pseudo-camera input?

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Level 4

1,349 points

pseudo-camera input?

If I have multiple video sources, for example a built-in isight and a webcam plugged in, applications like iChat and Quicktime offer a selection for video input in preferences. So does Yahoo messenger, etc.

Under classic OSes from at least 6.x to 9.2.2, there were "codecs" available to emulate a video device but take information from elsewhere, like the clipboard. You could just select "clipcam" instead of the webcam for video input, and anything copied to the clipboard went out like from a cam. I used that for remote training to make PPT-style presentations with CUseeMe. Another of these "codecs" played a quicktime movie: I could show "how to assemble a widget" training slideshows or even video clips, if there was enough bandwith to the remote site..

Anything like that for OS X?

Thanks,

John

20" iMac 2 ghz core duo / 2 gb / 250 gb, Mac OS X (10.4.6)

Posted on Jun 5, 2006 1:43 AM

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Answer 1

PatMan

Level 3

610 points

Jun 5, 2006 10:30 AM in response to John Child

I think you are mistaken about the word "codec," codecs are ways for QuickTime to encode video and make the file size smaller. QuickTime does support video input from multiple sources, but as far as I can tell there are no "virtual" sources, that is no way to use an existing video or picture as a video stream. Of course it does support FireWire video cameras so you can for instance take any iMovie project and export it to a DV camera, then play it back into iChat AV.

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Answer 2

John Child Author

Level 4

1,349 points

Jun 5, 2006 7:38 PM in response to John Child

Thanks Pat,

I put "codec" in quotes because it was the word used then for these little bits of 'virtual camera' code. It doesn't fit today's usage, though the word has evolved. Originally a codec (COder-DECoder) was hardware, a box that converted digital-digital, ethernet to telco standards and back, for leased lines.

John

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Answer 3

John Child Author

Level 4

1,349 points

Jun 6, 2006 9:12 PM in response to John Child

Hi folks,

I suppose no answer is a negative, but I'm going to bump this up again in hopes someone knows of virtual cam driver...

John

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Answer 4

Jun 6, 2006 9:34 PM in response to John Child

John--

I suppose no answer is a negative, but I'm going to
bump this up again in hopes someone knows of virtual
cam driver...

Would something like SlidesNow! work? I also found a product called Wirecast that seems like it do what you want, though it's a bit more expensive (OK, maybe a lot more expensive), but it looks like there's a demo you can download and try out.

I found those listed on this page...

charlie

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Answer 5

John Child Author

Level 4

1,349 points

Jun 7, 2006 1:38 AM in response to John Child

Hi Charlie,

Thanks. I'm not sure those are the tools I need exactly, but I'm sure you are right that the way to do this now is by video podcast.

Still, anyone knowing of a "virtual cam" driver...

John

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