I voted FOR a camera, as I hope the Pyra will replace my phone so I wont have to carry multiple devices anymore.

I hardly call but I do take pictures with my phone. No quality art stuff, just family snapshots.

Well, that and video conf is why I thought it be a great addition... People were all going on about taking out their huge slr´s when they want to take pictures, privacy issues, shutters and tape over lenses etc. iirc...

A bit over the top imho. Why vote against a feature? :blink:

Is there pinning for a camera sensor on the cpu/board btw?
 
To be fair, it's a lousy 640x480, so don't think you're going to be taking photos and videos with it, but for $4 it makes a nice little webcam for video chats, I think.

I'm reasonably confident it'd work with Linux. Most webcams these days do, it's probably based on some common chipset.

If not this one exactly, the fact that it exists suggests someone with more time should be able to find something similar that will definitely work.
 
WizardStan said:
To be fair, it's a lousy 640x480, so don't think you're going to be taking photos and videos with it, but for $4 it makes a nice little webcam for video chats, I think.

I'm reasonably confident it'd work with Linux. Most webcams these days do, it's probably based on some common chipset.

If not this one exactly, the fact that it exists suggests someone with more time should be able to find something similar that will definitely work.
Click to expand...
heh... you really need to be reading it carefully to spot that though, what with them throwing around terms like "HD" and "5 megapixel" what a load of utter BS...
- Neelix
 
It's not that we voted AGAINST it, its just that the use case of the OpenPandora is now OK without the camera. Then the complications for inner AND outer camera (or with nice mirrors, or rotating camera) would mean to increase the brick size, which was important to keep small, or reduce the wide screen, which also would be problematic. Would you choose PAL or SECAM, 50 euros more expensive. Or 150 for a good camera...

Just take a look at the Pyra design and try to cram in this (and the electronics):

Free-shipping-520tvl-HD-Micro-infrared-hidden-camera-1year-free-warranty-weigt-3g-size-14-5x15.jpg


source

EDIT:

Of course, once the Pyra starts emulating consoles that have camera's like kinect... that 1.3mp camera will need to be there (through usb?), as well as the permanent internet connection...
 
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I am glad there will not be a camera.  Aside from the previously mentioned cost and size increase, I am one of those people that either rips out or covers cameras in devices where I don't want them.  In the last year there has been only one time where I needed to take pictures and that was recently.  If someone around me wants pictures they can do that with their own stuff (although I wish they wouldn't.  I was sitting in on a presentation a few weeks ago and for some reason one of the people was walking around making a video with his fone.  We have encountered each other before, and he walked up to me and had the camera pointed at me and was talking to me.  I lowered my  cap, looked down and hunched over when I saw him doing the video so that fewer identifiable features would be present, and did not respond when he was trying to get in my face and talking to me.  I was about a second away from knocking it out of his hand and stomping when he finally moved on).  If I am taking pictures it is usually a planned thing, and I prefer specific cameras and film.

For me a camera in the Pyra would not only not be used, but it would be a waste of my money and the cameras.  Since it will be expensive to me either way I will be quite a bit less happy with the purchase if I am not using something that has a noticeble cost to include.  This is a major reason why I am watching Project Ara, even if I never buy into it: I don't have a camera shoved down my throat, and I can have something else instead.  For those that don't understand what I am getting at, how would you feel if you had to pay for the cost of getting different layout of keyboards that you would never see or use...actually, that is a terrible example, since I personally might be ok with that.  Replace keyboard layout with some unwanted or undesireable "feature" that comes at a cost.  Those that want that extra stuff can add it on without too much trouble, and it is better for everyone.  Those that need a camera get to pick the camera that works best for their needs.
 
rygD said:
Replace keyboard layout with some unwanted or undesireable "feature" that comes at a cost.
Click to expand...
Easy! Make the battery 50% smaller, with the space gained, now you have a pocket to hold spare SD cards....  (idea not mine)

OR: Flip the widescreen upside, so it looks like you can play flipper on it (this way, you do not need the rotation chip anymore). Of course, the keyboard will still be as wide, so you need to make the Pyra larger in Z to accommodate the rotated screen. In the space gained around the screen, now you can put BIG speakers! ... or SD card holders... or more lipo batteries...

OR: Replace the lights on the pyra logo with high lumen ones. You can then project the Pyra logo in the clouds, like in batman... but it will drain your battery in a few minutes or so...
 
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Unfortunately I like the idea of adding batteries to the sides of your portrait screen.  Due to the extra size of the keyboard part we can have a larger battery there too.  Now we have 3 times the battery space.  We also have room for all the keys anyone could want.  Other than not fitting any of my pockets I am not seeing a downside.  Well, maybe being ugly.  But over a full day's worth of use per charge!!!  Under typical usage I might truly be able to get away with only charging once a week.
 
Well the downside is that the hinge will suffer if the lid got heavier, you would need a very good hinge...

Some laptops have a breakout battery, a battery that is bigger than the default one, and can hold more power. It would be an idea to click a second battery on the bottom, to compensate for the drain on the telephone.
 
 
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dimag0g said:
WizardStan said:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-Stylish-USB-2-0-5M-Meter-Retractable-Clip-WebCam-Web-Camera-Laptop-DBX-/261540968485


edit: even better, this one has a clip: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-USB-2-0-30-0-Mega-HD-Webcam-Web-Cam-Camera-For-PC-Laptop-Computer-Macbook/351337011433?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20131003132420%26meid%3Def16c632547e4d0baa4582a0eb73f90a%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D261540968485&rt=nc&tfrom=261540968485&tpos=unknow&ttype=price&talgo=origal
Click to expand...
I find it hard to believe that a "30.0 Mega HD Webcam" can be sold for $3.59. How many pixels does this Chinese crap have really?

EDIT: oh, 320 X 240. Haven't seen such small resolution in a while.
Click to expand...
I am happy with my Game Boy Camera, and don't need any other digital camera.  Inexpensive good quality cameras everywhere do make things easier, such as violating privacy and such, so I suppose they do have value.
 
dimag0g said:
oh, 320 X 240. Haven't seen such small resolution in a while
Click to expand...
It can do 640x480 apparently, but only at 16fps. You're not going to be taking any high quality movies, but if your goal is video chat it should be adequate, especially for the price.I'm willing to bet that if you look in the $40-$60 range you can find something of similar design with a much higher resolution.

But c'mon, $3 for a webcam!

edit: ok, I bought the first one. It's free shipping from china which means it'll be here sometime between next week and 6 months from now. Once it arrives I'll put it through some tests on my Pandora (or Pyra, if I've got one by then) and report back.
 
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