Anybody found a GREAT webcam for live feeds?

[JeffF]

I have tried three different webcams over the years and after this last one I'm thinking it will be impossible to find one at a reasonable price that can keep up with the dynamic frame changes Christmas lights generate.

 

The current camera does great during the day and during slow songs but as soon as you start the lights dancing you get blocking.  I had high hopes for this camera since it does has H.264 on a chip inside the camera itself.  But nope... no luck.

 

It does seem to keep up the frame rates at least... but the blocking annoys the hell out of me.

 

My only other thought is getting a quad or octo core computer and to try and encode that way.  Dual core Intels don't seem to do the job unfortunately.

 

Just curious if anybody out here has found a camera you are happy with.

 

Thanks,

Jeff

 

p.s.  Here's our current setup...

http://www.MaineLights.org/Video-LIVE/

[Orville]

To be honest Jeff, I don't think there is a "single webcam" out there that can do it. 

 

Unfortunately, what you need is very expensive, a high end video camera like you find on News Helicopters and News Vans that can keep up with such things.   Bascially you need a "studio style" camera with the ability to stream it's video live at the same time, just like the news crews do on LI VE TV..

 

However, in my opinion, I don't even think the current internet ISP's and such can keep up with such a demand either, so you'd be right back at square one again..

 

Maybe you want to consider buying your TV station and broadcasting your lights from it?      j/k.

 

But I think that would be about the only way to do it with todays technology.  Even what I watch being "streamed" over the intenet with a DSL high speed connection still hits lag or "blockout" times.   When that can go away 100% of the time, then and only then will we be where we could stream our displays in "REAL TIME", LIVE over the internet.   Just my honest opinion of  course.