CyberLink YouCam + PerfectCam Editor's Review

Take control of your webcam with this awesome Windows application.

I love video chatting. Most of my immediate family is scattered all over the US.  We don’t get to see each other that often, and sometimes voice calls over a landline or your cell phone just aren't enough. If you do a lot of video chatting like I do, then you really need to check out Cyberlink YouCam. It’s a really cool webcam application for Windows.

Cyberlink YouCam is webcam software that allows you to use fun webcam effects to create amazing webcam videos, utilize new work tools to create in-depth presentations or training videos; and to access Windows and your favorite websites, like Facebook, Amazon and others.  You can play with Augmented Reality effects, webcam avatars and other special effects. You can record super smooth HD videos and enhance them with its TrueTheater effects. You can also download unlimited, FREE webcam effects from DirectorZone.

One of the best things about Cyberlink YouCam, is that some of its effects are interactive. With its Advanced edge-detection technology means virtual rose petals, confetti, dandelion seeds and more fall or blow across your webcam window collecting on your head, shoulders, or any other edge in sight. For that added touch or realism, they can be shaken or brushed away just as you would do if they were real.

Cyberlink YouCam magically conjures virtual objects the screen in real time. Print out a marker then let the advanced pattern recognition technology do its work, interacting with whichever 3D object you've selected and integrating it into the webcam video window. Its actually kind of cool to play with an object on your screen, that isn't really there in real life.  All you really have to do is hold the pattern marker in front of the camera and it will be replaced by a 3D object in the right perspective and the appropriate size.

Pro’s: Can be used in both consumer and business settings, Face recognition logins, works with your existing hardware and IM software, confetti;

Con’s: Only works with specific video chat clients and takes up a lot of bandwidth and PC resources;

Conclusion: I'm not the kind of person that usually plays with stuff like this. I have too much to do to play with applications like this. However, this one really caught my eye. Yes... it was the confetti. The moment I brushed it off my head and shoulders during a video call with a relative, it was an instant winner.

As with all video cam software of this type, you really need to make sure that you have as much punch to your PC as possible. Applications of this type take up a lot of resources, and while the system requirements only indicate a 3.0gHz Pentium D/ AMD Athlon 64 3200+ processor with 1GB of RAM, my experience indicates that you're going to want a lot more punch than this. Expect system impact if you only meet the system minimums.