Connect a Webcam to a Digital Camcorder
Webcams are specialized digital camcorders used exclusively to stream audio and video through an Internet connection to another computer user. If you already have a digital camcorder and don't want to purchase a separate webcam, you can use a converter cable and a third party video capture software program to connect your camcorder to the computer and use it just like it was a webcam.
Instructions
1. Check to see if your digital camcorder uses an AV connector cable or if it already has a Firewire or USB cable attached. Check the ports on the back of your computer if your camcorder only has an AV cable to determine if your computer's graphics card accepts an AV input. Purchase either an AV to USB converter cable or an external video capture card that has an AV input (see Resources).
2. Connect the digital camcorder's AV plugs into the converter cable or plug the USB cable for the external video capture card into a USB port on your computer. Plug the AV cables into the video capture card if you are using one.
3. Double-click the icon on your computer's desktop for your web browser. Click on the navigation toolbar and navigate to website that offers a video capture software program such as "TrackerCam" (see Resources).
4. Find the downloads area of the website. Click on the download link and then click on "Save File." Wait for the installation file to finish downloading and then click on the "My Computer" icon on the desktop. Find the downloaded file and double-click on it. Follow the installation instructions that will appear to install the video-capture program.
5. Double-click the desktop icon that will appear to open the video capture program. Change the setting on your digital camera to the "Video" setting. Open the video conferencing program you want to use to open a video chat session such as Yahoo Messenger or MSN Video. Click on the video chat icon and then double-click the option for the video capture program you downloaded earlier to initiate the chat session and use your digital camcorder as a webcam.
Tags: video capture, your computer, capture card, converter cable, digital camcorder, video capture card, your digital