Customer Reviews

Kinamax WCM-6LNV 6-LED Infrared Night-Vision 1.3 MP MegaPixel USB 2.0 Webcam with Audio Microphone Vista Ready

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

The thing does work okay for me under Windows XP, although I have to restart once in a while to get it to wake up if it has been inactive. Other than that, let's go down the list of features you would expect from reading the product listing:

1) 6-LED Infrared: There are 6 LED's, but they are bright white, not infrared. One sort of nice thing is that they are hooked up to a visible light sensor that is just inside a small hole in the top of the camera so they turn on automatically when it gets dark. Unfortunately, there is no way to them off if it is dark and they are so bright you can't exactly sit there and look at the camera if they are on without seeing spots afterwards.

2) Night-Vision: I took the lens apart and there IS an infrared filter in there, so no, it will not have any better night vision than any other web cam out there unless you unscrew the lens all the way and take out that filter.

3) 1.3 MP: Not so much, it's not even VGA (640x480) resolution, just CIF (352x288) - the lowest resolution on any web cam out there.

4) USB with Microphone: At least they got that right, but don't expect to get very useful sound with the cheapy mic.

So, the product listing is extremely misleading, but it is a camera and it does work on a very basic level. That's why I gave it two stars instead of 1. Honestly, though, I only paid $8 for mine and it's not worth a penny more!

I bought one of these from Tech Geek.

This cam does not have infrared capabilities.

The 6 LEDs are actually blindingly bright white lights.

When I finally got a response from Kinamax, they say thet the cam will work in the dark.

Well, so will my other one if I hook a flashlight to it.

Ok cam for the money, but working in the dark and infrared are two different things.

Drivers can be found at kinamax dot com

Absolutely horrid webcam. The software won't work with xp or win2k. All you get when its loaded is a bunch of jagged vertical lines. Stay away from this cam as it isn't worth the 24 dollar price tag. If you want an IR camera then spend the extra money and get a good one.

Either its a DOA or it just don't work ive installed it on 3 different PCs and I on image tried to change some setting tried new drivers but nothing no image at all not even when useing my IM programs, the pc knows it's there but still nothing,well at least the lights on it work work.

It claims to sense Infrared images of people in front of the camera - it DOES NOT (I can check this with an infrared light source)

it claims to have 6 infrared LEDS - NOPE it has 6 white LEDs

It claims to work with the macintosh with some driver you can download from vmicro - God alone knows what this driver I installed actually does, but it doesn't run a camera

It is a total ripoff. At least if you are going to sell a hokey camera they could at least tell me what it actually does. The description must be cut and pasted out of something else.

This identical camera is branded under many names (evidently you can just have a boat load shipped from china and stick on your own logo). My order said kinamax, i got something from a company called Sabrent.

Bottom line: it is false advertisement and the item is nothing like the description except how it looks in the photo (off, without the white NON-infrared LEDs on)

It stinks

The Kinamax WebCam is a very poor choice. I purchased 5 of them, all create software problems (under Vista and XP,) all have audio/driver issues and the video color palette is severely off.

For a few dollars more, the Microsoft Live WebCam is a MUCH better solution!

Well, I wish I could post a video review. But the camera keeps causing a kernel panic on my Macbook (running Leopard / Mac OS X 10.5), despite there being a Mac OS driver. Oh well.

First of all, DO NOT pay attention to idiot reviews with low star ratings. I was skeptical because of them, but figured that maybe those people do not understand how InfraRed light works and gave it a shot. $16.00 later I couldn't be happier, this cam met my expectations.

You must understand that this webcam is NOT meant for night time security surveillance, reason being is because the IR LED's built in do not put out that much light. The more visible light you have, the more it is going to interfere with IR and the less you will be able to see at night. If you are searching for a night security cam, this is NOT the cam for you.

What I wanted was a web cam that allowed night time visibility to use as a wireless baby monitor to mount on the crib that I could use with the hardware I already own...which is, a computer, a wireless internet router, an iPhone and an iPod Touch along with the apple store app called iCamSource. With that software, I can see what is going on with our baby inside that crib, wireless and SECURED.

Unlike those $150 - $300 baby monitors, they put out UN-SECURED Radio Frequencies that anyone with the proper equipment, can lock into that frequency and see what is going on inside your home. Why spend that much more when you probably already own what I just mentioned on the last paragraph?? If you're that type of individual...read on. If not...then don't waste your time with this cam.

I installed this cam over the crib, I was very impressed with the video quality with day light, everything looks sharp, couldn't be happier, even though it is not HD like the box says. Then the night test, the crib lit up just as I expected. The LED lights are always on, BUT You cannot see them on (hello McFly, that's what IR means), which is perfect for baby!! I was able to get about 3 Feet of IR lighting distance and see the whole crib just fine. At 4 feet, visibility starts to degrade. At 6 feet, visibility becomes poor. Keep in mind I did this test in complete darkness.

If you're a "Ghost Hunter" Move on...this cam isn't going to do jack. Besides, they don't exist. But you've seen ghostly images on IR before...that's because a good and expensive IR Camera can also catch invisible light that bounces off other objects, giving a ghostly appearance, ding dong.

The camera is so,so average for the price you pay. It is not 1.3 megapixel. It is 640 X 480 at best setting. The microphone is useless.

The camera works great, but it does not work at nightime as advertised. I emailed tech support and asked how to make happen (turn on led's) and was ignored.