The design of the world's first webcam originated from two scientists who wanted to drink coffee.
In 1991, only the main computer room of the Cambridge University Computer Research Center had a coffee maker. From time to time, scientists from other rooms went to the main computer room to find that the coffee was gone. In order to solve the problem of a trip for nothing when pouring coffee, scientists Fraser and Paul thought of assembling a device that can monitor the coffee maker in the main computer room.
They first pointed a camera at the coffee maker, set to take three photos per minute, and then wrote a program to send the camera pictures to the research department’s internal network. Thus, the University of Cambridge successfully installed the world's first webcam.
On November 22, 1993, the real "Internet camera" was born. It was still in the computer research department of the University of Cambridge. The laboratory of another scientist, Johnson, could not be connected to the internal network. He could not use the previous monitoring software to check for coffee, so he wrote a program so that his computer could receive it. The camera picture has realized the breakthrough of the camera from the internal network to the World Wide Web.
Since then, millions of people from all over the world have joined the "coffee pot watching activity" through the Internet. In 2011, due to the fact that the equipment was too old and could not be maintained, Cambridge computer scientists finally shut down this "webcam".
What are the uses of webcams?
The webcam can instantly display the recording effect. After the video recorder finishes recording the program, it can be replayed as long as it takes a few minutes to rewind the tape. Immediately check the quality address of the record destination. If you add the real-time playback head, you can almost get the quality of the recorded program while recording, which is very convenient. If there is something that does not meet the requirements, you can stop and refold the recording. The production process of motion picture film is very complicated. It has to go through the process of exposure, development, fixing, drying, etc.: it can take a few hours at the earliest, and it also needs to be converted from negative film to positive film and then go through the above process.
The management system of the network surveillance camera facilitates the management and control of remote inspections without damaging the camera data. The webcam can do special effects, and it can move fast, slow motion, or stop the image during playback using the characteristics of the video tape recorder. The webcam can repeatedly use tapes and inferior video tapes, and can erase and record new programs if there is no retention value. The repeated use of tapes greatly reduces the cost of broadcasting programs.
The program of the camera data can be stored for a long time. If the program is stored for a long time with movie film, the color will fade. But the tape can be stored for a long time as long as it is not remagnetized and demagnetized. If you use a digital video tape recorder, you will not be afraid of noise interference. Even after multiple copies, the quality of the program is still very good.
The above is the origin and purpose of webcams. Want to know more details, continue to pay attention to the ROCWARE website.
