Hi folks,
I recently saved a Lenovo T60 Thinkpad (2007VEN) from being recycled by a colleague who was about to dump it! It has 2GB RAM, 100GB HDD, Intel Core 2 T7200 @ 2Ghz, 1024x768 display with DVD and extended 9-cell battery pack.
![ThumbsUp :-+](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/icon_smile_thumbsup.gif)
The only problem is that it has NO built-in mic or webcam option like the newer laptops. The main purpose is to have a Zoom option for the kids who are now doing remote-learning during the pandemic.
So to my main question.... I'm looking for a bare-bones cheap webcam/mic option that I can plug in so that the kids can do Zoom. As the other laptops I have use built-in webcam/mics I've never had to worry about configuration issues, most of the time Ubuntu/Lubuntu detects built-in hardware and it works fine. However, buying an external USB webcam I have seen a number of really cheap ($5-10) options on YouTube. I don't know if they are necessarily compatible with Ubuntu and want to make sure they have a decent microphone pointing in the right direction (some have a mic on the back of the camera!).
![Face Palm :palm:](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/facepalm.gif)
I don't mind paying $15-20, and I've seen the cheapest Logitech in the $35 range but I'd rather go lower end if anyone has a good experience with the cheap options on eBay/Amazon.
Some cameras are only USB so I assume they are encoding both the video and audio on to the USB, or just video? Others will have a USB for the video and a 1/8" audio output that I would plug into the microphone jack on the side of the laptop. Ideally the camera should be able to "clip" or somehow stick on top of the laptop screen somehow without wiggling around too much or falling off!
Filtering through options on Amazon and eBay I saw many options but I would like to know if someone else has a recommendation for a camera that worked out of the box with minimal fuss, has a decent quality camera and microphone. I don't need anything too fancy or high resolution but it should be at least clear and refresh rate decent. Again, we are talking about a 2007-era laptop and using Zoom for the kids so I'm not expecting much, just good enough for them to use.
Thanks for any advice from any of you who have experience already with external webcam/mic options on Lubuntu!