Cobi nostalgia themed USB1.1/2.o Webcam and Spotlight

Cobi nostalgia themed USB1.1/2.o Webcam and Spotlight

The Cobi USB webcam and spotlight are USB devices that have been shaped to look like an early model movie camera and spotlight. Other than the design, there isn't much out of the ordinary about the camera or the light. The camera is a standard USB webcam and the spotlight is just an LED that is on the end of a flexible arm. Accessories include a small extendable tripod and a screen mount for the camera.
There is no software supplied in the box.
Windows 7 detects the USB camera and install the correct device driver for use with video conferencing software like Skype or Gmail video chat. The camera also works with security focused software and any program that can interface with a generic USB video input device.

The frame rate of the camera isn't known and the resolution of 640x480 can't be changed using the default windows 7 software. So far, I haven't been able to change the default resolution and haven't been able to find a frame rate control, even in the options of various software programs.

The Good:
- Design. The plastic moulding of the camera, while not designed for utility, is quite pleasing to look at and when combined with the spotlight can add to a creative mood.

- Spotlight. The spotlight has it's own hard switch and is on a separate USB plug so it can be used as a standard USB light. The flexible arm has very good articulation and can even snake between various paths to give the best vantage point. Twisting the arm in one direction can stiffen the arm, and twisting the other way can loosen it (to an extent).

- Focus. You can focus the camera. This is great as a lot of inbuilt camera's don't provide this.

- Instructions. The instruction pamphlet is concise and easy to read and has 4 languages. Even without the instruction, the entire setup is quite straight forward.

- Cheap. The whole package was really cheap.

The Bad:
- Screen mount. The screen mount is a 'C' shaped plastic thing with rubber on the ends and a standard screw-type camera mount on the mid section. The mount is supposed to sit on the top edge of the LCD screen or a laptop and the screw mount is to mount the camera. The mount is not a clip (which would have been infinitely more useful) so it won't stay still on the screen where you place it. It also won't fit on most shaped that aren't like that of a laptop lid when open. There also seems to be an issue with the screw mount and the locking system for it. If you tighten the screw on the camera, the camera faces the wrong way. If you spin the camera, the screw loosens on the mount, so the camera tends to swing left or right either way you tighten it.

- Tripod. The tripod is really cheap. You can tell as soon as you pick it up. The extendible legs don't extend much and even when they do, they don't lock so it's not really a sure thing. It can support a point and shoot though, so the webcam which is a lot lighter should strain it too much.

- Light bleed. The baffles on the LED spotlight have been modeled on the real thing, but on a real spotlight, the light source is mounted far back in the barrel. The LED on this light is mounted in front of the barrel, so light shines out the sides and into people's eyes. You can get away with it by carefully positioning the barrel, but it would have been nice if the LED was mounted further back. The actual LED and power transistor circuitry wouldn't be longer than the barrel, so this is a design flaw.

- Frame rate. I haven't been able to change the frame rate and I'm convinced that it may be at maximum of the sensor. This is a shame as the frame rate I've been able to attain is quite slow.

- Image quality. At 640x480, the image is fine for a face directly in front of the camera, but anything else is just washed out.

- Camera mount thread. The thread in the camera is part of the housing which is plastic. Too many attachments or detachments and the thread will wear out.

- Spotlight arm. The spotlight arm is too loose by default for the weight of the light, and it isn't immediately obvious that twisting will tighten it.

Conclusion:
The camera portion of the package isn't much to talk about, but the spotlight is quite useful as a generic light. The articulated arm is great for aiming and lighting up the keyboard if the screen doesn't happen to aim at the keys or the screen image is actually dark.
Coupled with the free YAWCAM software you can set the camera up to detect movement and take a picture if the movement is above a certain threshold and it also has many other useful security focused functions.
I just wish the camera was a little bit more functional or at the very least had a faster frame rate.

Score: 5.5/10

Up next: I was going to review the last item I got from CotD but it may end up being a present. So instead, I will review an Anime: Durarara!!