I built VanCamera: FOSS, secure, zero-config Android webcam for Windows

An indie dev dropped VanCamera, a free, open‑source app that turns your Android phone into a high‑quality webcam for Windows, promising “zero‑config” and secure streaming via TLS 1.3 (modern encryption) with hardware H.264 (fast video compression). The community? Pure chaos. FOSS fans shouted “finally!” and love that it works with Discord, Zoom, and Teams. But the comment section lit up with accusations that this is another “AI‑prompted” post stuffed to the front page, and a sharp dig at the mods for gaming metrics.

The hottest fight: is “zero‑config” a bold claim when Windows users still have to install an OBS plugin, Python, and ADB (phone debug tools)? Skeptics mocked the setup steps as “zero‑config… after twelve things,” while defenders argued it’s still simpler than fiddling with drivers and it’s free. Privacy folks cheered the encryption and no cloud nonsense, while the Linux crowd rolled their eyes at the Windows‑only focus. Pragmatists chimed in with the classic meme: “or buy a $30 webcam.”

Another thread of drama: USB vs WiFi. USB gets lower delay, WiFi gets freedom—cue jokes about streaming from the kitchen while your boss thinks you’re in the meeting. Love it or hate it, everyone agrees: turning a thousand‑dollar phone into a webcam is both genius and hilariously extra.