Panasonic DV Videocam as a Webcam

[Guest]

My new Panasonic DV Camera (GS15) is supplied only with a driver for Windows
Messenger. Although this works reasonably well, it is very limiting in that
it works only with WiN and MS messengers (and not always successfully with
the latter). No way to use as far as I know with, say, Yahoo Messenger or
AOL. PANASONIC support have told me there is no plan to release drivers for
other messenger software. So, is there anything out there that will allow me
to use the camera more widely?? Also, it seems you need to use the USB port
on the camera for the Webcam functionality to work, but it is also equipped
with a Firewire port (as is my PC). Any way of using the FW port instead for
Webcam functions?? Thanks

 

[Bob Christian]

Generally it would be best to go with whatever the Panasonic support folks
tell you. I use a Digital Elph as my webcam and it works in all of the IM
products as does a Logitech that I have. Windows XP recognizes it as a
camera...and the IM applications accept it, surprisingly enough. However,
that is not to say that your Panasonic would work the same.

Doing a quick Google search there is a lot of chatter about the USB webcam
feature, but not much about Firewire. Then again, IMHO, there are a lot
more USB inputs deployed than there are Firewire...at least that is what I
have seen.

Bob