Quote from: xpclient on February 27, 2020, 09:25:13
If we are having 4K resolutions, 4k webcams absolutely make sense. 60 fps too. If USB 3 is not enough for that bandwidth, then Thunderbolt or PCIe can be used. Apple already did it in MacBooks since 2015 for FaceTime:

Sure, 2160p60 makes sense. Why not 2160p120? Putting aside that in the EU, we traditionally use 25/50/100 (it has to do with grid frequency; 50 Hz here, 60 Hz in the US). The reason I have a "4K" TV is that I use it as a huge wall-mounted monitor to display data. And I have a big "4K" monitor because I work with text a lot and need a lot of vertical space that is at a premium in the crazy widescreen days. I don't really have the need when it comes to video. And if, only for proper movies. I don't really get homemade "4K". It just seems like an exercise in wasting resources.

I know, I know, progress. I'm really curious where we go next. Because with 2160p and even more so with 4320p, we're at the limits of what our eyes can see when viewing from an appropriate distance for the display size.

Quote from: Superguy on February 26, 2020, 17:18:05
It's not like the vast majority of people need more than what we've got. Does anyone really need 4k FaceTime?

Yes, there is a minority that actually does video calls in high(er) resolution. Not sure about 2160p, but 1080p for sure and they certainly don't use the integrated stuff.

We don't have to go to extremes. I'm not a video call guy, but the webcam video quality can be so awful I'd be ashamed to call a customer using it. In this day and age, crisp 1080p would be nice. Or even just 720p, but really good. The camera might be outputting a 720p stream, but that doesn't mean there is actually 720p worth of details in there, so to speak. The bit rate can be awful. That's what really matters. People are obsessed about resolution (of an image) when you can blow up anything. You can digitize VHS and blow it up to 4320p ("8K"). Instead of the amount of detail you're actually getting. Then we can have 2160p cameras that shoot crappier video than 1080p cameras (or even 720p cameras). But that would require bigger sensors and that would make the bezels bigger. I agree, I don't think there is enough demand. It's sad, however, how muddy and pathetic the cameras can be. I wouldn't even bother putting it there. Of course, then there is the bandwidth requirement. And I'm talking about Internet connection, not USB.

Quote from: ProDigit on February 26, 2020, 12:57:16
Pcie 4.0 isn't out yet... And I doubt we'll need anything beyond it, seeing that a pcie 4.0 1x slot is sufficient for playing maxed out games on high end graphics cards (in Linux), and modern CPUs have 24 available anyway.

Even the most demanding GPU servers max out a 15A power line on the wall.

Think, for example, about SSDs. A single lane of 6.0 can handle the fastest M.2 NVMe SSDs we currently have. You could quadruple the number of drives connected directly to the CPU. And I don't think they're done with speeding up. They really don't do it because of GPUs. And again, 2 lanes of 6.0 can carry as much as 16 lanes of 3.0. Freeing up valuable lanes. Perhaps not that relevant in the consumer market, servers are a different matter.

Quote from: _MT_ on February 26, 2020, 12:12:02
I think you're confusing an effect with a cause. If they wanted to provide better webcams, I'm sure they would've found a way. It's not like USB can't handle more.

If we are having 4K resolutions, 4k webcams absolutely make sense. 60 fps too. If USB 3 is not enough for that bandwidth, then Thunderbolt or PCIe can be used. Apple already did it in MacBooks since 2015 for FaceTime: https://mpetroff.net/2015/10/macbook-webcam-teardown/

Quote from: _MT_ on February 26, 2020, 12:12:02I think you're confusing an effect with a cause. If they wanted to provide better webcams, I'm sure they would've found a way. It's not like USB can't handle more.

It's not like the vast majority of people need more than what we've got. Does anyone really need 4k FaceTime?

If there was a need for it, someone would have filled it.  Anything extreme would be a niche product.

Pcie 4.0 isn't out yet... And I doubt we'll need anything beyond it, seeing that a pcie 4.0 1x slot is sufficient for playing maxed out games on high end graphics cards (in Linux), and modern CPUs have 24 available anyway.

Even the most demanding GPU servers max out a 15A power line on the wall.

Quote from: xpclient on February 26, 2020, 11:54:53
If they use PCIe to internally connect laptop webcams, webcams can be 4K/12 MP 60 fps cameras capturing uncompressed RGB video. But they still connect them using USB. 🤦🏻‍♂️

I think you're confusing an effect with a cause. If they wanted to provide better webcams, I'm sure they would've found a way. It's not like USB can't handle more.

If they use PCIe to internally connect laptop webcams, webcams can be 4K/12 MP 60 fps cameras capturing uncompressed RGB video. But they still connect them using USB. 🤦🏻‍♂️