Microsoft announces three new 720p LifeCams with TrueColor technology
By Donald Melanson 
posted March 16th 2010 1:29PM
posted March 16th 2010 1:29PM
Looking to upgrade that built-in or non-existent webcam in your laptop or LCD monitor? Then Microsoft hopes you'll consider one of its three new LifeCams, which each not only boast a 720p resolution, but the company's new TrueColor technology that promises to provide "superior color and brightness in even the worst lighting conditions." Apart from that feat of optical wizardry, the webcams look to provide all the basic features you'd expect, including auto focus and face tracking, along with a flexible base on the HD-5000 and HD-5001 that can be adapted for use on a desk, or attached to a laptop or desktop monitor -- the HD-6000 is designed for laptop use only. Look for the HD-5000 and Best Buy-exclusive HD-5001 to roll out first later this month for just $50 apiece, while the HD-6000 will be available in April for $60. Hit up the gallery below for a closer look at each.
I still think they should call their hardware devision MicroHard.
Do they multitask?
@theefman
Well, if you get the special "Lower Merion School District" version it can multitask between your foreground application and whatever "locator" service the school district installs.
@theefman
I'll ask the Microsoft support, I'm curious to know if it fits on my 13" Apple MacBook pro ]:->
Bring on the HD penises on Chat Roulette..
looks nice, any video clip samples?
I really shouldn't have gotten a webcam built into my monitor. Now it has this stupid ugly bump in the middle that I'll never get rid of until I ditch the whole thing.
Are these better then the Lifecam Cinema . I would love to know what the difference is between the lifecam cinema and the quality of these cameras
Example of lifecam cinema HD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EI66xQeXMjk
@andranic no, they're cheaper models
@andranic I guess the difference is that this cameras came with the True Color technology from the store, the HD-5001 (Lifecam Cinema) did not come with this feature.
Anyway I have a Lifecam Cinema and days ago I received the notification about a software Update, I did it and after if ask me that I should need to download a Firmware to use the camera with the New software, the firmware added the TrueColor technology.
So now I guess are exactly the same, except for the HD-6000
these wil be great for making videos online! what a neat invention!
Why on earth does someone need a 720p webcam?
@Critic2029 HD Fapping on Chatroulette.
@Critic2029
Oh boy this one is too easy.
@Critic2029
Why would someone need an HDTV? Or more than 640k of RAM?
@Critic2029 Mainly for recording HD YouTube video/vlogs on the cheap. It is handy for that.
@Critic2029 Maybe if you got a girlfriend and she is studding abroad an HD camera comes in very handy! Trust me! ^.^
@VampireHunterZ
No, you all fail. Webcams are for girls to...well...um...you know.
I have a VX-6000 Lifecam and all I have to say that while the camera itself is pretty good, the driver is the most bloated piece of crap software I have ever used. The download is 30Mb! Megabytes! Even if I uninstall the stupid control panel that comes with it, it still takes seconds to start up and slows down my system.
Wonder if these are compatible with the new Skype HD service.
@RikF afaik, they're not, as Skype is using some hardware encoder stuff which seems to be a pre-requisite :(
Sounds rather cool, anyone know it's jellycam properties?
Secret Natal tech involved?
Im surprised they didnt make a camera with h.264 encoding. With Skype requiring it for HD Video it would make sense to add it to at least one camera
720p resolution fine, but what is the framerate?
That is what *really* matters...anything less than 30fps is unacceptable.
@DoctarPeppar
how about cinematic 24 fps?
@OwenV
If it's constant 24fps then fine, but if it's dropping frames then it's not even worth 60$ -- last comment says 30fps, that's great for 60$...I'll have to pick one up and replace my craptacular logitech orbit AF which does a whopping 2 frames per second at 720p.
So, will this be a boon to the p0rn industry?
Already got one.. Guess Best Buy put it out to early. http://www.flickr.com/photos/39239368@N02/4438135659/
@garrettallen
and how is it?
@SeNiLe911 looks alot better then the isight on my macbook.. colors are brighter.. clear image
Serious question:
does this work for macs?
I want some 720p for YouTube!
@Massive Poop i have mine hooked up to my mac, the only thing it doesn't work with is iMovie
its 30fps
For the love of god, release Linux drivers!! Source would be nice, but I'll take binaries! I love MSFT hardware, but sometimes you just need the penguin.
Has anyone seen any of those h.264 hardware-encoding webcams that were supposed to hit the market in February? What's the story? Licensing issues on h.264?
what services support the transmission of higher quality video? Can I use
these cameras with skype to transmit at 720p? Or does the 720p only mean that I can record at that quality, in which case, I don't need since I have a good quality HD video camera that can record video.
Stress test for Natal's optics!
Dear Microsoft: I bought your very first LifeCam model upon release. Unfortunately, you didn't think to have any drivers available for Vista. Thus, the shiny new LifeCam should have been more aptly named LifeLess.
In fact, when I called your (extremely helpful but equally as befuddled) tech support, the notion that there WERE no LifeCam drivers came as quite a surprise! I felt a little bad raising this teensy weensy issue with your company. But after much ado, a whole lotta 'hollerin from the public, you took it upon yourselves to finally roll out some LifeCam drivers for Vista that (eventually) worked.
Therefore, the public kindly asks that you stretch hard here, dig real deep, and provide drivers for your new LifeCams and Windows 7 BEFORE it hits the street so that, you know, the cameras can actually be used.
We also realize compatibility between your hardware and your OSs has had a very troubled history, especially with Vista, but could you go out on a limb for us this time? Thanks, we appreciate it. It sure is nice to be able to use gear when you buy it.
@DigDug
Plug it into a Linux Box or a Mac. it's a plug-n-play with common v4l2 driver. mic doesnt work. but aside that...
I guess this wont work in linux either, just like their curvy keyboard.
Can these run crysis?
TOO BAD! YOU HAVE TO TURN OFF THE TRUE COLOR TECHNOLOGY TO BE ABLE TO TURN THE CRAPPY AUTO-FOCUS OFF!
the last lifecam that could do 720p only did it at 15fps, I wonder if these can do more.
Anyone know if this will work on Skype? I read somewhere that it doesn't, can anyone confirm this? BTW, I'm running Windows Vista, Thanks!
Will these be UVC compliant (meaning they use standard USB drivers, compatible with ANY OS)?