2021-05-13
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– Laptop—the best type of computer for cam models
– Webcam— the main tool cam models need to stream shows
– Microphone— the best way for cam girls to communicate with clients
– Phones— a nice alternative for cam girls
Much like any respectable craftswoman (or man, jeez), you need the right tools of the trade to make the most out of your talents and skills. Working as a cam girl for whatever site you might want to do business with is no exception: your performances are only as good as what your equipment might deliver.
As such, you’re going to need some capital expenses before you could start strutting what your momma gave you for some sweet cash. Never forget: being a cam model might be tons of fun, but it’s a business in the end.
In this article, I’m going to give you the lowdown on the things you’re going to need to come up with a decent setup for your shows. I’ll also be providing you with some tips on the proper requirements you’re going to need, such as the equipment you’ll be using to help your audiences have the best camming experience they could get!
1. Laptop
Cam girls work online and to strip (no pun intended) the profession at its core, you’re actually going into e-commerce. So, you’re going to need a computer that can handle the needs that being a cam girl would entail.
A smartphone is not an ideal piece of equipment if you have to regularly type in messages to communicate with your clients, especially if you’re in the middle of your sexy little dance or while there’s a vibrator stuck inside your money maker.
Not to mention, the sound quality from built-in phone microphones is less than stellar, to say the least, so you’re not going to be able to provide a full experience for your fans if you went with this option.
And although smartphones are significantly more compact and portable than laptops, that feature actually works against them. The screens, which are all too small, don’t allow you to see what’s happening inside your chat room while you’re in the middle of your performances.
Laptops, on the other hand, provide just the right balance between portability (you could easily change your setup whenever you feel like it); communicability (you can type with it conveniently AND see what your viewers want from the chat room messages; and their technical specs can handle the workload.
That is not to say, though, that you can’t run a proper cam model business without a working smartphone. I’ll give you some tips for that later on.
Choosing Your Laptop
It goes without saying that you’re going to need a laptop that comes equipped with a webcam. However, you should also look at a couple of other tech specs when choosing your laptop.
Specs
Specs matter. You have probably overlooked those numbers and letters after an Amazon or eBay posting about a laptop. Well, they mean a lot. Preferably, you need a high-performing computer, so do away with that old Chromebook. It won’t work for this type of work.
- i5 or higher (Preferably i7) – Trust me. You could stream your webcam while doing multiple other things on your laptop with ease.
- 4 GB Ram or higher (Preferably 8GB)
- 2.67 GHz or higher (Preferably 2.8, 3.2 is better)
Although those low-performing computers are cheaper, they will give you tons of problems in the longrun. When you’re performing, you need a machine up to par. Would you half step with your looks? Why do it with your laptop?
Connectivity
Believe it or not, some laptops have stronger Wi-fi signals than others. The old-school, hardbody ones drop Wi-Fi signals all the time. That will affect your business and reputation amount viewers if your screen on the site constantly says, “Be back in a moment.” The more expensive options are better in this case.
So, make sure that you’re getting laptop that also has an ethernet port just in case you need extra assurances with your internet connection.
Because believe me, there’s nothing worse than getting cut off from your show from bad internet connection.
Matching the Images
Image quality is one of the most important aspects of working in the cam model biz. So, it’s pretty much a given that you’ll need a quality camera. But here’s the thing: your webcam’s image quality must be compatible with your computer’s. After all, you can’t work with 720p images if your device could only handle up to 540p.
This shouldn’t be a problem if you’re buying a laptop that already has a good webcam built into it; it should work fine. But this advice is especially directed to people who might perhaps opt to purchase a separate webcam either to upgrade their setup or if your laptop doesn’t come with a built-in one.
All in all, you should expect to pay anywhere between $330 to $1300 for a good laptop to use for your webcam model gig.
2. Webcam
Whether you’re buying a laptop with a built-in camera or you’re buying a separate cam for your business in, there are two main things to consider before deciding which to buy:
- Video resolution
- Image resolution
Video Resolution
An ideal webcam to stream your shows with should not go below 720p. Anything lower than that and you’re looking at highly pixelated images that will just turn your viewers away from you. It’s bad for business, is what it is.
Although 720p is the standard, going with higher resolutions—whether it’s 1080p or 4k HD— is a great option. However, keep in mind that the higher the resolution, the more expensive the webcam gets. So, keep that in mind before purchasing a really high-end webcam.
If you’re hunting for a separate or external webcam, there are a lot of options out there for almost any budget or tier, which range from as low as $40 to truly top-tier ones that cost as much as $200.
Image Resolution
Apart from your video resolution, the other important spec you should look at is image quality, which determines how clear an image your device might produce.
As a guide, you’re going to at least need a camera that could produce anywhere from 5MP to 15MP at the least. Luckily, we’re living in a time where this shouldn’t be an issue, since most laptops and smartphones’ image resolutions available today easily go higher than that.
3. Microphone
It’s not enough that people get to see you play and enjoy yourself onscreen; they need sound for that full experience, too. For that, you’re going to need a trusty microphone to stream or record those sensual sounds you’re going to make.
But moreover, you’re going to need the microphone to be able to speak to—or with—your viewers. Make sure the microphone is in the distance, but also able to pick up the sound quality. You don’t want a microphone bulging in the screen shot like you are hosting a podcast.
Hot tip: allowing them to hear your voice gives you lots of additional brownie points for connecting with them, which helps you gather and retain more clients in the long run.
Laptops usually come with default built-in microphones, but the good ones are usually found in more expensive models. That said, you’re going to need one that’s just good enough for your viewers to hear you clearly but not so fancy that you’d end up broke after buying one.
As a rule of thumb, look for a model that costs anywhere between $60 and $180, depending on your budget.
Smartphones—A Decent Alternative
As I’ve mentioned earlier, there are a lot of drawbacks to using your phone to do your live model cam shows, but it’s not at all impossible. Suffice it to say that I’d recommend this tool if you really can’t go the laptop route. Hey, we work with what we got, right?
When camming with your phone, the requirements to perform your job pretty much remain the same: you’ll need at least 720p video resolution; 5MP or higher image quality; and a working microphone.
Additionally, there are apps readily available that could help you further improve your video and image resolutions, which you could purchase. There are even free apps that have these functions, but I’d recommend you go for a paid one to avoid any ads while you’re using it as you perform and to be able to use a wider variety of features.
Of course, you can’t just keep holding your phone while you perform your profitable dirty deeds, so you’re also going to need a tripod to set your device so that you could have more diverse angles and shots.
When choosing a tripod, you’ll simply need one that’s easily adjustable; light enough to move around yet heavy enough to keep your phone in place and avoid shaky shots; and one that doesn’t hinder your screen and necessary buttons.
You could find a good tripod that goes for as low as $20 and up, so all you need to do is choose which one you’re most comfortable with.
Conclusion
Setting up shop to become a cam girl requires you to have the best equipment that you could get. That is to say, this fun and lucrative profession also has a technical side that you should be familiar with.
Once you have an idea of the type of tools you need and what purpose they’ll play in your life as a live cam model, then you get a much better work experience. And this goes both ways for you as a cam girl and for your clients.
Lastly, the most expensive equipment aren’t always the best ones; it’s all just a matter of choosing what you need!