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QUESTIONS ASKED BY VIDEO CHATHOSTS
QUESTIONS ASKED BY VISITORS & PROSPECTIVE CUSTOMERS
QUESTIONS ASKED BY VIDEO CHATHOSTS:
Recent updates:
Recent updates:
Click Here
for Questions Regarding the NEW "18+ ID Card" Age
Documentation process, making it easier to update Age Documentation and
Payment Information for all of your Screen Names and handles from one
convenient page.
Click here for
information about site's' new FanClubs feature Can I make money at this?
Click Here to learn more
about the new Cam2Cam feature (where you can watch the viewer, too)
Click
here for information about using the CamPilot feature for remote
control of your camera
This site is so huge, where do I start?
How can I Maximize my Success?
Where do I sign up?
Can I promote my own web site?
I have my own web site. How do I host it on site?
And how do I use it?
How can I reach you?
What type of content can I show?
What types of conduct will get me in trouble with site?
Can I go to jail for hosting "adult" videochat
sessions on site?
Is it easy to configure my PC to do this?
How do I contact Technical Support?
What's the best setup for my PC?
Which ISP should I use?
Do I have to pay anything to get started?
What do I do when I'm ready to host my own video chat session?
What do the different categories mean?
What are "site Viewer Awards"?
NEW --> If a visitor to my videochat has their
own webcam, can I see him?
My husband and I want to host video chat sessions together.
Do we set up separate video chathost screen names?
My feed is *too* popular. Any tricks to expanding quickly?
My ISP hung up on me!
Someone in my room is very offensive, obscene, or just plain
annoying!
Where can I find out more information about Private
Sessions?
For various reasons, I want to "block" viewers in
certain areas from visiting my video chatroom. How do I do that?
How do I set up my computer so my viewers can HEAR me as well
as see me?
TECH TALK: Customers complain my video is too slow!
TECH TALK: My iCam software froze in the middle of a live
session
TECH TALK: My connection seems slow, what can I do?
TECH TALK: Why do some Chat participants have numbers instead
of screennames?
TECH TALK: My chat room seems OK, but nobody can see my
video
TECH TALK: Does it matter that my ISP has dynamic IP
addressing?
TECH TALK: When I try to use sound, I lose ALL my sounds until
I reboot. How can I fix this?
TECH TALK: What's the best way to run 24/7 replays of my
previous live site videochats?
QUESTIONS ASKED BY VISITORS & PROSPECTIVE CUSTOMERS
Is this really free?
Index to Questions and Answers
Questions asked by Video Chathosts:
Can I make money at this?
Three answers: Yes, yes, and YES! First, you earn 50% of all
pay-per-view and "private one-on-one" revenues generated from your
videochat room. (You deliver the content by hosting your own live videochat
room, and we deliver the customers! When you deliver a new customer to site
through a
ClickCash.com
link, your take is not 50%, but 100% of that customer's expenditures
with you! Click
here for more information) Checks are cut to you every week, in minimum
amounts of $100. (If you earn less than that in a given week, the amount is
carried over into the following week). Second, you earn an additional
$100 for each friend that you recruit to do the same. (To qualify, the friend
must be an active site video chathost for at least six weeks). And third,
you earn a 1% override on all net revenues generated by site that you
recruit to become video chathosts, *and* a 1% override on the friends that
*they* recruit to become video chathosts, and so on, up to 16 different
levels. (If you recruit two friends, and they recruit two friends, and so on,
you'll get a 1% override on the revenues of 65,536 different site members!) Click
here to start your video chat session *now*.
So you want to be an video chathost, but don't know where to get started. We understand! That's why we prepared this "
Check out the
Right here. (Fill out a simple form, click "submit", download the free software, turn on your webcam, and you're LIVE, in just minutes!)
Can I promote my own web site?
"Mysite.net"
platform ( free website hosting service offering 1-2-3 quickstart
webpage templates, your own domain names, your own members-only area where you
can sell subscriptions and keep 90% of proceeds, free shopping carts and other
great benefits), you can promote it anywhere on or off of the site platform. Click here for a complete
collection of site graphics, scripts, links and other tools you are free to
use on your web site.
