Entered CNET Catalog: 06/02/2007
SKU: 026616021291
Manufacturer: Philips Consumer Electronics
Manufacturer description
This is simply the best webcam in the world. It has Philips state-of-the-art technology and its optics are so sensitive that it will even give you colorful, high definition images in darkness. It's perfect for web casting and home monitoring.Product summary
The good: Smooth face tracking; useful lighting presets; smooth video at 30 and 60fps; tripod screw mount.
The bad: Buggy software; dead pixels on sensors; cheap and lightweight; poorly designed stand; no autofocus; low max resolutions for video and photos.
The bottom line: Aside from its ability to follow a face, the Philips SPC 900NC Webcam disappoints.
Editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 11/16/2007
The Philips SPC 900NC is a serviceable Webcam, but it can't match up to the Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000, which lists for the same $99. What this Philips cam has going for it is the ability to capture smooth video at up to 60 frames per second, the best face-tracking feature I've tested, and useful lighting presets and adjustments that result in a well-balanced picture under a variety of lighting conditions. But the Logitech is still unmatched in low-light conditions, provides a higher pixel count, and boasts an overall better build quality, including a sturdier, more flexible stand. Plus, our Philips SPC 900NC review unit had a few stuck pixels in the middle of its sensor, and the bundled VLounge app has an outdated look and some annoying bugs that detract from its appeal.
After reviewing the Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000 and the Creative Live Cam Optia AF, the Philips SPC 900NC feels like a cheap, plastic toy. It's much lighter than the other two cameras, with a very thin plastic base. The camera can be mounted somewhat securely on top of a monitor or laptop, but the base with its single hinge and arced shape does not allow for a secure perch on your desk. Thankfully, there's a screw mount that will work with a tripod, if you're serious about your Webcam positioning. The lens can be swiveled about 70 degrees. There's no autofocus; you must turn the focus ring on the lens to get a sharp picture. On one side of the cylindrical camera is a button to snap a picture and on the other is a button to call up the VLounge app; neither button worked, however, on either system on which I installed the camera.
Installation is pretty straightforward, but you'll have to head to the Philips Web site for Vista drivers; they're not included on the bundled CD. The VLounge app is used for recording and playing back video and still shots, but the software looks dated and was buggy on two separate installs. In the settings window, there are three tabs: General, Video, and Audio. On one Vista machine, anytime I clicked the Audio tab, the entire VLounge app froze and had to be restarted with the old Ctrl-Alt-Del routine. On a second Vista system, the Audio tab worked fine but whenever I clicked on the little e-mail envelope button in the main VLounge window, Windows would flash an error message and the app would abruptly close.
In addition to the software troubles, the SPC 900NC unit Philips submitted for review had a few dead pixels near the middle of the sensor that resulted in a small, black mark in all videos and still photos. The camera's VGA sensor can snap still photos up to a software interpolated 1,280x960; video maxes out at 640x480. While Philips claims the camera can do up to 90 frames per second, the highest setting offered is 60fps. Video captured at 60fps and 30fps was smooth; lower frame rates struggled with movement, resulting in frequent pixelition.
The best two features of the Philip SPC 900NC are its face-tracking feature and its lighting preset. The face-tracking feature uses the camera's 8x digital zoom to follow your bobbing, weaving head to keep it centered in the frame. The Philips cam executed this feature much better than any camera I've reviewed; it accurately followed my mug while smoothly zooming in and out. In contrast, the Creative Live Cam Optia AF often lost track of my face and zoomed wildly in seemingly desperate attempts to relocate it. In adjusting the image, you can opt for a fully automatic setting along with individual auto and manual settings for exposure and white balance. If you turn off Auto White Balance, you're given three lighting options: Indoor, Outdoor, and Fluorescence, which I found very useful. The Fluorescence setting, for example, warms up the picture by adding red. You can also take matters into your own hands and use sliders to adjust the red and blue levels along with brightness, contrast, gamma, and saturation.
