Today for review I’ve got a gadget that claims to be a multifunctional web camera, it’s got a USB Hub, built in speakers and connections for a microphone and headset. To be honest it’s really not all that multifunctional of a gadget. The only redeeming quality is the videos that it can take, they are very good, but even that has a downside, there is no microphone built in. In this day and age how can you have a webcam with no microphone? Honestly I was kind of excited about this product, and then I started playing with it… Read on to learn more..

Look 313 Media Multifunctional 330K Pixel Video Camera

Reviewed by: Kristofer Brozio AkA Dracos

Sponsor: Look 313 Media

Tech Specs,Features or the Basic Info:

Look 313 Media

Multifunctional 330K Pixel Video Camera

All-in-one function; All-in-one entertainment

As we expand our Live with Ideas catchphrase, Genius is pleased to announce the worlds first multifunctional web camera; Look 313 Media.

This cutting-edge web camera integrates a speaker, USB hub, and microphone and headset slot, which create a mini-digital entertainment system for consumers.

Plus, the portable design gives you the benefit of taking the Look 313 Media where you want to go so you can always create your own enjoyment.

This leading product will definitely provide you a very different digital life. Ask your sales representative for more information on this neat product.

Key features:

– Multifunctional 5-in-1 function? Web camera , USB Speaker, USB 2.0 HUB, Headset slot, Microphone slot

Web Camera Specifications: 

Image Sensor type: VGA (640X480) CMOS Image Sensor

Lens type Manual: focus

Interface: USB1.1/1.0; compatible with USB2.0

File format: JPEG/AVI

Still Image: 1280 x 960 (Maximum)

AVI Capture: 640 x 480 (Maximum)

Built-in Microphone: No

Frame rate: Up to 30 frames per second (with recommended system)

TWAIN Compliant: Yes

Speaker Specifications: 

Interface: USB 1.1/1.0

RMS: 2 watts (THD 10%; 1KHz, 8)

Driver Unit: 36mm Neodymium magnet micro driver

Frequency Response: (THD 10%) 20Hz~20KHz

S/N ratio: 98dB

Power source: USB bus power, max 5V, 500mA

Digital amplifier: Built-in

{mosgoogle right}

HUB Specifications: 

Interface USB 2.0 (backward compatible to USB1.1/1.0

Ports: 2 downstream ports

Plug & Play: Yes

HUB Specifications: 

Interface: USB 1.0/1.1

Ports: Embedded 10 bit ADC input with microphone boost

System Requirements: 

Pentium III 1Ghz CPU or higher

256MB RAM at least

Video Card with 8MB of RAM for minimum 16 bit (High Color) display or higher

10 MB available hard disk space for driver use

A Better Look at Things

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The packaging for the Look 313 Media video camera is very bright and attractive. Although the sliver foil style packaging did make it a bit hard to photograph.

Included with the video camera is the user manual, software/driver disc, USB cable and even a felt-like carrying case.

The camera itself is interesting in it’s shape and design, kinda cool actually, but it’s rather large to be carrying around honestly. The lens is located in the center of the device, it can move up and down, and features a focus ring as well.

The speakers are on the side and can be rotated to face the front of the device, creating a tiny ‘boombox’ looking thing.

On the back of the Look 313 Media video camera we find two USB ports, the main USB connection, and the audio connections, along with an LED indicator.

The bottom does have rubber feet to keep it in place, but I don’t see a tri-pod mounting hole there. It could really use one… Without a tripod mount I don’t see how it works as a webcam, if it sits on your desk while using it you only get a view looking up at yourself, and not eye level…

Installation, Testing and Comparison

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Installation is easy, just pop the disc in and follow the instructions. Two programs will be installed on your computer, one is the main software while the other is called DDPlayCam DD Theme Party…

The main software is where you can take stills, movies or even use the Look 313 Video Camera as a motion sensing security camera… On cool things about the software is that it has a built in conversion program to convert from .AVI to .MPG. Other than that it is fairly straight forward and pretty easy to use.

The interface does include a separate set of controls for fine tuning the camera and adding special effects.

The DDPlayCam software could be fun for a few minutes but I couldn’t ever get it to work correctly with the camera… The idea is that the camera tracks your face and ‘puts’ you into funny situations with costumes and backgrounds along with music as well.

You can also take still pictures at various resolutions with this device, but I found them all to be horrible, no matter what resolution I set the camera at. I tried everything to get a good picture, but nothing worked. They are extremely pixellated, and all of them have random colors pixels floating all over the place. Here are a bunch of pictures at different resolutions, judge for yourself:

This device can be used as an external set of speakers, which actually sound pretty good…

As for being a webcam, well I don’t quite see how, you can’t mount it anywhere.. If it’s sitting on your desk looking up at you it’s essentially getting an ‘up the nose’ shot at you. You’ll have to keep looking down at the camera if you are in a conversation. Maybe if you have a CRT monitor, they have space on top to rest the camera, but on an LCD like a laptop or desktop there’s nothing you can mount it on. Now if there was a tri-pod mounting hole then I could have used one of my mini tri-pods, or Look 313 could even include one for it’s users…

As I mentioned in the intro it does take really good movies, and well too bad there’s no sound to accompany them….

Well that’s that..

Summary:

Well umm, I don’t have much really to say in conclusion. It looks nice, takes great movies, and it sounds really good as an external speaker but that’s about the extent of the good things about this product. Those couple things really aren’t worth it, it’s really basically a USB hub with speakers…

DragonSteelMods gives the Look 313 Media Multifunctional 330K Pixel Video Camera a 2.5 out of 5 score.

{mosgoogle right}

Pros:

-Takes nice movies

-Great portable speaker

-Looks great

Cons:

-No microphone

-Bad still pictures

-Large and bulky

-A bit difficult to get all features to work

-No tri-pod mount

-No sound for movies

-Buggy software included

dracos

review# 244