Sharp Electronics Corp has a series of video cameras and camera modules for computer-based videoconferencing: the complete cameras, such as the model YH-7B60, sit on top of a personal computer or workstation monitor and provide a video image which can be digitised, compressed and transmitted in real time or stored and forwarded for later use; the package includes optional microphone; the modules such as the YH-7B10 are fully functional board level cameras; they come with NTSC or PAL composite video output, or Y/C (S-video) output for applications needing higher resolutions and can be connected to video capture boards or monitors via a single RCA jack; there is choice of electronic exposure or mechanical iris; camera prices start at $360 each and modules start at $270 each in quantities of 100; samples are available now with production quantities delivering in the second quarter.
