I know NOTHING about external video equipment for computers; I WANTED to get phone/video set-up for two family MEMBERS living in two different parts of the country, so they can see each other while talking.  Is it video cam equipment I am looking for?  One party has a Dell desktop, and the other has, I BELIEVE, a Dell laptop - both on high-speed lines.  What equipment do I need to enable them to see each other while talking?  Does it matter what kind of computer they each have?  Which are the most reliable manufacturers of this type of equipment?  What should I expect to spend per computer for this set-up?  And how difficult is it to set up?  Are there added charges when the system is up and running?   Any information that anyone has to offer will be greatly appreciated!  I am completely in the dark here . . . .

Thanks!You need a webcam and microphone on both party's computers.  Something like Hewlett-Packard
HP PG088AA 0.35 MP Effective Pixels 640 x 480 30fps USB Interface VGA WebCam with Integrated Microphone - Retail should work fine.  Or, you could get a separate webcam and microphone.

Software such as Windows Live Messenger could be used for this.Thanks for the info, Soybean - I appreciate the leads!!