Linux Webcams at Best Buy
Want to buy a web-cam sold at Best Buy that works on Linux by default? I've already done the leg work for you. I bought most of the web-cams that Best Buy sells and tested them on my Ubuntu 8.04 (Hardy Heron) installation.
One surprising constraint I learned is that the web-cam needs to be a low enough resolution for it work. One web-cam had a capture resolution of 1280x1024 but it was quite choppy at this resolution. I wasn't able to reduce the capture resolution easily so this web-cam was effectively too good for my computer.
| Name | Works out of box | Resolution | Choppy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creative Live Cam Pro | No | ||
| Dynex | Yes | 1280 x 1024 | Yes |
| Creative Other One | Yes | 800x600 | No |
Some people say you should patch your kernel with modules to get your web-cams to work. I say don't buy web-cams that don't work out of the box. If you buy a product that doesn't work out of the box, return it! When you return it you are voting with your money for web-cams that work out of the box.
Questions or feedback? Email [email protected].