Camera Equipment:

Standard Use:

A USB webcam such as a Logitech ranging from $50 - $125, which gives you a good quality picture to start with.

Professional Setup:

A capture card or a capture cord that can plug into your PC and have a Video Camera plugged into it. This provides the best possible picture and can provide zoom features and remote control of the video camera that a typical webcam cannot.

Things to Consider When Buying a Video Camera and Video Capture Cord Setup:

Price: The video camera will run around $250, for a good video camera that has a nice zoom on it and a remote control with it.

Setup: There is often software that needs to be setup so the video capture card can be recognized on your computer. Follow setup instructions provided with camera.

Certain Video Cameras:
Some video cameras are not meant to be used as webcams and will often go into a sleep mode or shutdown mode if the camera thinks its not being used. This often cannot be overridden in the programming of the camera, thus preventing it from being used as a webcam. Please ask us for suggestions on a video camera if your not sure what to purchase.

Of course, we all know that a fast and reliable high speed internet connection s a must when using a webcam. But did you know that most cable and dsl providers are only providing most of us with a very basic "upstream" speed and a very fast "download speed". Thats because 99% of us are only downloading content from the internet, not uploading it. You will be uploading your video to the internet, so you do need a good "upstream" speed. Usually, a high speed internet connection ranges from about $35 to $55 a month max. Please check your connection with your internet provider and your connection speed on www.speedtest.net

Suggested Upstream Speed: 512kb (0.50Mb/second)

Usable Upstream Speed: 300kb (0.29Mb/second)

Microphone Requirements:

Most of the Logitech webcams priced over $50 provide a micrphone right on the camera so you can easily talk to your webcam clients. This is ideal, as clients prefer to hear your sexy voice and... moans across their speakers on the other end. Moreover microphone sets your hands free as you don't have to do typing and you can concentrate on performance instead.