The Webcam can do motion-detection monitoring, but the bright, white activation light above the lens might blow your cover. Inside the box is a 30-day trial offer to MioNet for remote access. Also in the box is limited version of Nero's SIPPS video-conferencing app, which requires a lengthy install and registration at something called the Nikotel network. You're better off using Skype or Yahoo or MSN or AOL video-enabled instant messengers.
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8out of 8 user reviews
My best single item purchase EVER!
Pros: Picture quality is absolutely incredible (fine-tuned). Ability to even broadcast a good picture in pitch back darkness is nothing short of astonishing
Cons: Not really compatible with most laptop designs. No Pan and manual focus
out of 8 user reviews
BEWARE!!!!! PIECE OF JUNK!!!! STOPPED WORKING!
Pros: INITIAL SETUP EASY. GREAT INITIAL QUALITY. STOPPED WORKING IN LESS THAN ONE WEEK OF OPERATION.
Cons: QUIT WORKING IN LESS THAN A WEEK'S TIME AND PHILIPS WOULD NOT HONOR WARRANTY BECAUSE I PURCHASED FROM EBAY VENDOR.
out of 8 user reviews
Best webcam you can have!!!
Pros: Smoth action, choose 60 Hz frame rate and see people on the other side how their mouth drops.
Software, can watch your desk while youre away.
Good quality build, long cable.
Can set up picture properies manually or automatic.
Mic!
Cons: Missing lens cover (100% privacy) - but can fix with a used shampoo bottle :)
out of 8 user reviews
Awesome cam, C/Net's review is crap!
Pros: Excellent image quality!
60fps is grat.
The monitor stand/clip works perfectly, doesn't budge!
Anti flicker under florescent lights
Manual color adjustment
Microphone audio quality is terrific!
Outstanding face tracking!
Amazing low light performance
Cons: Plastic lens
No auto focus
Their picture enhancer (sharpening) if not set to the max produces blurry results. So keep it on all the time at it's max. I think it's a gimmick.
He is reviewing the Philips spc-900nc webcam a year later! And comparing it to a newer webcam! Give me a freakin' break! Of coursea year later the newest webcams will have improved things. Also the quoted price of $99 is totally wrong, two years ago the webcam was selling for $69 at most popular stores that carried it. The Logitech Quickcam was way pricier then!
Even for today's standards the Philips spc-900nc is a great webcam. The plastic lens is really the down point. Not because of image quality, but mostly because if you try to clean it, some solutions could permanently fog your lens. And it's easier to scratch. Luckily you can find replacements in glass as the cam uses a CCTV board type lens mount in 12x0.5mm. Just about all webcams came with plastic lenses. The image quality is still fantastic.
And if your handy, you can use this cam for many purposes. Adapters are sold to use it for Astro imaging and microscope imaging; as it's design is easily modified and adapted. The sensor is also top notch!
Things that this camera lacked are now included in Philips new webcams. You should really check them out. Auto focus, Glass lenses, true 2.0 megapixel video and 8.0 megapixel still shot. Up to 90 fps.
out of 8 user reviews
Fantastic cam
Pros: This cam has surpassed all the rest(own several cams)no problems as of yet The video and picture quality are VERY good I've bought the newer cams that were rated so highly I returned the most recent one in less than a week of owning the other product
Cons: If you should damage the lens ,it's difficult to find a replacement lens
out of 8 user reviews
Very Buggy
Pros: Ability to slide the camera up or down
Cons: Kept crashing my computer
out of 8 user reviews
NOT owend yet. Your test is OUT OF date.
Pros: I am looking at 900NC with 90fps & low light brodcasting
Cons: Not sure about using with VISTA (os is a pain)
out of 8 user reviews
The Philips SPC-900NC Webcam was way better then rated on here
Pros: works well in extremely low lighting and extremely fast 90fps
Cons: cheap clip mount
