If you are in North America and are looking for a budget smart TV, you are probably going to end up with Vizio TV recommendation. Vizio’s most of the market is in North America and people look pretty satisfied.
The main begging question here is if Vizio TV has a camera on it? And the short, to the point answer here is No, it does not have one.
What to know?
Before going in to the deeper details about cameras and Vizio TV, lets go over some of the facts about Smart TVs and Vizio TVs.
- A majority of Smart TVs do not house in built cameras. Rather Webcams are sold separately which are plug and go.
- A majority of Smart TVs use Android TV OS as the software.
- However, Vizio TVs do not run-on Android. They run on their own software known as SmartCast OS.
Webcams and Vizio TV, a forbidden love?
To make it very clear, Vizio TVs do not have a camera built into them. Normally, cameras are present around the top bezels or corner of a TV, if there are one. However, in Vizio TVs, there is none.
Then one normally wonders if there are compatible web cams, or webcams built by Vizio themselves, that would be fit for use. Let’s dive a bit deep into that.
Compatible Cameras with Vizio TV
There is good news for you if you are using the old Vizio TV, which was sold under the name Vizio Internet apps TV. Because there was a special external web cam launched with it so that video calls such as with skype could be made easily.
Vizio Internet Apps TV Video Camera was the name of this product. If you don’t own an Internet-connected Vizio HDTV, purchase an all-in-one TV cam such as the telyHD or Logitech TV Cam HD. Additionally, several Skype-ready Blu-ray players and compatible TV webcams will work.
Besides this, its not likely that a web cam will worth with Vizio TV because of the software. As most peripherals are made with compatibility of Android TV OS in mind, and SmartCast is not Android based.
- 【Full HD 1080P Webcam】Powered by a 1080p FHD two-MP CMOS, the NexiGo N60 Webcam produces exceptionally sharp and clear videos at resolutions up to 1920 x 1080 with 30fps. The 3.6mm glass lens provides a crisp image at fixed distances and is optimized between 19.6 inches to 13 feet, making it ideal for almost any indoor use.
- 【Zoom in and Out】With its fixed focal length lens, this webcam can capture high-definition video at a wide-angle of up to 110°, making it perfect for presentations. Moreover, you can adjust the field of view (FOV) by using the digital zoom feature available in the NexiGo software, which helps you customize it to better fit your personal workspace. Simply plug the USB into your computer and you’re all set!
- HD 720p video calling and HD video recording, 2.4 GigaHertz Intel Core2 Duo, 2 GB RAM,200 MB hard drive space
- Video capture: Upto 1280 x 720 pixels, Logitech fluid crystal. Focus type: Fixed focus
Vizio TV as a brand
Probably you are now wondering if purchasing a Vizio TV is worthwhile. The reason could be because it is not Android based, which indeed is the most common platform.
However, it is to be mentioned that as of late, the SmartCast has been very much optimized and has become a great software, easy to use.
Vizio is an American based company, however, its not made in America rather in Asia through different OEM companies.
This is probably one of the reasons that they have been able to provide budget friendly TVs with really great spec sheet. A low production cost has been really beneficial for Vizio in this regard.
Product Quality
The product quality is evident from the fact that many people end up confused that if Sony own Vizio or something like that. This is because that Vizio TVs do provide a great quality and designs which might be looking somewhat like Sony TV designs.
However, upon Googling, consumers find out that Vizio is indeed a pocket friendly brand aiming to provide great quality Smart TVs for everyone. The screens, colors, everything is really great if one considers the price cap.
The lack of cameras and the risk of hacking
This is one avenue which concerns a ton of people. Privacy is something people want, and if a product or service is prone to a privacy breach, people would shun it out and may as well go as far as bashing it.
This is a very serious issue. Web cams can be hacked very easily and someone could be spying on you through your webcam. This truly is a downside of webcams in smart TVs.
And since Vizio TVs do not have a web cam, this kind of ends up like a blessing in disguise. You might have seen people tape up the web cams on your laptop because they are afraid that someone might be spying on them.
Additional: Microphones and Privacy
As we know, voice recognition and voice commands are something that has acquired a lot of popularity. However, if you turn on these features, this means that the TV is constantly listening in and looking for commands.
ACR (Automatic Content Recognition) tracks everything you watch & do on your smart TV, this makes it easier for the TV to recommend shows you might enjoy but the data can also be used for marketing initiatives, making it easier to target you for ads. However, thankfully you can shut this feature off.
Setup and Using the Webcam on Vizio TV
A USB cable is used to connect the TV Camera to your supported Vizio television. Open the folding base when you first open the box, then place the webcam atop the TV.
Leave the base closed if you’d prefer to position your webcam using the provided tape. Connect the webcam’s USB cable to any available USB port on the TV once it has been firmly installed. The webcam will instantly be identified when you switch on the television.
The only program that makes use of a webcam on a Vizio television is Skype. After connecting the webcam, sign into your account to begin using it.
On the Vizio, calls between Skype accounts are free, but a fast Internet connection is required. Even without a webcam, you can still utilize Skype’s text chat and messaging functions.
Bottom Line
Vizio TVs do not have web cams with in them and which could prove a blessing for the users as they are not prone to hacking or spying.
If you do decide to use different cameras which are compatible with Vizio TV SmartCast, then you can use apps like Skype to video call.
