Your HP Photosmart M447 doesn't double as a webcam.
Some digital cameras double as webcams, but the HP Photosmart M447 isn't one of them. It records video, but it lacks the necessary outputs to show live video on your computer screen. However, it allows you to upload recorded video, which you can play for your friends during online chats.
Output
For your digital camera to work as a webcam, it must have a "video out" output connection. This connection allows you to see live video, even if the camera isn't recording it, when connected to a TV or other "video in" device. These connectors include S-video and analog RCA connections. The HP Photosmart M447 only has a mini-USB connection.
Video
The HP Photosmart M447 allows you to record video in addition to still photographs. The length of video you can record on this camera's 16MB memory card varies depending on the quality of the video you are recording. When you activate the video feature, you can see what's in front of the camera on the LCD screen, which is basically what a webcam does. However, there's no way to transfer those live images to a computer.
Software
Your computer must have the proper software and drivers to read your digital camera as a webcam. The HP Photosmart M447's software, the HP Photosmart Essential software, allows you to transfer video stored on the memory card to your computer, but it doesn't allow for live transfers or for video editing.
Options
Your HP camera allows you to download video files in several formats, such as .mpeg, .avi and .mov. Once you've downloaded the files to your computer, you can email them to share with friends or play them during a video chat. Your friend may need a compatible video player, such as QuickTime, to view the videos. This option is helpful if you want to share the same video with several people, such as when you are teaching with a tutorial.
Tags: Photosmart M447, Your Photosmart M447, digital camera, live video, memory card, must have