Having fun with effects in video calls
November 9, 2009 on 4:31 pm | In 10 version, Features | 54 Comments
While the new video calling feature in Yahoo! Messenger 10 is great all on its own, you can liven up your video calls even more with special effects.
Many of the popular webcams come bundled with free software that lets you add effects, backgrounds, or accessories to your video calls.
Imagine talking to a friend and all of a sudden you grow a goatee and moustache. Or perhaps you feel more comfortable talking as a cat. Pick an Avatar from your webcam software and start meowing.
Some webcams also offer filters that change the color of your window, distort your face in hilarious ways, or make you look like you’re in a vintage movie.
Here are the basic steps for how to add special effects to your video calls:
1) Make sure that you have installed the manufacturer’s software that came with your webcam. It should be on the CD that came with your webcam. Or visit the webcam manufacturer’s website.
2) Start a video call with a friend in Yahoo! Messenger 10
3) Bring up the control panel for your webcam. On the panel there should be a section or icons for the special effects. Select the one you want and start goofing!
What video effects are available with a webcam varies by type of camera and the manufacturer. But here are a few links from some top webcam makers that detail how to use their video effects:
Logitech
Creative
Microsoft (pdf)
Have you used video effects on your calls? What are some of your favorites?
Sarah Bacon
Product Manager
Looks like great fun. I have to learn more about it.Thanks.
Comment by Henryk — November 9, 2009 #
but when it was yahoo 9 also we used those things nah!! so wots the differnce??
Comment by Nishath — November 10, 2009 #
Hello,
What is the last version number of yahoo messenger 10 beta?
Comment by mrcsb — November 10, 2009 #
@mrcsb – Now is 10.0.0.542. But I hope the release of final version next weeks.
Comment by Weebo — November 10, 2009 #
Still a few bugs with YM 10.0 BETA… I’ve reported them several times via the Help Menu, report a problem but so far, no updated fixes.
Anyone else having problems with the Y! Updates Tab on YM 10.0 BETA, showing up blank? It worked the first couple of days for me but has been blank since.
Comment by Lenny Vasbinder — November 10, 2009 #
before the last update of yahoo messenger 10
i mean (10.0.0.542) i was able to send and receive webcams but now it seems impossible to do it using the video call feature or the regular video streaming nothing is working.
from my end the webcam is working properly but from the other end is not opening it is actually saying that smone is viewing my webcam but the real is they can see nothing but a black screen
and the exact same thing is happening to me when i am trying to view a webcam of my friend’s which she is using again (10.0.0.542)
i think it has smthing to do with the new version hoping that u can take a look at it
Comment by mansor — November 11, 2009 #
@mansor
Install the latest driver for your Webcam. If all else fails uninstall Yahoo! Messenger 10.0.0.542 and reinstall it. Make sure to run the Video Calling Setup Wizard.
Comment by SGFC — November 11, 2009 #
I dunno about you, but I always found Yahoo webcam to be extremely sluggish compared to MSN’s between the same two people across either platform. I’m talkin the FPS of the video.
Tho, my biggest gripe with Yahoo messenger, and Yahoo in general, is that they never support the latest operating system’s look and feel.
I want to be able to disable the forced “XP” skin that Yahoo uses and just let Yahoo use my native OS look in Windows 7. All because of Yahoo’s ‘skin’, I cannot get the Aero shadows, the translucent glass borders, or the fade effects when managing the windows. Yahoo just acts like it’s an XP window on my Windows 7, and I can’t stand it.
So please let us disable the skin, so we don’t have an app that looks way too ugly and out of place next to our other, better looking windows on our desktop. While you’re at it, please enable support for the Windows 7 taskbar/jumplists. I hate that Yahoo still puts its icon in the system tray, while MSN is completely managed from the pinned taskbar item.
Seriously, it’s as if Yahoo doesn’t even recognize that Windows 7 or Aero even exist, and those of us using newer stuff get left out in the cold. The ONLY reason why I’m using YIM and not Pidgin to connect to Yahoo services is due to the fact I cannot use a WEBCAM over Yahoo any other way. Please fix these problems.
Comment by Lazure — November 11, 2009 #
I’ve been using video effects in web chats for almost 8 years now, glad to see Yahoo catching up, well sort of.
One video effect offered with some Logitech webcams oh about 5 years now or so is an alien figure, one of my favs.
Only problem with yahoo video chat is sluggish, not even close to as good as others. Guess why that’s no tv show uses Yahoo.
Yahoo is far too bloated as well.
Comment by I_Killed_Kenny — November 12, 2009 #
Lazure u need to wake up yahoo 10 is for windows 7 to ok so stop blaming yahoo or this non sence ok yahoo is the best compy that there is..and by the way Lazure talk English ur last post is in diff words i dont under stand it
Comment by WD — November 12, 2009 #
i have windows vista and i like the yahoo skin
Comment by WD — November 12, 2009 #
I am talking in English. It’s just that your English is not very polished, from what it seems.
Yes, Yahoo 10 works in Windows 7. I did not argue this.
Let me make it simple:
- Yahoo disables the see-through glass in Windows Vista/7 Aero. On top of that, it also forcefully disables the border shadow too! It instead forces you an old, outdated, and OPAQUE skin that you CANNOT disable.
- Yahoo does not add any right-click taskbar jumplist controls in Windows 7. You cannot even quit Yahoo by executing ‘close all windows’ in this manner, like MSN already can.
- Yahoo still uses the system tray, instead of integrating with the pinned icon like Windows 7 would allow it. This is a redundant waste of taskbar space. Utilizing the running icon in the taskbar would be better.
THIS is what I meant about Yahoo not being friendly to Windows 7. Considering the massive amount of people who migrated to Windows 7 (not to mention, people who were using Vista for the past 2 years!), this is kinda a slap to the face of anyone using anything newer than XP.
Yes, there IS one way to get rid of Yahoo’s skin, and use Aero. Renaming/deleting a folder in Yahoo’s install directory will force Yahoo to revert to standard windows framing (such as Aero). However, it makes most text unreadable in Yahoo’s interface and the window does lighten/darken when it’s in or out of focus.
If you can do that, then obviously it is NOT hard for them to give us an option to just disable the skin and use Aero. Just make it not screw up the text and focus detection and all would be good! This fix alone would make me MUCH happier with Yahoo already!
I really hope Yahoo listens on this
Comment by Lazure — November 12, 2009 #
hi love ur pics,i just want to no more about u becos am interested about u. i will like u to do me a favour add me ur yahoo so we can talk me
Comment by fred — November 15, 2009 #
hey i love ur pics wen having funs
Comment by fred — November 15, 2009 #
i really enjoy this.
Comment by qaiser mir — November 16, 2009 #
i hate this webcam video call I dont want it!!! i want to be able to just turn the cam on not video does anyone know how to do this
Comment by jill — November 19, 2009 #
Hey jill look for where it says other actions it has the option of JUST using webcam!!
Comment by Brett — November 26, 2009 #
In my older version of im i could type in a phonenumber an call, now i can’t, i have to add a contact then type a number but if who i’m calling does not have a yahoo acount it wont let me dial a number. this sucks, I think i should be able to call without all this add a contact crap i payed for this calling privelage let me call who i want.
Comment by daniel — November 27, 2009 #
This retro video effect is really cool. Looks like I’m addicted to it from the moment I tried it out!
Comment by VideoSmash — January 26, 2010 #
[...] of our users also love the fact that they could do various fun effects while on a Video Call. Imagine it is Christmas and you are far away from your family – [...]
Pingback by Poll: Why do you use Video Calling? | Yahoo! Messenger Blog — April 27, 2010 #
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