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computer science

LifeCam

LifeCam is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand LifeCam rather than just read about it. In short: The LifeCam is a lineup of webcams from Microsoft for PC users marketed since 2006. Various models and series of webcams are designed for either laptops or desktops.

LifeCam — main illustration
LifeCam — illustration

Key takeaways

  • LifeCam belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
  • Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
  • Connect LifeCam to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
  • Reproduce the core statement of LifeCam from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The LifeCam is a lineup of webcams from Microsoft for PC users marketed since 2006. Various models and series of webcams are designed for either laptops or desktops.

VX Series

History The VX series of Microsoft LifeCam debuted on 13 June 2006, and were available for sale in August 2006, as Microsoft's first entry into selling webcams, with only two models, the VX-3000 and VX-6000. One of the exclusive features include the integration with Windows Live Messenger, by having a Windows Live Call button that can be used to easily initiate a video call. These models both feature a similar round body design, with a round base, known as the Universal Attachment Base.

The entire series was designed for desktop use, as it used a base for attaching it to a desktop monitor. All webcams of this series interface via USB.

Specifications

NX Series All webcams of the NX series are designed for notebooks and interfaces via USB 2.0.

Specifications

LifeCam Show 2.0 megapixel sensor 8.0 megapixel still images (interpolated) 21-60" focused depth of field (fixed focus) 71-degree wide angle lens Comes with many attachments: Magnet disc, clip, and its own stand—it can be used on both desktop and laptop computers. Released: Sep 2008

LifeCam Cinema 720p 16:9 1/4" OmniVision OV9712 Sensor 5.0 megapixel still images (interpolated) Autofocus Built-in microphone 73,5-degree wide angle glass lens 4"-∞ depth of field (autofocus) Released: Aug 2009

LifeCam Studio 1080p 16:9 Sensor 8.0 megapixel still images (interpolated) Autofocus Built-in microphone 75-degree wide angle glass lens Tripod thread Released: Sep 2010

HD Series

These series debuted in March 2010 and uses Microsoft's TrueColor technology for improved color balance. They all have 720p HD video resolution and have built-in microphones.

Specifications

References

External links Archived: MSFT Hardware - LifeCam home

Illustrations

LifeCam: A LifeCam HD-3000 webcam sitting on top of a monitor
A LifeCam HD-3000 webcam sitting on top of a monitor
LifeCam: LifeCam VX-3000
LifeCam VX-3000
LifeCam: LifeCam VX-1000
LifeCam VX-1000
LifeCam: LifeCam Cinema
LifeCam Cinema
LifeCam: LifeCam HD-5000
LifeCam HD-5000

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with LifeCam

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what LifeCam claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to LifeCam before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about LifeCam ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of LifeCam

In research
LifeCam appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry
Engineering practice reuses LifeCam in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom
LifeCam is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Computer-related introductions in 2006, Microsoft hardware, Videotelephony, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life
Look for LifeCam outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study LifeCam in 20 minutes

  1. Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
  2. Close the page and write down what LifeCam means in your own words.
  3. Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
  4. Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
  5. Explain LifeCam out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is LifeCam in simple terms?

The LifeCam is a lineup of webcams from Microsoft for PC users marketed since 2006. Various models and series of webcams are designed for either laptops or desktops.

Why does LifeCam matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study LifeCam?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on LifeCam.

Tags

  • Computer-related introductions in 2006
  • Microsoft hardware
  • Videotelephony
  • Webcams

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