WEBCAMA web camera (or webcam ) is a real-time camera (usually, though not always, a video camera ) whose images can be accessed using the World Wide Web , instant messaging , or a PC video calling application. The term webcam is also used to describe the low-resolution digital video cameras designed for such purposes, but which can also be used to record in a non-real-time fashion. Web-accessible cameras typically involve a digital camera which uploads images to a web server , either continuously or at regular intervals. This may be achieved by a camera attached to a PC, or by dedicated hardware. Videoconferencing cameras typically take the form of a small camera connected directly to a PC. Analog cameras are also sometimes used (often of the sort used for closed-circuit television ), connected to a video capture card and then directly or indirectly to the internet.
