Intel Pocket PC Camera, CS-630

by Intel

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0000589LN
• Item model number: IPCC4PKT
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 4, 1973

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Able to perform as either a PC-based or portable digital camera, the flexible Intel Pocket PC Camera provides high-quality video clips and pictures--whether it's tethered to the computer or sitting in the palm of your hand. The Pocket PC makes capturing and sharing video and pictures more exciting and convenient than ever. Just push a button to capture snapshots or start recording video clips for use in e-mail postcards, movies, Web sites, and more. For use away from the PC, simply detach it from the tilt-swivel base and USB cord, using the handy wrist strap and carrying case. The software gives you the freedom to make video phone calls over the Internet from your desk. You can even build your own PC movies and edit and enhance your pictures.

Featuring a progressive-scan CCD image sensor, a glass and plastic lens, and 8 MB flash memory, Intel's Pocket PC Camera takes 24-bit/16.8 million-color still images at 640 x 480 resolution. It also takes up to 640 x 480-resolution video clips at up to 30 frames per second in full-motion video. The focus range is from 10 centimeters to infinity. The Pocket PC Camera has an LCD for setting pictures to photo or video, seeing how many pictures are available, and checking battery life.

The Pocket PC Camera is compatible with PCs only and hooks up through a 9-foot USB cable. System requirements include: a 166 MHz Pentium with MMX, Celeron, or faster (Reality Fusion Camera Games require 266 MHz Pentium or faster processor); Windows 98, 98 SE, or ME operating system; 32 MB RAM; a USB port; a 800 x 600/16-bit computer display; 250 MB hard disk space; a 4x CD-ROM drive; Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 or higher; an Internet service provider; a 28.8K or faster modem; and a Windows-compatible sound card with speakers and microphone. The camera comes with a CD-ROM software disk, a 9-foot USB camera-to-PC cable, four AAA batteries, a tilt swivel base/cradle, a carrying case, a camera strap, a quick-start guide, and a quick-reference field guide. Intel provides an abundance of photo and video software titles with the camera, including Intel Audio Recorder, Intel Auto Snapshot, Intel E-mail Postcard, Intel Gallery, Intel Home Page Builder, Intel Movie Builder, Intel Picture Manager, Intel Scene Recorder, Intel Snapshot, Intel TWAIN Driver, Intel Video E-mail, MGI Photo Editing Software, Microsoft Windows NetMeeting, and Reality Fusion PC Games.

Intel provides a one-year parts and labor warranty on the Pocket PC Camera.

From Digital Living Today

With the rise of digital image use on the Web, it becomes more and more appealing for Internet aficionados to have easy access to both digital photography and digital video at a moment's notice. For those of you who want to be able to post snapshots on the Web, or explore video Internet telephony, but don't want to invest in a high-end video or digital still-camera, Intel has come out with the ingenious Pocket PC Camera. The Pocket PC is a multi-purpose, digital video and still image camera that can be attached to your PC using a 9-foot USB cable that comes included. Its optics utilize a progressive scan CCD that allow it to capture still and video images at resolutions of up to 640x480. The video mode allows for up to 30-fps full-motion AVI video. If you want to use it away from your computer, unplug it from its cradle and use 4AAA batteries to power the Pocket PC as it fills up its 8MB of onboard memory. With the exception that the Pocket PC is incompatible with Macs, it is one of those rare, affordable, gadgets that everyone should run out and buy.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A little of everything, April 20, 2001

By 

"bdfoote" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Intel Pocket PC Camera, CS-630 (Personal Computers)

I wasn't ready to take the leap and get a mega-pixel camera because of the cost and the fact that 90% of the time I would just shrink the pictures down to post on the web anyway.

For what it is, it's pretty good. It's a nice webcam for connecting directly to your PC. It's a convenient camera to carry around with you and take lots of reasonably good pictures. The software that comes with it is nice and works from within my image editing software so I can download, edit, and save very easily. The size is just right for slipping in a pocket and it's survived a number of minor drops intact. This is definitely not a high-end camera, but if you just want something to take pictures to post on the web and work as a direct-connect webcam it's a good deal. Battery life is good and it uses Alkaline batteries. I'd rather have the option of rechargable batteries charged via the USB cable, but that isn't available. The one thing that really bothers me is the button. It's kind of hard to push down and when it finally gives, it tends to jerk the camera a little. If I'm not careful to keep it steady, this results in a blurred shot.

Pros: Good battery life. Enough memory for 128 pictures. Adjustable focus for close-up objects. Shoots 10-second video clips away from PC. Shoots nice higher-res videos when connected to a PC. USB interface with slick software. Timer mode so you can set it down, click the button, and get into the shot

Cons: Cannot upgrade memory. No screen to view/delete pictures. Not Windows 2000 compatible - a beta driver is available to download pictures, but it cannot clear pictures from the camera's memory! Video limited to low-res 10 second clips. Low-light pictures do not come out well and it doesn't have a flash. Can only adjust focus when it's connected to a computer

Keep your eye out for rebates. CompUSA recently had a MAJOR price break on these things.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun, durable and priced reasonably., July 2, 2001

By 

Page Turner "littledigit" (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Intel Pocket PC Camera, CS-630 (Personal Computers)

My roommate and I bought this camera about six months ago, and it is one of the most-used and most-enjoyed items in our apartment. It doesn't use up any film, so we never think twice about grabbing the camera when we go somewhere with friends.

Though it has no flash or zoom capabilities, it takes large, clear pictures even when used portably. The video it takes when it is not connected to the computer is a bit lacking because it comes out so small, but it is still useful for some things -- I took it on a roller coaster last week and videotaped the ride at 60 miles per hour!

As for the video taken while the camera is hooked up to the computer, it is sharp and good quality when there is plenty of natural light, but at night, even with all the lights on, it has a lot of trouble detecting motion and the video tends to be slow and choppy.

The cute little camera is very durable--we know because we have dropped it countless times and it has never malfunctioned. battery compartment does accidentally come open sometimes, causing the batteries to scatter all over the ground, but the pictures already taken still remain in its memory, so it is really more of a nuisance than a problem.

It comes with its own software which works well for organizing and editing the pictures, but its movie making software doesn't have many features, so it's better to use the movie maker that comes with Windows or a professional one. The pictures it takes come in .jpg format, and the videos come in .avi format, so they're perfectly compatible with other viewing and editing programs.

All things considered, we are very happy we have this little camera; I would recommend it to anyone who wishes to have fun with unlimited pictures and video, though those with concerns about very high-quality video might do better to seek out more expensive digital equipment.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars how to get it to work well, July 15, 2001

By 

.dom.inic.del.bene. (San Francisco, Ca. USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Intel Pocket PC Camera, CS-630 (Personal Computers)

best value for your money? probably. i've had it for about 3 months now and have not had any problems. the camera is advertised as being able to take 128 pictures at 640x480 but having have taken it on vacation, it took a good 165 before being full. the remote video at 320x240 is okay, light permitting, but for 129 bucks, i'm not really asking for all that much. attatched video and macro lens are REALLY impressive and the software is really consumer friendly. If people are having all of these problems with it, i'm assuming that they are running an OS that is not compatible (ie W2000). I'm running it on 98 and am having no problems whatsoever. Only drawbacks are that it has no flash and no remote audio, but if you know that going into it, its really not a dissapointment. Great pocket cam. Takes really good pictures and has a great supplementary software package.