FaceVsion TouchCam N1 720P HD Webcam Review

Over the past few years, high definition video has become much more widely adopted in the market with the introduction and popularisation of HDTV and Blu-Ray.  But we have only recently seen the high definition standard expand into video calling with the release of a few HD webcams.  Today we are going to look at the TouchCam N1 HD webcam from HD Webcam which is designed to be used with Skype's HD video calling service.

Being one of only a select few HD webcams on the market, the TouchCam N1 isn't exactly cheap to purchase.  In fact, FaceVsion demand an almighty £70 for the webcam which is sure to put off a large number of consumers.  We do expect that this product will be more popular in a corporate environment where video conferencing is used on a daily basis and video quality is more important.

The packaging quality is exactly what we would expect with a product in this price bracket.  The camera is supplied within a substantial cardboard box with a high quality matte-black finish.  The included bundle compromses of two manuals, a software CD and a USB cable.

Setting up the TouchCam up  is extremely simple as it is plug and play.  The only slight issue is the short USB cable which will only suffice if your PC is situated on your desk. If it's situated underneath your desk, the cable wont be long enough and you will need to source a longer cable or an external hub.

Even considering the hefty price tag, the build quality of the TouchCam exceeded our expectations.  The front of the unit is constructed from carbon-fibre effect black plastic and the back is made from a black-coloured metal alloy.  These are surrounded by a sliver-coloured metal alloy shell which forms the top, bottom and sides of the camera.  Together, these materials give the TouchCam a sophisticated look and feel which would suit both office and home environments well.

On the underside of the camera body there is a rubber pad which should stop the camera from slipping when placed on top of a monitor.  The camera's stand is fitted out with similar pads to facilitate installation.  The metal alloy stand can be positioned in a number of different ways so the camera can stand freely or be placed on the top of a monitor without issue.  The high quality 720P camera is combined with two uni-directional microphones for picking up sound.

Image Quality

The FaceVsion TouchCam N1 is probably the most attractive and well-built webcam on the market and doesn't dissapoint at all in terms of video quality.  Users will need to consider the bandwidth requirements of HD video calling though, as many broadband connections will be too slow.  Skype recommend a minimum of 1mbps for HD video calling although this can be reduced to 512kbps if you use FaceVsion's own software.  We feel the high price will put off a lot of consumers, but we feel corporate users will be a lot more willing to pay for the ultimate quality.  For those who are already interested, it is available for £70 at Dabs.

KitGuru Says: Without doubt the best webcam we've ever used despite the high price

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