Freetalk Everyman HD webcam up for pre-order at Skype store

For all the talk of HD webcams, we've seen precious little at the Skype shop -- until now. Freetalk's Everyman HD (Talk-7140) features on-board H.264 hardware encoding for up to 720p video at 22fps, with minimum system requirements of WIndows XP, 1GB RAM and a dual core 2GHz CPU. Apparently, Mac users (OS X 10.4 or better) can expect VGA quality at 30fps (sorry, guys). Available soon, pre-order now for $50.

[abedinthehouse Posted Apr 25th 2010 1:06AM]

Not bad, but is it better than the new HD cam from MSFT (for almost hte same price)?

...I forget what its called exactly..

[Techie Posted Apr 25th 2010 1:37AM]

I really miss Skype Chat.....

[engadgetjp Posted Apr 25th 2010 2:22AM]

@abedinthehouse

I have the Microsoft LifeCam Cinema HD. But I have to return it because it doesn't have hardware H.264 encoding which Skype HD is required. It's too bad.....

H.264 Hardware encoding is the key to use Skype HD Chat.

[HydroRage Posted Apr 25th 2010 2:32AM]

@engadgetjp

I live in Australia where this developed country doesn't have unlimited plans, and we pay like $60 AU for 40 GB for peak and 100 GB off-peak, so unless someone can super-compress this, I'm not touching that.

[Jordo1234 Posted Apr 25th 2010 8:01AM]

@HydroRage
Agree...
Man i want an unlimited plan.
I hate telstra.

[ipodboy61 Posted Apr 25th 2010 1:07AM]

VGA!? I'll just stick with my iSight for now.

[Goaliegeek Posted Apr 25th 2010 1:58AM]

@ipodboy61 what is the res of the iSight anyway?

[ipodboy61 Posted Apr 25th 2010 2:01AM]

@Goaliegeek 640×480-pixel VGA

[FORDY Posted Apr 25th 2010 1:03PM]

@ipodboy61

Why is it lower for Mac? I don't see where the limitation is within Mac, anyone care to enlighten me?

[ahhduy Posted Apr 25th 2010 1:11AM]

fairly interested in this, most other webcams have terrible quality. anyone know if i should pre-order this or get something else?

[Jimbojones Posted Apr 25th 2010 1:23AM]

@ahhduy $50 cams are shitty. If you want good cam, then get ready to pay $100

[ahhduy Posted Apr 25th 2010 1:52PM]

@Jimbojones any suggestions?

[Jimbojones Posted Apr 25th 2010 8:14PM]

@ahhduy get Logitech Webcam Pro 9000 and be done with it

[ClothoBuer6293 Posted Apr 25th 2010 1:17AM]

I might have to pick one of these up : )

[Silicone Soul Posted Apr 25th 2010 1:29AM]

I bought few weeks ago Microsoft LifeCam Cinema, it works on 720p and 30 fps, paid the same $50... so what is the reason to buy this one?

[engadgetjp Posted Apr 25th 2010 2:25AM]

@Silicone Soul
Coz the Microsoft LifeCam Cinema doesn't have H.264 hardware encoding. The encoding job is done by the CPU. It requires a quad core to do HD 720P @ 30 fps.

[anotherworld Posted Apr 25th 2010 10:16AM]

@engadgetjp It doesn't require a quadcore. I have a dualcore and it works fine.

[mados123 Posted May 25th 2010 12:18PM]

@Silicone Soul Is it running at 30fps and 720 in Skype? If so, which version of Skype are you using? I was only able to get it working with an older version and with the application Force Skype HQ.

[Hydra Posted Apr 25th 2010 1:50AM]

Engadget you should review this cam vs the MS cinema 720p and see which is better!

[ray000000001 Posted Apr 25th 2010 1:56AM]

Does it have a build in mic?

[engadgetjp Posted Apr 25th 2010 2:26AM]

@ray000000001
No it doesn't have a built-in mic.

The model with the built-in mic cost $100

[ke27 Posted Apr 26th 2010 2:44PM]

@engadgetjp : I am not sure why you said it does not have a Mic. I did ready their website and it does not mention mic. How do you get that information? where is the $100 model you mention that has mic?

[Eternity Posted Apr 25th 2010 2:12AM]

Yes, just what the new decade needs. 720p Camwhores for every man!

[pika2000 Posted Apr 25th 2010 2:18AM]

Meh. Most people don't have enough upstream bandwidth to do VGA video chat with good framerate, let alone HD. Give me faster upstream bandwidth first

[Erdbeerkuchen Posted Apr 25th 2010 3:07AM]

@pika2000 Maybe not in the US. But here in Sweden most people have got enough bandwidth. Me myself got 10/10 and then I don't even pay very much for it.

[Xerxes028 Posted Apr 26th 2010 12:47PM]

@Erdbeerkuchen
"and then I don't even pay very much for it"

Except when the tax man comes a knockin', then your wallet feels the sting of big brother's extraction needle.

[TareG Posted Apr 25th 2010 2:36AM]

And what's the minimum connection speed required on both ends for a smooth call?

I can't wait for glasses-free 3D HD Skype calls on laptops with parallax barrier displays... Now THAT would make my parents upgrade their internet connection speed.

[jellotime91 Posted Apr 25th 2010 2:49AM]

@TareG So you can look at a girl in Canada's boobs in 3D?

Good luck convincing your parents to do that. haha

[iLikePickles Posted Apr 25th 2010 2:54AM]

it looks kinda fat..

[smeee Posted Apr 25th 2010 4:18AM]

if it has onboard hardware H264 compression , why on earth does it need a dual core 2Ghz processor ?

does not skype offload the incoming processing to the GPU if the other end is sendinng H264 encoded video.

this is not the correct direction for HD video conferencing.

[linuxamp Posted Apr 27th 2010 3:53AM]

My thoughts exactly. If this thing is encoding h264 in hardware then it should be able to run on a netbook. Of course the other person would need to have the power to decode the video. I doubt Skype will support GPU decoding anytime soon.

[exsonic Posted Apr 25th 2010 6:58AM]

honestly, I don't think this product will sell well.
first, most users don't need to this HD camera to chat, it sucks bandwidth, and if they want to record some video, their smartphone or DV can handle this job. Moreover, nearly all the laptops already had the built-in cameras,so .......

[Axtor Posted Apr 25th 2010 7:13AM]

So people are basically complaining that they would be unable to spank the monkey at 60fps? Or in HD? What is the world coming to?

[Evin Posted Apr 25th 2010 9:38AM]

Is no one else baffled by the name?

[JoeJoeJoeJoeJoe Posted Apr 25th 2010 10:52AM]

This HD camera is going to catch every single one of my pubes.

[FORDY Posted Apr 25th 2010 1:07PM]

Wow.. on the Skype UK store it's £49.99.

$49.99 = £49.99 - Don't you love that 'conversion' rate? I'm so moving to the states.

[Avaron Posted Apr 25th 2010 3:22PM]

@FORDY
I bet if you move to China and work in the factory where they are made you can get them even cheaper...

^_^

[EdR Posted Apr 25th 2010 5:27PM]

Since when was 640x480 classed as HD

[kompulsive Posted Apr 25th 2010 6:06PM]

protip; just get a damn logitech webcam pro 9000. done and done.

[ke27 Posted Apr 26th 2010 3:03PM]

I do not see a microphone...anybody can tell this if this has a microphone?