How to capture image from client webcam in asp.net

Question

I am working on an ASP.Net application and I want users to be able to take a picture with their local webcam and then upload it to the server. I can, of course, rely on users doing this manually via their locally installed software, save the image as a file and do a normal file upload. However, what I really want to do is incorporate it all into a UI in the browser. I know this means accessing local resources so do I need an ActiveX control or Silverlight or is there something I could do in Javascript for example?

This is initially intended for an Intranet app so I can have control of the client's environemnt, including stipulating the browser etc, which means I can use an ActiveX control if I have to. However, it would be nice if I could write this in a generic way so it could be used in an internet app generally (happy to stipulate that it only works on Windows clients but would be good to get it to work in FireFox).

Thanks.

Solution 1

The only acceptable and universal way to this for now is Flash/Flex application. Flash player presets literally in every browser in the world and all of them has such capability.

Solution 2

VideoCap Pro is quite popular, and it offers an ActiveX version, have you checked it out?

Comments

[flytzen]

I didn;t intend for it to be unknownt to the user, but I see your point - if I can do it then I can do it unknown to them,so bad stuff :) Thanks.

[eeeeaaii]

Flash pops up a dialog box asking your permission before it activates the webcam. There's no way around showing this dialog. It's likely that any future technology that gives browser access to the webcam (for example, via Javascript) would follow suit.