Using a digital camera as a webcam?

[supertrouper]

Has anyone worked out how to use a standard digital camera as a webcam?
I can't see why it can't be done. I know there is software for Mac users, what about for PC users?

My Kodak camera has a USB connection on it, plug the cable to the camera and to the PC to download pics.
Switch the camera to "movie" mode and it streams video out the composite video connector, I'm guessing it could stream it out the USB socket as well.

[chiefnz]

As far as I am aware the digital camera must have webcam functionality, I don't think that because it can stream video that it will be able to act as a webcam... DON'T QUOTE ME ON THAT!!!

Have a read of the manual...and see what it says.

My own digi cam just requires me to press the "mode" button and it automatical switches to webcam... see if your cam has the same sort of setup... another thing to consider is have you installed the drivers for the cam on your machine. If you're using Windows XP you don't need a driver for "Mass Storage" but you will need one for webcam finctionality.... at least that's how my camera works anyways.

Hope that helps.

Cheers

chiefnz

[SurferJoe46]

Here's a heads-up about using a digital camera as a webcam.

It works, but there's a caveat.

Try to not use one of the cheepie cameras, at least not on a dynamic usb hub. The fact that the dynamics have their own power supply has been posted on other forums as causing fires and smoke from the cameras.

I don't get it, but I have had one of my cameras get pretty hot when I forgot and left it in the USB port on my hub with power supply. Howewver, using the regular usb port(s) on the momboard, has never gotten my camera warm at all.

Just a hint...hope to stop a potential fire.....