If your website is a part of the
site provides all video chathosts with their own free website, though
our "mysite @ site.net" facility (Also called "Mysite.net").
Compose and edit your own HTML, upload it to the Mysite server using MSIE
or Netscape, and voila! -- your own secure website, located at http://MY_SCREENNAME.Mysite.net
(or, alternatively, http://mysite.site.net/MY_SCREENAME.) It couldn't be
easier! Even better, it doesn't cost you a single dime. No matter how many
hits you serve, or how much bandwidth you consume, your website is always
FREE. For the technically sophisticated chathost, site will even serve
your website under your own domain name. An address such as "http://www.MyDomainName.com"
can be hosted directly on site free-and-unlimited "MySite"
servers. (Instructions are located in the MySite facility, accessible via the
I have my own web site. How do I host it on site?
And how do I use it?
Chathost
Console)
I've got my own web pages and graphics --- how do I upload them to the MYSITE server?
We recommend that you first arrange your HTML and graphics files on your own local hard drive, to make sure you've got everything linked just the way you like. Once you've got it working smoothly, use the MYSITE Upload Manager to upload your files to the MYSITE server. (You can upload three at a time, until all your files are in place. There is no limit to the number of files you can have on the MYSITE server). Then, visit your website at http://mysite.webcamsmakemoney.com.net/MY_SCREENNAME and surf away!
I don't know the first thing about designing a website. Can you point me in the right direction?
Sure!! There are some great Internet resources, as well as some wonderful books dedicated to teaching you exactly how to design your web site. Here are just a few:
You can always reach us, 24 hours a day, at
How can I reach you?
VCHhelp@webcamsmakemoney.com.
Finally, our
video chathost-only help line telephone number is listed elsewhere in
this FAQ, but is available only for Video Chathosts who have immediate
tech-support problems that cannot be resolved through email, the help form, or
this FAQ.
That's a private matter, between you and the viewing customer. Note: When
an site customer enters your live videochat room, the customer receives
the content directly from your computer. It's called a
"one-to-one" connection. And it guarantees privacy for both you and
the customer. Nobody can snoop and watch for free. Remember - what you and
your customer(s) do online is a private matter between you and them, and both
the video and audio travel directly between you and the customer.
However, this privacy does not give you liberty to break the law -- you must
stay within legal boundaries and observe all applicable laws. (Review the
What type of content can I show?
chathost
license agreement for more information on your obligation to "keep it
legal").
Not likely, unless your conduct is considered "obscene" in your
community. Please see the
Can I go to jail for hosting "adult" video chat
sessions on the site?
Video
Chathost License Agreement for general information on what is and isn't
generally considered obscene in most communities. Important: the site forbids
obscene conduct and will terminate your video chathost account if you behave
in this manner. Click here
for a useful state-by-state web guide on obscenity laws and related issues.
Is the pope catholic? Since you're reading this FAQ online, you already
know how to get connected to the internet. That leaves just two things: (1)
Plugging an inexpensive webcam, such as one of the
Is it easy to configure my PC to do this?
Logitech
Quick-Cams into the USB port of your PC, and (2) Downloading our free
webcam software to run on your Windows 9x, ME, NT 4, 2000, or XP PC. And
if even that proves too tough, our 24-hour-per-day friendly support team is on
hand to lend *you* a hand at (561) 963-5842. If you don't have one of those
cameras, we can even tell you where you can find one: your local computer
store or large office supply store should have them, or you can buy them
directly through a mail-order company, such as CDW
(1-800-826-4239).
Our Technical Support lines are open 24 hours a day and can be reached at (561) 963-5842.
Well, the most important "component" of your setup is an exhibitionist in front of your camera! Seriously, here's what we recommend: a working PC, (it doesn't have to be particularly fast... a mere Pentium 100 or higher is fine), running Microsoft Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows XP, Windows 2000, or Windows NT 4.0 (Our
There are literally thousands of Internet Service Providers, and the
quality of service varies from area to area, and from provider to provider. (
Which ISP should I use?
