I'm going to cam for the first time tonight! I'm excited, but I have some questions

[FreyaCinn]

Hello all! So I've finally had my account and ID verified, and I'm planning to start camming when I get home late tonight. I do have a few questions though, and was hoping some of you might be able to help.

1. Is there a way to test your sound and video before opening up the room to everyone?

2. Related to the first one: if I want to play music while camming, how can I be sure the music isn't playing too closely to the mic or too loudly for those watching?

3. How long does it typically take before people come into your room? I don't mean a lot of people, but more like when just a few start trickling in. What do you do until then?

4. How do you have your cam and laptop set up in relation to where you're sitting?

 

[RubyClaire27]

Speaking from my experience on CB...

1. Yes. When you open up the broadcast page and give it access to your cam and mic, it gives you a window where you can see how the video feed looks and how sensitive your mic is.

2. You can watch the bar of the mic test area to see what it picks up. I usually have my phone about a foot from the mic and set to medium volume.

3. Usually, just a couple of minutes. Of course, I post on Twitter when I'm on (and also take advantage of CB's option to send out an email to my followers)

4. I try to keep my cam at eye level or a tad higher. It's usually mounted on top of the desktop monitor or on top of my laptop screen. When camming from my laptop, I usually am laying on my futon and set the laptop on a book or something to get it to eye level or above.

I hope you're having a super awesome night!

 

[FreyaCinn]

Thanks so much, that's super helpful! I'm actually going to be starting tomorrow now because I ended up moving furniture around and am exhausted. But I'm still excited

 

[DFT]

Audio's always elusive. What you don't want to do is have it too loud - it should be peaking at about 2/3 of whatever scale you're given with most software scales. You're not a 70's morning DJ burying the needle for that big sound, it's just distortion and clipping with consumer level digital gear - and you want some dB of headroom so when something happens (exclamation of joy, sexy sounds, etc) they don't get lost.

Not sure how most do music. I'd have it playing into the master output on the computer - using a personal collection, Spotify, etc. That you want peaking at a third of the meter at most. It's there to fill the silence, give the song a conversation starter position, not overpower the conversation. Sounds so much better when mixed in rather than from an external source over the room mic. Remember you can always turn up the jamz, but a room with blaring music gets passed over quick.

The model stuff - you're surrounded by experts and I'm not one.

 

[RubyClaire27]

@DFT, thanks for chipping in on audio! You are so correct in how elusive it may be.

If you feel unsure, you can always ask your room how your audio is. Most members will tell you if something is out of line on audio (or that's been my experience anyway).

 

[HaileyRoyale]

Set up your audio through manycams system sound. It will run way smoother and through the computer instead of distorted through a phone/speaker. You can also play any song from any website.

 

[CutieHasBooty]

Speaking on experience from Myfreecams

1. There is a view cam right next to the start broadcasting button when you open the browser version

2. There is a little speaker at the bottom that will tell you if your audio is good or high

3. I have people in my room within the first 30 seconds or so getting people is not the issue (especially when you have new model status) getting people who are going to tip and talk and contribute is the tough part get up and dance, engage yourself, be goofy, have personality this will get people to come and stay

4. I mount my cam on a chair lol so it is above me and you can we my whole body then I have my laptop sitting In front of me

 

[FreyaCinn]

That's all super helpful. Thank you all so much!

 

[EspiKvlt]

Little tip: Since you're new, you're probably gonna have an overwhelming amount of people in your room your first night, not too few. Be prepared for that.