Skype Video

No, any current basic PC should run that.

Logitech works nice. But I've seen cheap knock offs also work just fine for Skype

You may want to consider a good boom or head set mic.

No it isn't needed. I have a Dell XPS M140 and I use it with a Sanyo Xacti C40. I do need to run a video split program but other than that it works just fine.

I got it running before I went out of town. The setups let you set audio and video independently.

Now! Is the any way to send screen contents instead of camera output?

...Jim Thompson

Yes there is. I always forget how to do it, but enough right clicking will bring up a menu which allows you to send your screen contents. Only problem with Skype, you can only use video and screen contents between two people. If you have 3 people in a conference, video is disabled.

Since all my computers are multiprocessor/multicored, don't know if you can run video on a single core system. Should work fine unless you have a 350MHz machine. Even my little netbook works fine.

The Logitech $80 to $100 camera that rests on the monitor works well. You need lots of even light if you want decent quality. Be sure you don't have bright backlighting.

Yep. That's what I bought. Remarkable quality for the price.

"N" immediately pointed out that I need to clean up the pile of stuff behind me on the floor ;-) ...Jim Thompson

You need to put up a mountain of equipment backdrop with large knife switches, light bulbs, and coilly wires. A guy at work had one of these set up for a large dummy load. People walking by his office thought he was a brilliant scientist.

When I was a student technician in the MIT MHD lab, we used to get instant renewal on our Wright-Pat support by simply firing the shock tube. The flash of light and every wire in the building moving was very impressive ;-) ...Jim Thompson

That's like my first video conference. The office is always clean so stuff from different clients can never get mixed up. But in the summers I usually work in a T-Shirt because we hardly run the A/C. With this client that was not at all appropriate for a video conference because some big shots would attend. So, a mad dash to the walk-in closet, putting a shirt on. And a tie at the ready in case it seems necessary.