Boardwatch
lists them all). We've successfully tested our webcam software with many
different providers, both small and national. Just make sure the ISP you
choose has enough modems to handle your connection. (A good test: Call your
potential ISP and get the modem access number. Try dialing it a few times
during the evening. Do you always hear a modem tone? Great! Get a lot of busy
signals? Try another!). We've experienced great results with Earthlink,
a nationwide provider which probably has a dial-up number in your area, but
there are plenty of others out there that you can use.
Nope. Not a dime. To begin hosting video chat sessions as an iFriend on the
Internet Friends Webcam Network, you don't have to pay anybody anything. All
you need is a PC, internet connection, and webcam! (Oh, and at least one or
more warm and friendly friends to put in front of the cam!) Go to the
Do I have to pay anything to get started?
Contributor's
Site and select the "Video Chat Session Sign-in" option. You
must do this prior to each webcam session that you broadcast.
The categories help viewers to know exactly what kind of show you are
performing. There are two types of categories: General (Non-Adult) and Adults
Only. The categories in the General section are fairly self-explanatory,
but if you are going to do anything "risque", you will need to sign
in under one of the Adults Only categories. When you sign up under one of
these, you'll want to be sure you select the right one... you don't want to
miss out on a visitor just because you selected the wrong type! Each week, Viewers have the opportunity to nominate the best ChatHosts in a
variety of categories during live, fee-based site videochat sessions. You
can view the most recent awards by clicking the "Award Winners" Link
in the blue menu bar to the left on most site pages. If you have received
an Award, it will also show up on your Profile Page for all your visitors to
see, and you can display your site award graphic on your own web site if
you wish (see our special
What do the different categories mean?
Page
Tools section for other ways to promote your site Chat on your own web
site).
If you wish to use the Flash-based option, be sure to choose the "Cam2Cam" option when you sign in your session. Otherwise, be sure it is not selected. For more information on the Flash-based option, be sure to see the special FAQ for this option.
Once the above conditions are met, you may, if you desire, see the visitor's webcam image by clicking the "Other Options" link (immediately below your webcam window in the site chat interface), and clicking the "View Visitors Webcam" link on the next page. (You'll need to enter the visitor's site screenname, as his "port number" which usually is 8080).
No, set up a single screen name, with one set of prices, one address to
send checks to, etc. The
My husband and I want to host video chat sessions
together. Do we set up separate video chathost screen names?
Video
Chat Session Sign-in form at the Video Chathost console has space to
identify you and your husband, hair color, etc.
The very *fastest* way to add serving capacity is to experiment with your
iCam settings. In Icam's "Setup" settings, for example, change the
"send frame every 1 second" to "send frame every 2
second". You can also try changing your image size to 160x120 instead of
320x240. (Viewers will notice a fuzzier picture, but you'll be able to serve
twice as many...) Another idea: If you have a second PC in your house, plug in
a second $89 QuickCam and configure a second Video Chathost ScreenName. When
you perform, just aim BOTH cameras at you (note: You'll have to respond to
chat on *both* PCs....) If your ISP hangs up the connection in the middle of a broadcast, dial back
in, go to your chat room, and let everybody know that you're back on and that
you're going to create a NEW session. Then, sign out of the old session, and
create a new one, filling out the "Video Chat Session Sign-in" form.
Your customers can then follow you into the new session's videochat room.
Unless you follow this procedure, customers who were watching your video in
the earlier session WILL NOT be able to continue watching you! iFCam allows "blocking" that prevents anybody you desire from
accessing your room and bugging you. To do this, just type in the chat box: !BLOCK
ip-address where ip-address is that annoying so-and-so's
IP#. (For example, if 123.123.123.123 was annoying you, you'd just type "!BLOCK
123.123.123.123", without the quotation marks, and *poof*, they are
gone for the rest of the session!) Try the site
My feed is *too* popular. Any tricks to expanding quickly?
