Nerd question: Can an Iphone 4s stream live to a Mac laptop

[rod]

My iPhone 4s ( why do I have one, I only get about one call a month?) has very good still and video cameras, in particular the video will focus down to about 3 inches. Serious engraving teachers will have good permanent video camera systems for others to watch close up cutting, but for the occasional visitor who shows interest, I thought the iPhone video connected to a laptop might be useful to allow an observer to see close up action. My first thought was maybe Quicktime or Skype would recognize as an external camera, preferences the connected iPhone if the camera was working, but it does not.

Of course, I guess I could Skype from my iPhone to my laptop, but since both laptop and iPhone have the same email address, is that even possible?

Might there be a more direct way?

Any ideas about having a connected iPhone on video mode showing up on a laptop screen?

Rod

 

[Hora]

Rod,

If you search in the appstore for "webcam' you will find several options to connect your phone to your PC using it as a web-camera.

 

[Sam]

Rod: There's an app called AirCam that will stream from an iMac to an iphone, but I'm not sure if it goes from iPhone to iMac.

 

[rod]

Thank you, Hora and Sam,

For these useful ideas, however, unless I have it wrong, these are sort of mirroring apps that allow you, on the move with your iPhone, to look through the computer monitor at what is happening at other cameras received into you home computer? Or do I have it wrong. I was looking for an simple way to have you iPhone video screen show up on your computer monitor. Cable or wifi, it does not matter.

best

Rod

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Hi Rod

There is an app called AirBeam from the Apple App Store that describes what you want..........and it's free. Which should appeal to the Scottish side of you

It looks like it's worth trying and if it doesn't work just delete it.

Cheers
Andrew

 

[rod]

Okay, Nerd Andrew gets the prize!

I am goofing off this evening, having worked a long day finishing an expensive flute and got it into the mail to Japan.

Thank you, Andrew, the App, "Airbeam" works! It is not free any more, I took out a bank loan and bought the App for three bucks.

Now I can allow the casual observer, sitting by my bench, see engraving happening with a bit more clarity. Instead of watching me cut something very tiny, almost invisible, on the ball vise, she/he can watch a magnified image on my laptop and get a lot more out of a demonstration. Certainly, anyone doing proper teaching will have excellent video camera/monitor setups, but if some one wants to have a casual look at you engraving, this $3 investment is better than having them peer at your work from the side. You can also record the live video stream. I will probably only use it now and again, but it is kinda fun. What you do is open up a web browser, Chrome and Safari are best, type in the given web address, and bingo, your iPhone video camera view appears on your computer monitor (or iPad). No wires, transmission is by wifi.

No need for all of this if you are watching an engraver do bigger canvases, like bright cut belt buckles, using an Optivisor, where watching in plain sight is no problem.


Rod