Horrible webcam

[mtiede]

The webcam that came in the HP Envy 32 is an embarrassment.  It is grainy and noisy no matter the lighting conditions.  I have only seen this kind of poor quality when I was doing VHS video in 1981.

I replaced my HD camera on my Windows Phone for about $20.  Couldn't this unit that was quite expensive have included an even half-way decent video camera?  Maybe you will surprise me and tell me there is a software fix for this or some hidden setting somewhere.  I have set the camera app for 5M pictures.  It is pretty horrible in any setting I've tried.

So...  Anyone have a solution?  I've looked through a lot of other people complaining about similar quality problems on a lot of the HP hardware, so I'm assuming there will be no fix, but wanted to post my displeasure here. 

[savvy2]

it has a

HP Privacy 5MP IR Camera with integrated dual array digital microphone

if not adding light to any camera the photos will stink. (photog.101)

add light,   ever turn on room lights. or even test the cam with daytime window blinds open to prove the point.

and make sure 100% the HP.com CAM driver is loaded from your support page.

5megapixles is not poor but lighting is the cause.  lack of.

[mtiede]

As I said in my post "no matter the lighting conditions". I tried with room lights, with outside light from LARGE window, even tried to put an LED light used to light up a room for construction.

I'm not sure how to tell if the CAM driver is loaded from the support page.  I don't see anything there that looks like a CAM driver.

The following picture looks "okay" when it is displayed in a small windows (as I am seeing it here on the web page), but when that gets displayed at 3840x2160 on a 32" display, it really doesn't look good.  Even on this reduced size picture below, you can see the noise on the wall on the upper left corner.  And the live camera view is very noisy.

And the video is probably only capturing at 1440, because in the camera app, that is the highest resolution at 30fps.  But 1440 ought to be okay.

... time passes ...

After posting, I only see a Triangle where the picture should be.  Not sure if there is some sort of delay in the post because of the picture or what.

[mtiede]

I see "2020 5M RGB/IR FHD RGBIR Firmware update".  Is that what you mean by "CAM driver"?