Microsoft LifeCam VX-5500 (White)

by Microsoft

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 8 x 7 x 3 inches ; 6.7 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B001C3V54O
• Item model number: E4C-00001
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (66 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
  • #53 in Electronics > Computers & Add-Ons > Webcams
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 9, 2008

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

The Microsoft® LifeCam VX-5500 lets you hold video calls with friends, coworkers, and family in high-quality video and audio, no matter where you are. It's attractive, easy, and fun to use–the extra faceplates let you pick the color that matches your personal style. Optimized for Windows Live and Windows 7, the LifeCam Cinema also works with Yahoo Messenger, AOL Instant Messenger and Skype for video calls and messaging.

Features:

Video Messages Easily exchange Video Messages using your LifeCam!		Extra Faceplates In white and blue–choose your color.		Video Effects Facial exaggerations, Filters, and 3D accessories.
Photo Swap Share and swap photos live during a video call.		Windows Live™ Call Button The easy way to start a video call.		One-Touch Blogging Add photos to Windows Live Spaces.

Additional Features: Send Video Messages to anyone, anywhere, anytime–even if they are not online Crystal-clear audio Unidirectional microphone Always focused Auto-adjusts for low-light conditions Folds flat

How to Make a Video Call:

With a simple calling interface and integration with Microsoft LifeCams, you'll find that video calling is the next best thing to being there. It's easy, it's free, and you can get started today. All you need is a PC, an Internet connection, an ISP, a webcam, and a friend. Then follow the steps below to make a video call.

Step 1 Buy and install a LifeCam. Don't have one? Start shopping.		Step 2 Sign in to your Windows Live™ Messenger account or other messenger service that supports video calls.		Step 3 Once you are signed in you can either choose a contact on the Instant Messenger window, or press the video call button on your webcam. Then click the Video link to start a video call.

Find a Webcam That's Right for You:

Best: Better: Good:
Webcam	LifeCam Cinema	LifeCam Show	LifeCam VX-5500	LifeCam NX-3000	LifeCam VX-5000	LifeCam VX-2000
Video Sensor	720p HD	2.0 MP	VGA	VGA	VGA	VGA
Photo Size	8 MP	8 MP	1.3 MP	1.3 MP	1.3 MP	1.3 MP
Focus Type - Always Focused means that no fine tuning is needed as the webcam is always in focus from a depth of 21" to 60"	Auto Focus	Always Focused	Always Focused	Always Focused	Always Focused	Fixed Focus
Digital Zoom - delivers realistic, up-close-and-personal video, so you can see the contours of every smile	5x	5x	3x	3x	3x	3x
Wide-Angle Lens - the 71 degree wide angle lens ensures no one gets left out of the pictures	Yes	Yes
Built-In Microphone - a built-in unidirectional microphone cancels out acoustic noise and echo for crystal-clear audio	Digital, Noise-Cancelling	Noise-Cancelling	Noise-Cancelling	Noise-Cancelling	Noise-Cancelling	Noise-Cancelling
Fits Laptops or PCs	Both	Both	Both	Laptops only	Both	Both

System Requirements: Windows® 7 or Windows Vista® Intel Pentium® 4 2.8 GHz (for Pentium Dual-Core 1.8 GHz or higher recommended), 1 GB of RAM (2 GB recommended) Hard drive 200–600 MB available or Windows® XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2) or later Intel Pentium 4 1.8 GHz (for Pentium 4, 3 GHz or higher recommended) 256 MB of RAM (500 MB recommended) Hard drive 400–1250 MB available Windows-compatible speakers or headphones Broadband Internet access required; access fees may apply USB 1.1 (USB 2.0 recommended) CD-ROM drive Display adapter capable of 16-bit color depth or higher, 2 MB or higher video memory

Recommended Accessories:

Microsoft LifeChat LX-3000 Headset		Microsoft LifeChat LX-2000 Headset		Microsoft LifeChat LX-1000 Headset

Product Description

Share Your World with Friends and Family¿from Anywhere, Anytime. The Microsoft® VX-5500 webcam lets you hold video calls with friends, coworkers, and family in high-quality video and audio, no matter where you are. It¿s attractive, easy, and fun to use¿the extra faceplates let you pick the color that matches your personal style.

