Wireless video got a little
easier on Wednesday, when X10 announced its new GigaCam, a video
camera that can transmit video and audio signals up to 100 feet. The
GigaCam integrates a color analog video camera, a microphone, and
2.4-GHz transmitter into a single device that is smaller than a golf
ball. The device is expected to sell for less than $100.
A receiver included in the GigaCam package receives
the video and audio signals. The video signal can be viewed on a video
monitor, recorded on a VCR, or viewed on a computer display using a
video capture device. With the proper software, the signals can be
distributed over the Internet.
The GigaCam is the latest incarnation of X10's XCam
device, providing significantly more integration than earlier models.
The GigaCam transmitter has a "100-foot range,
and weighs only 3.85 ounces," according to X10 President Alex
Peder. Because the GigaCam can be mounted almost anywhere, it provides
the user with more options than most computer cameras, Peder notes.
The camera "is useful in many applications, right from the
beginning. It operates effectively in home automation, home security,
and home entertainment," Peder adds.
Prime-Time Viewing
To view the video, users can send the signal output by
the receiver to a video capture card, or connect the video signal
output to a digital video camera that features a video input (Intel
makes such a camera). Computer users who don't have a video capture
device can use an XRay Vision kit, which includes a video-to-USB cable
and software for viewing the images on the Internet. XRay Vision
includes a server application that can send the video to a server, and
also includes client software for viewing the images.
GigaCam can transmit and receive over any of four
channels, making it possible to use as many as four X10 video
transmitters (XCams or GigaCams) simultaneously. The current version
of GigaCam includes a power transformer that must be plugged into a
wall outlet or extension cord to provide power to the transmitter. A
battery pack that will supply adequate power to the camera is being
developed, Peder notes.
The GigaCam can be purchased directly from X10's Web
site. The company typically offers additional bonuses such as remote
controllers or switches with each purchase.
