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1309 Review
62 Karma

Review on πŸŽ₯ Amcrest AWC201-B 1080P Webcam: High Definition Streaming with Privacy Cover, Microphone, Wide Angle Lens, and Large Sensor for PC Desktop and Laptop by Dan Bobbert

Revainrating 5 out of 5

Pretty amazing. The best of computers and accessories

At first I was surprised that I could get hold of a computer camcorder given the high demand for the CV-19. I have been using the Amcrest camera (for home security) for a long time and my email saw an offer to purchase this camera. The item will arrive in approximately 5 days (April 16, 2020), which is slightly faster than the expected delivery time stated on my Revain order page. The little box it came in was small and packaged in a mailing envelope. The box contains a camera with a permanently connected USB cable, a small tripod and instructions. On my Dell laptop (about 3 years old with Windows 10) it was really "plug and play". He even switched the camera and mic from my built in options to the new Amcrest camera. After Windows said I was ready, I launched Zoom and there it was! I would say the picture quality is very, very good. but not great. It's way, way better than the built in camera on my laptop. The picture quality is better than 90% of the videos you now watch on cable news channels, involving people from home or distant locations. But not as good as the hosts, who clearly have broadcast-quality cameras. You CANNOT adjust any video or audio settings directly on the camera. The instructions state that you should use the settings available in your hosting software (Zoom in my case). The video didn't really require anything (apart from some minor physical adjustments in my room to eliminate glare from direct sunlight). Zoom didn't seem to offer material options for brightness, contrast, scaling, etc. Zoom offered options to adjust microphone sensitivity, and I lowered the sensitivity by about 25%. The sound quality is very good. The audio is crisp and clear, but there is very little background noise, likely coming from my air filter and HVAC system running. It's barely noticeable, but not annoying. A better quality chest mic or table mic would probably help, but again I don't find it necessary. Place the camera at the top of the screen. Sitting 3 to 4 feet away I get a very nicely framed picture (3/4 body shot). I haven't found a way to zoom electronically yet, but there might be a way to do it with video hosting software other than Zoom. Overall I am very, very satisfied. and I just ordered a second camera for my household.

Pros
  • USB 2.0 Plug & Play. Suitable for multiple operations: Windows, Mac OS, Android, etc. Platform Compatibility: Skype, Youtube, Yahoo!@Messenger, MSN, Zoom, Windows Live@Messager, Gmail, WeChat, etc. Messages from instant messaging apps.
Cons
  • Not bad, but...