• Send Video Messages to anyone, anywhere, anytime–even if they are not online
• Crystal-clear audio
• Unidirectional microphone
• Always focused
• Auto-adjusts for low-light conditions
• Folds flat

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

102 of 104 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good webcam - no need to install the software, though., February 22, 2009

By 

The Matrix Fan "Video Gamer since 1979." - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Microsoft LifeCam VX-5500 (White) (Personal Computers)

(What's this?)

Length:: 6:19 Mins

This is me talking on the webcam - it's VERY easy to install, VERY easy to use, but I didn't find it necessary to install all the bells and whistles.

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beware the EULA!, January 7, 2009

By 

Pam Tee "Busy Mom" - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Microsoft LifeCam VX-5500 (White) (Personal Computers)

(What's this?)

The Lifecam 5500 is a cute little webcam that's extremely portable and has a nice long cord. It even comes with three different colored faceplates - dark red, blue, white-- so that you can integrate it into your 'look'. Built-in microphone, of course.

Technicals:::

Size: 1.75-inch-by-1.75-inch square
Connect: Uses a Hi-Speed USB - 4 pin Type A
OS: Microsoft Windows Vista , Microsoft Windows XP SP2
Min. Processor: 1.8 gHz
VGA sensor that captures 640x480 video and still 1.3-megapixel images.
Warranty: 3 year
License: extensive rights assertion


I tested the VX 5500 on an older PC running XP/home. The first thing that I noticed, besides the fact that there seemed to be a lot of packaging, was that there was a tag on the USB that said that the software should be installed before the camera is plugged in.

I did NOT, however, follow that advice because I could not agree to the Licensing Agreement. [For more on that, See the Con's.] Instead I just plugged it in and waited to see if the software I had previously loaded for my Gigaware webcam would work. It did. Perhaps it is because I used other drivers that I ran into no installation problem like others have commented on. I just plugged the cam in and it worked.

RESULTS:::

Pros :::
o Plugged right in and worked on our XP Home system.
o It works with non-Microsoft drivers.
o It worked with Google video chat.
o It has a Great stand. You can use it with a laptop or PC. (The Gigaware cam we purchased is only for laptops)
o 3D effects (requires software and internet downloads)
o It handles dim lighting conditions well. [Contrarily it tends to wash out in bright light.]
o Cord length is a nice 6 foot. (Longer than the Gigaware webcam by a foot!)
o 3 year Warranty


Cons :::
o The camera tends to wash out in bright light; it does better in dim light.
o Not compatible with Macs
o Invasive User Agreement (EULA) enables automatic updates and data collection.

Generally speaking, this is a nice webcam. It compared favorably with the Gigaware cam and the 5500 dealt with dim light conditions much better. If you are into such things, there are 'fun' 3D effects like hats and what not that you can download.

I'm going to give this product 4-Stars because it's reasonably priced and does a good job. HOWEVER, if a draconian EULA bothers you I would recommend the Gigaware Webcam as an alternative. It is roughly the same price, slightly higher resolution and the EULA doesn't give Gigaware unlimited access to your computer.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Blurry motion and awkward mounting on a monitor, September 22, 2009

By 

Kriston Rehberg (Fairfax, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Microsoft LifeCam VX-5500 (White) (Personal Computers)

This webcam is very small and folds flat. It's a great idea for travelling with a laptop when you want to keep in touch with your Paltalk friends.

Pros:
Picture quality is excellent (see Cons).
No focus needed. The depth of field is 21 inches to around 60 inches which is a great trend for the webcam product segment.
UVC support so you don't need a driver unless you want extra features.
Works in Linux due to UVC support.
Cool blue LED and interchangeable faceplates.
Hand-waving latency is very low (see Cons).

Cons:
Even with USB 2.0 the hand waving latency is very low but the frames per second is way less than 30.
Fast movement will blur your image which is something I did not expect. This doesn't happen on comparable Logitech or even the older Lifecams.
Your computer does all of the processing so it will slow down your computer a little bit more than the prior generation of Lifecams did.
A word about the fixed focus: the depth of field ends at 60 inches, not infinity. It's not suitable for monitoring a room or objects that are more than 60 inches away. It's intended to sit on your screen or desk.
The cable is thick and puts so much weight on the camera it pulls the camera off your screen if you're not careful.

Due to the poor motion support this camera is not worth the money. This camera does not compare well to the cheap, generic UVC models I got at my favorite local computer store.