Web cams and audio quality

Now then, I’ve just bought a web cam and I would like to broadcast on U tube some of my mandolin tunes. When I recorded the tunes the playback quality was appalling!

I’ll admitt its only a very cheap webcam with a built in microphone and the sound gets into the computer via the USB port.

My question is this . . is the sound card in my computer to blame for the sound quality (not sure which one is installed might even be integrated ito the motherboard ) , or is the cheap webcam to blame. You can get a echo can’t you sometimes which spoils the recording ?

When I play midifiles the sound quality is pretty good.

Probably just the cheep web cam. Do you have any other camera, such as a digital camera. You could record on this and then transfer it to the computer.

Arghhh….. I forgot a question mark! Ben is going to kill me!

No I haven’t got a digital camera . . If it is the webcam I could take it back to the shop (argos) and exchange for a better one . . the picture quality is suprisingly good.

Would it help matters if I bought a web cam with a seperate microphone?

Snap! I’ve just bought a web cam too and discovered the disappointing low quality of the still pictures and movies as well as the sound. (My movie camera that at least had good quality images was stolen at Easter)

I’ve had issues with recording sound quality on my laptop for a long time (like never solved since I started trying to record). The mics I have now are good, but the sound is still bad. It has been suggested by a sound man that this is the result of the limitations of the inbuilt sound card in my work laptop - not made to handle quality sound recording. I’m about to be issued a new laptop, but have been advised to get an external sound card specifically for studio recording because the sound card will not be good enough either. But … Justinti me just listen to most of the recordings on YouTube - the sound quality of a good proportion of the movies is abysmal.

Justintime--Your sound card is probably not to blame. I have not used a web cam, but I know from experience that the tiny pinhole microphone installed in most digital snapshot cameras or mp3 players has serious limitations for recording music. (Although the false echo problem you mentioned is probably software-related--or maybe feedback, if your computer speakers are playing what’s being recorded.)

The videos I put up on YouTube were all done with a Sony digital snapshot camera--the audio is not great by any standard, but it’s tolerable on some, if there’s not too much crowd noise. (The visual content is not the camera’s fault, heh heh. Search YouTube for “Irish Tunes Poulsbo” for examples.)

The digital camera/camcorder route is probably the easiest way to do clips for YouTube. The camera handles all the recording duties, and your computer just copies and sends the files.

Try a Logitech webcam - I got one with a built in mic a while ago and its great! Very good quality and you can buy them cheaper on Amazon than at the Logitec netshop. Good for skyping too - clear picture and no sound delay.

Mmm . . all the replies seem to differ quite a lot regarding the sound card but thanks anyway . . it seems i might have to experiment a bit.

Someone mentioned using a camcorder, be nice but can’t afford one.

But i think I’ll exchange the one i bought for a logitech web cam which cariad mentioned. Reading up about them, the sound quality is seems better.