Smooth webcams online? What's it take?

[UWPoolGod1]

What would it take to have a smooth webcam show for pool online? Like Dr. Cues webcam that is more uniform for updates? My brother says it depends on the webcam, broadband connection, and quality of computer that it is attached to to run it. Do any of you know any other things that would increase the smoothness of the view? Getting your own servers to run more viewers, better program, etc?

 

[toomanybugs]

Picture this

I have a Polycom VSX-7400s which does a great job, but it is going to cost you around 9k for the unit?

It is a true IP videoconference box on the internet. It can take an external PC and camera source plus the main camera on the unit and you get a lot of "bang" ($$) for your viewing pleasure.

More at: http://www.polycom.com/home/

Bugs

 

[DaveK]

I have a Polycom VSX-7400s which does a great job, but it is going to cost you around 9k for the unit?

It is a true IP videoconference box on the internet. It can take an external PC and camera source plus the main camera on the unit and you get a lot of "bang" ($$) for your viewing pleasure.

More at: http://www.polycom.com/home/

Bugs

Yes, there is a big difference between a commercial camera and a mass-produced webcam. However transmitting any video signal over the Internet can be problematic. The way the Internet is built the ammount of bandwidth available for any specific connection depends on all of the other connections passing along the same lines (and there are about a brazillion connections at any given time). So everything may be going along fine, you're watching a nice smooth video signal, and then it freezes when all the grandmas in Pasedena start to download the Paris Hilton video collection. This is why commercial video conferencing equipment often run across dedicated circuits like ISDN dial-up facilities.

Dave