Videoconferencing via computers already existed, and at the time client-server based videoconferencing software such as CU-SeeMe had started to become popular. These cam were tested on several Delta II launch using a variety of communication protocols including CDMA, TDMA, GSM and HF. The original Quick Cam provided 320x240-pixel resolution with a grayscale depth of 16 shades at 60 frames per second, or 256 shades at 15 frames per second. Jon Garber, the designer of the device, had wanted to call it the 'Mac-camera', but was overruled by Connectix's marketing department a version with a PC-compatible parallel port and software for Microsoft Windows was launched in October 1995.

QuickCam was available in August 1994 for the Apple Macintosh, connecting via a serial port, at a cost of $100. The first widespread commercial webcam, the black-and-white QuickCam, entered the marketplace in 1994, created by the U.S. However, the Vino hardware is capable of DMAing video fields directly into the frame buffer with minimal CPU overhead. A fast machine is required to capture at either of these resolutions, though an Indy with slower R4600PC CPU, for example, may require the input resolution to be reduced before storage or processing. The maximum supported input resolution is 640×480 for NTSC or 768×576 for PAL. The released in 1993 SGI Indy is the first commercial computer to have a standard video camera, and the first SGI computer to have standard video inputs.

Video camera apps for computer