This is a simple page intended to give you an idea of the steps involved in setting up a USB webcam. It is a general instructional article that covers the general procedures, cameras, and software programs. If you need a tutorial for a specific product let me know or you can do some research on your own.

1. Get a web camera for your needs.

You can find here some useful information.

2. Software and Drivers

Once you have your camera, you then have a choice to make; whether to install the software and drivers that come with the camera or not. A driver is a special piece of software that allows your computer to communicate with the camera. Many of the newer cameras are UVC, (Universal Video Class) compatible. This means the camera can use standard drivers which are built-in to your operating system (Windows, Mac OS, Linix) and you don’t have to install the drivers that come with the camera. However, some features of the camera may not work without the drivers that come with it. Which features work, depends on the camera. For example, some of my auto focus cameras won’t auto focus using the UVC driver, others will. Some cameras have various resolutions that arn’t available without installing the drivers that come with it.

If you decide to install the camera software, or are required to because the camera is not UVC, then make sure you READ the instructions first. Some require that you install the software first, others require the camera to be plugged in first. If you do it in the wrong order, you may not be able to get the camera working at all.