Web cam: HELP!

[Tammy Hope]

So . . .
the very cheap web-cam i used to take the pics the av photo came from was broken 9on purpose) by my spouse during an argument...not too long ago i became aware of the invitation to submit a video application for a potential "reality" TV show and the maner of application was a short video, such as one makes with a web cam.

i complained "ain't go no cam, can't afford no cam" and was directed to the cheap cams (w/built in mic) on e-bay and i bought one.

Silly f'n thing comes with exactly NO instructions or walkthrough or any such to tell you how anything works.

I got it hooked up and running but it either captures no sound or i'm too ditzy to figure out how to hear it, and on top of that, while it captures a true enough snap-shot, the video it captures is color shifted in some weird way i can't figure out but which pretty much kills the heck out of any attempt to make a video for someone else to see (along with, ya know, no sound).

So i figured - a lot of you guys and gals vlog so...without me even knowing what the heck i'm supposed to ask, can anyone help?

[shanetastic]

Make sure to click on your sound options and set the default mic to your webcam.  It may be under something else right now.  On my computer (windows 7) I right click my speakers icon in the bottom right and click recording devices then had to set my webcam as the default device.

[Tammy Hope]

ok i looked for that but when I try to set the default, the drop menu doesn't offer me the option of selecting the web cam. the search continues...

[shanetastic]

Are you sure it has a mic on it?  And are you sure you installed it correctly.  Mine came with a CD and I had to install that before I got it to work correctly.

[Tammy Hope]

it was sold as "w/mic" and the disc is installed. however, when running the sound device hardware test, it fails. The most likely possibility is that the cord is plugged into the wrong spot in the back of the PC but there are about 6 or 8 possibilities so that will be tedious.

This is the cam in question:

(assuming the link works)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=310246133935&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

[Cindy]

Does you local library have a webcam you could use, either there or to borrow?
Cindy

[Miniar]

Those should be USB cams and thus it should not matter which USB hole you plug it into.
It's possible it's just not functioning correctly.

[Janet_Girl]

You may need to go to their web site and down load a updated driver for it.

[Tammy Hope]

Those should be USB cams and thus it should not matter which USB hole you plug it into.
It's possible it's just not functioning correctly.

It has a separate connection for the USB and a typical "mic plug" - i know the USB is fine, it's the other I'm not sure about

As for not functioning - i had a stand-alone mic a few years ago, and never got it to work right either...I think i'm just not doing something right.