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Over christmas I was delighted to open a brand new shiney Logitech Quickcam Fusion with a built-in microphone. My old webcam's quality wasn't very good http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRoksLGNWj8 and so now I could finally shoot videos for YouTube in 1.3 Megapixel. I installed everything and then horror struck.

-Videos where not videos, more like pictue slide shows, so jerky, stop-start and slow that the viewer can't tell the effect.

-The microphone totally ruined the speakers, causing a loud crackle and hiss everytime and sort of sound was played.

The cam cost £80+ and was one of the best in the range.

Soon it will be returned. What webcam is the best for me to shoot higher quality videos, mainly card effects? I currently think that a camera without a built in microphone will stop the interference with my speakers, so that is a probable definite. Also, have any of you had the same problems?[b][/b][b][/b]

OK, let's just take a step back from the camera being at fault...

I've been using webcams since they first were introduced... the picture quality was nothing more than a fisheye view of a pixelated, muddy and blurry jerk, with no sound.

Since then, cameras have leaped forward massively, and the technology is sound, stable and very good... not quite camcorder quality, but getting there.

Many factors are involved in your camera and the final effect, and most are how the picture and sound get from the device to your CPU.

The chain goes like this:

PICTURE > LENS > PHOTO CHIP RECEIVER > INTERNAL PROCESSOR > SIGNAL > USB BUS > COMPUTER HARDWARE > SOFTWARE

The sound follows a similar route... MICROPHONE > ANALOG TO DIGITAL CONVERTER > USB BUS > COMPUTER HARDWARE > SOFTWARE

On a PC, there's so much else the computer is doing that adding a camera, which relies on pure hardware speed and software to convert the signals into something viewable.

From experience setting up webcams for companies and people, it's sometimes been necessary to add USB2 hardware ports to the computer. And most times, a cull of system 'crud' has been required too. Old drivers, old systems and even corrupt hard drives have all been culprits.

Poor quality sound cards are the main failing for many crackle problems. In fact, I've just replaced the soundcard in a friends' machine as when he watches streaming media from ANY FLV/Flash based video from the net, it crackles and pops in a horrible way. A £10 soundcard later, and he's now in the 21st century.

Many computer hardware setups and permutations of hardware can contribute to newer cams not functioning. Manufacturers seem to be on a mission lately to push out cheap PCs which LOOK great, and have great features such as wireless on-board, 3D sound etc. but fail to supply decent quality internal parts.

I'm not saying this is the case, but you may want to consider the following:

1. How old is your computer?
2. Does it have USB2 or USB1?
3. Has it been a long while since a full re-install of system software?
4. Is your system software up to date?
5. Could you remove some old extraneous drivers from the system?
6. Does all other hardware function correctly all of the time?
7. Is there anything which would indicate that other movie/sound types don't always work on your machine?
8. Do you frequently download and add 'shareware' to your system?

I'd be totally surprised if the camera is at fault. Although, saying that, I bought a USB2 scanner last month for £800, and it failed to start. After 2 hours of re-configuring and re-booting, I came to the conclusion it was a dud, and sent it back—the replacement works perfectly.

Webcams, especially newer ones, have a MYRIAD of settings and adjustments. Perhaps you need to find the right one for your machine?

Check your system requirements: the basics to use the Fusion cam (which I've actually owned, and found to be excellent) are:

*Windows 2000, XP or Vista
* Pentium P4 1.4Ghz or AMD Athlon 1Ghz
* 128Mb of RAM available
* 200Mb of hard drive space
* 16 bit display card
* USB 2 port for 'top end' settings

If I were you... I'd go in to your Windows control panel and go to 'add/remove software' and kill any old programs or camera drivers or microphone drivers which you don't use anymore—PLUS the logitech new stuff.
Then, re-start the system and re-install the logitech software.

Then, remove ALL USB device plugs from the machine and try JUST the webcam. i.e. don't plug ANYTHING ELSE IN except the webcam.

Give it another whirl. Try reducing the capture size and quality, also the 'effects', until it works.

The jerky video and popping sound indicate that you have either an input/output problem on your machine, or quite simply your hardware isn't up to it. Or, you have conflicting or incompatible software running.

Currently I have an Apple iSight—which is a Firewire camera with sound. It's totally fantastic—autofocus, built-in microphone and much more.

The quality is outstanding in good light situations. And it's possibly the best looking at most compatible camera I've tried.

A couple of other things to consider (in the case that seig's suggestions do not resolve your issue):

If the USB ports on your computer are USB 2.0 are they USB Hi-Speed, the "full-speed" is actually the much slower USB 1.1 absorbed into the 2.0 spec in an evil marketing more designed to confuse and rip-off the consumers.

Windows is notoriously bad at handling USB ports. If you have a USB post you have never plugged anything into, try that one. Windows reinstalls the drivers for each device for each USB port when the device is plugged in. The way it handles the drivers can result in conflicts if you have plugged multiple devices, at one time, into the same USB port.

(like seige, I am also a MAC user and evangelist)

Hey, thanks for all your help, and for taking time to see my problem. It is well appreciated. Thanks again.

And what has this taught us? That Mac is the way forward in 2007 and that seige deserves some variety of medal for his knowledge Happy New Year