<$35 Webcam for Mac Mini?

[Lorenzo F]

I've already searched the forums for recommendations for a good webcam for the Mac Mini, and the Logitech C920 comes up quite a bit. People say things like the video and sound quality are good (although I have read some comments that the audio is not so great).

What I don't read often is that the Logitech C920 is overkill for the Mac Mini. That is, some people have said that Facetime won't allow higher than 720p and that a lot of the functions of the C920 aren't accessible unless you buy an app.

Can anyone speak to those constraints?

And can anyone recommend other cameras that are cheaper than the C920, and at least match the software constraints of Facetime (this will be the primary use, along with Skype)? Is a <$35 webcam available that meets that need?

I don't see the need to pay extra for a webcam that can do fancy things if they aren't really exploited, but I'm also buying for longevity in the technological sense.

thanks in advance all.

 

[grandM]

I've already searched the forums for recommendations for a good webcam for the Mac Mini, and the Logitech C920 comes up quite a bit. People say things like the video and sound quality are good (although I have read some comments that the audio is not so great).

What I don't read often is that the Logitech C920 is overkill for the Mac Mini. That is, some people have said that Facetime won't allow higher than 720p and that a lot of the functions of the C920 aren't accessible unless you buy an app.

Can anyone speak to those constraints?

And can anyone recommend other cameras that are cheaper than the C920, and at least match the software constraints of Facetime (this will be the primary use, along with Skype)? Is a <$35 webcam available that meets that need?

I don't see the need to pay extra for a webcam that can do fancy things if they aren't really exploited, but I'm also buying for longevity in the technological sense.

thanks in advance all.

i have a logitech 1080p, FaceTime indeed does not seem to use it at full potential. Photo booth gives nice pictures though

 

[Lorenzo F]

i have a logitech 1080p, FaceTime indeed does not seem to use it at full potential. Photo booth gives nice pictures though

Thanks for the reply grandM. A couple of weeks ago I saw the Logitech C920 for $50 on Amazon, so I went to Best Buy and had them price match.

Even though Facetime doesn't use the full 1080p capability of the C920, at $50 I think the C920 is worth it. Makes the camera more future-proof and flexible, in case Apple decides to allow 1080p on Facetime. And if I use Skype, I can do 1080p already.

 

[paulinefiddle]

I need a cheap webcam for my mac mini for use with Skype. Unfortunately, I can't afford a Logitech 920. Any suggestions?