iTWire - Skype promises better video from non-Logitech cameras

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Skype promises better video from non-Logitech cameras

by Stuart Corner
Thursday, 22 November 2007
! In Skype for Windows 3.6 Skype announced support for high definition video calls, but only for users with Logitech cameras. It now says it will soon support improved video with other cameras, but it won't be as good as the HD video with Logitech: that will come later. Apple tweaking Safari for iPhone 2.2 software The G1 Android phone: Google’s gamechanger Why Apple was right and IBM was wrong T-Mobile/HTC G1: First Android phone arrives Google Android phone: it IS “iPhone exciting” After iTWire reported Skype's announcement of the high def video calling with Logitech cameras, a comment was posted to our article saying: "In the Skype 3.6 beta releases, it was possible to manually activate the higher resolution video with cameras other than the three Logitech cameras...It was proven in the Skype User Forums that a variety of other webcams were capable of 640x480 resolution video, both from Logitech and from other manufacturers. With the 3.6 production release, this manual activation capability has been removed, so only users with one of the three specific Logitech cameras will be able to benefit from higher resolution video." The commentator added: "It is surprising that Skype has decided to relegate the majority of their existing users who own webcams to 'second class status', apparently only because of a marketing agreement with Logitech. If the Skype/Logitech 'high quality video' is truly superior, as they say, then why not let it stand on its own merits, and allow users with other webcams to benefit from the improved resolution? In response to a query from iTWire, Skype largely confirmed these claims saying: "Last year, we created a configuration option to enable better video performance on Skype for Windows for tech-savvy users with webcams that could handle it...While it's true that the configuration option (which was essentially a garage hack) did offer better-than-average video, the quality was very unreliable. It worked for some users while frustrating others...Very few people used [this] option, so we were surprised at the reaction of some of these users when the option was removed. We'll therefore happily re-introduce the option very soon." Skype added: "Any benefits of the removed option pale in comparison with high quality video...[which] has moved the video-quality bar significantly higher. That's because, together with Logitech, we worked on all aspects of the video system - from optics to drivers to the video codec - to achieve reliable high quality video performance." Down the track it is also likely that cameras other than Logitech will be supported for full high quality video. Skype said it had partnered with Logitech to deliver its users the best video calling experience, as quickly as possible, but would "work with other vendors on high quality video in the future."{moscomment} Please enable JavaScript in your browser to post your comment! Tags See All Tags Skype Stuart Corner Video Get stories like this delivered daily - FREE - subscribe now