Information and Software for the IBM PC Camera

Back in the stone ages when web cameras were still becoming a 'thing', IBM partnered with Xirlink to produce a line of webcams. These have all of the features you'd expect from the 90's, including slow frame rates, a maximum of 640x480 of resolution and the the characteristic compression algorithms every digital footage from the 90's used.

These cameras are probably not the most useful thing anymore for serious video conferencing unless you're running an old computer that requires an old webcam (but good luck finding any conferencing software that will work with said driver). They are fun to goof around with, especially if you want some 90's era looking footage. The cameras will remain 'off' until the IBM capture program starts in which the camera will light up its LED and initialize itself. That's actually what modern cameras need so you could tell if they're being initalized or not; but I guess what most OEMs do is just have camera covers now. You can also take grainy .BMPs with these cameras if you want a 90's looking picture for your... uh... linkedin profile picture? No, don't do that.

On that note... Xirlink no longer exists and IBM has forcefully forgotten they ever made web cams.

 

Software and Drivers

--> IBM PC Camera Software Package

This is a dump from the CD-ROM that came with the IBM PC Cameras which has all of the software and drivers. It appears to support both the regular and pro versions (I have the 'pro' version which was designed to complement the striped PC 300 series). It's a surprisingly large package.

 

Where can you find your very own IBM(R) PC Camera(TM)? These things fly around everywhere on ebay still new and sealed since nobody probably can find a good real use for them...

 

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