For almost two years my primary recording device for YouTube videos has been with not a fancy camcorder, but a webcam.
So believe me when I tell you that I’ve tried a lot of different applications on different operating systems to get the most from my camera, both proprietary and open source. Out of everything I have tried, GUVCviewer packs the best blend of performance and features.
Check out the video for my full review:
GUVCViewer Video Review
I should mention that one problem web cameras face in Linux, as well as every other O/S, is that they are limited by the interface (to date). USB webcams, even USB 2.0, simply don’t have the ability to output 1080p (or even 720p) video at decent frame rates. It will be a while before we see high-bitrate video recorded at 30 fps in 1920x1080p.
This is not a software fault but a hardware limitation. The good news is that prices for camcorders that can handle 1080p video have come down quite a bit!
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