One such function has the webcam act as a magic mirror to allow an online shopper to view a virtual item on themselves.

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Webcam software enables users to record a video or stream the video on the Internet.

As video streaming over the Internet requires much bandwidth, such streams usually use compressed formats.

The maximum resolution of a webcam is also lower than most handheld video cameras, as higher resolutions would be reduced during transmission.

The lower resolution enables webcams to be relatively inexpensive compared to most video cameras, but the effect is adequate for video chat sessions.

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Some of them, for example, those used as online traffic cameras, are expensive, rugged professional video cameras.

Most consumer webcams are capable of providing VGA -resolution video at a frame rate of 30 frames per second.

Many newer devices can produce video in multi- megapixel resolutions, and a few can run at high frame rates such as the PlayStation Eye, which can produce 320240 video at 120 frames per second.

The Wii Remote contains an image sensor with a resolution of 1024768 pixels.

Fixed-focus lenses, which have no provision for adjustment, are also available.

As a camera systems depth of field is greater for small image formats and is greater for lenses with a large f-number (small aperture), the systems used in webcams have a sufficiently large depth of field that the use of a fixed-focus lens does not impact image sharpness to a great extent.

The camera pictured to the right, for example, uses a Sonix SN9C101 to transmit its image over USB.

Typically, each frame is transmitted uncompressed in RGB or YUV or compressed as JPEG.

Most webcams feature built-in microphones to make video calling and videoconferencing more convenient.

Further interfaces such as e.g.

Composite video, S-Video or FireWire were also available.

One could use Guvcview or GStreamer and GStreamer-based software to handle the UVC stream.

Another could use multiple USB cameras attached to the host computer the software resides on, and broadcast multiple streams at once over (Wireless) Ethernet, such as MotionEye.

MotionEye can either be installed onto a Raspberry Pi as MotionEyeOs, or afterwards on Raspbian as well.

MotionEye can also be set up on Debian, Raspbian is a variant of Debian.

As webcams evolved simultaneously with display technologies, USB interface speeds and broadband internet speeds, the resolution went up from gradually from 320240, to 640480, and some now even offer 1280720 (aka 720p ) or 19201080 (aka 1080p ) resolution.

To address this concern, many webcams come with a physical lens cover.

Other popular uses include security surveillance, computer vision, video broadcasting, and for recording social videos.

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