Features of the Philips SPC 900NC Webcam

Resolution

The SPC 900NC has a maximum video resolution of 640 x 480 but can do several other resolutions as well. Other video resolutions are; 160 x 120, 176 x 144, 320 x 240, and 352 x 288. Video can be captured at up to 90 frames per second. The still camera portion can do the same resolutions, but goes one better for a highest resolution of 1280 x 960.

Face Tracking

Unlike the VX6000 I reviewed previously that had a skittish face tracking ability, the SPC 900NC is silky smooth. This is how face tracking should work. The camera takes its time and follows your face fast enough that there is minimal lag, but not so fast that it over shoots if you stop suddenly. Zooming too quickly and too much then having to zoom out again was a main issue I had with the VX6000.

Digital Zoom

For some reason I couldn't find the documentation online or on the package that tells the level of digital zoom the SCP 900NC offers. The only thing I can say is that it appears to be more than the 4x the VX6000 offers. You can zoom in to the point that you feel like a dermatologist when you look at the video playback.

High levels of zoom aside, the Philips cam suffers from the same issues with it's digital zoom that every other webcam does. Namely when you use the digital zoom, the images get very grainy and of poor quality quickly. I'm still waiting for the webcam with a nice optical zoom.

Universal Mount

The universal mount is easy to use and should allow you to attach the SPC 900NC to any display and to laptops. The clamp does not hold the camera securely in place for transport on your laptop. You can also use the clamp to support the webcam on your desktop if you desire.

Rotating Lens & Focus

The lens of the Philips cam moves up and down through about an inch of travel. While that may not sound like much, it makes it easy to align your shots better. And if you choose to use the camera from the desk top rather than the top of your display, you can still get a well aligned shot. Like the VX6000, the focus is a manual affair accomplished by turning the small focus ring around the camera lens.

Microphone & Voice Chat

The built in microphone of the cam allows you to voice chat without the need for a headset or external microphone. The mic does a decent job, but did tend to pick up quite a bit of extraneous sound during recording.

VLounge Software

The software that drives all of the functions of the SPC 900NC is called VLounge. From within this application you have access to all the functions you need to operate the camera from the resolution menu to links to allow the fast streaming of video online. You also use this application to capture video and still images.

Philips SPC 900NC Webcam in Use

Installation

Installation of the webcam was very easy. To begin you install the software, then plug in the camera. My Windows XP test machine recognized the SPC 900NC right away and had no problems capturing video.

Using the Cam

Capturing video and still images was as easy as pushing the snap shot short cut button on the side of the camera, or clicking the picture button inside the VLounge software. You can also start and stop video capture in the software as well. Links to make it easier to start video chat sessions are included as are those to help you stream your video. Overall, VLounge is very easy to use.

The face tracking ability is very smooth and works much better than the face tracking on the VX6000 from Microsoft. During my testing of the VX6000 the camera tended to over zoom during face tracking, making the video very jittery and jerky. I noticed none of those issues with the SPC 900NC.

The built-in pan and tilt functions are easy to use as well. These features make it very easy to align your shots and ensure your subject is where it is needed. The digital zoom is robust, but noticeably declines the image quality. Perhaps one of the best features of the Philips camera is its low light capability.

On the front of the webcam there is a small, bright white LED. When you use the SPC 90NC in low light conditions the LED provides enough light to get decent quality. Under the same conditions video captured with the VX6000 was very grainy and had a green tint to it. By contrast the SPC 900NC was almost too bright in low light, but on the whole much better than the VX6000. My suggestion is to shoot your video with better lighting as lighting has the most control over your video quality.