Guide to
Private Sessions, or perhaps even better, the Private-Sessions
FAQ.
At site, *you're* in control! You control your own video chat room, and
you decide who can visit it. Go to the *Chathost Console* and select
"Modify My Video Chathost Account". Scroll down to the section
called "Video Chathost Block Zones", where you can pick specific zip
codes, states and countries that you wish to "block" entering your
video chat room.
For various reasons, I want to "block" viewers
in certain areas from visiting my video chatroom. How do I do that?
There are three major no-no's that will get you booted off site in a
jiffy:
*Click here*
to review the "Obscenity Disclaimer" in your VCH license
agreement.)
(
How do I set up my computer so my viewers can HEAR me as well
as see me?
We have set up a special page all about sending audio over site. Check out
http://www.webcamsmakemoney.com/audio.htm
for more information about how to use this great feature; you won't believe how
much longer viewers will stay with you if they can HEAR as well as SEE!
Because customers download your webcam video directly from you, the
rate at which they see updates depends entirely upon 1.) your internet
connection, and 2.) their internet connection. If multiple customers
make the same complaint, you need to either upgrade your connection or reduce
the number of simultaneous viewers (through charging higher prices). If only
one customer complains, but others say that performance is fine, then urge the
customer to switch providers or upgrade his modem connection. Since your Chat session will still work, tell everyone that you will be
restarting your vidcam software, and that they'll need to sign back into your
session in a few minutes. If you find that you need to reboot your PC and hang
up your ISP connection, when you dial back in, be sure to *terminate* your site
session and establish a new one. (important because your next ISP
session will likely give you a new/different IP address from which you
transmit). If you're successfully logged into your ISP, and your installation of iCam
seems to be functioning (you can see your own video image on your monitor), and
you've successfully submitted the video chat session form, your video feed
should be visible to visitors. If it isn't, here's what to look for:
TECH TALK: Customers complain my video is too slow!
There are two common reasons for a slow connection: 1.) The internet is busy,
most likely in your general vicinity, or 2.) You are too popular with viewers!
(With a clean 28.8 or 33.6 connection, you can support between three and six
similarly-equipped viewers.) The solution to *both* problems (internet
congestion upstream from you or "fan" congestion on the other side
of your modem) is to a.) use a higher-speed connection, such as an ISDN line
(two to four times faster than a modem), and b.) use a good ISP. (See
elsewhere in this FAQ for tips on picking a great ISP)
Individuals with chat names such as "123.45.126.35" (instead of
"DICK2LONG", for example) are guest-level chat participants who are
unable to see your video feed. These are your prospects! They've joined the
"chat-only" portion of your video-chat, so you've got their
attention. Tell them what they're missing by not signing in to your live show!
Click
here for in-depth info on these settings.)
Nope. Here's what happens if your ISP has dynamic IP addresses: Each time
you dial in, your ISP gives your PC an IP address that is valid only while you
stay connected. (The next time you call your ISP, you'll get a different
IP address). When you use the
TECH TALK: Does it matter that my ISP has dynamic IP
addresses?
Video
Chat Session Sign-in form to register a new webcam broadcast, your current
IP address is also registered into the site network. For as long as you
transmit your webcam feed from the same ISP session, you'll be visible to the site
network. If your ISP session gets interrupted and you're forced to
redial, you should therefore sign out your previous video chat session
and sign in a new video chat session, reflecting your new IP address.
This normally happens if the drivers for your sound card are out of date or
were written for a previous version of Windows (for example, using Windows 95
drivers on a Windows 98 PC). Simply contact or visit the web site of the
manufacturer of your sound card to obtain the latest driver for your
particular sound card designed especially for the version of Windows you are
using. They will provide this free of charge. Once the new driver is
installed, your sound should work normally. For more information about using
sound with site, see
TECH TALK: When I try to send sound, I lose ALL my sounds
until I reboot. How can I fix this?
http://www.webcamsmakemoney.com/audio.htm.
If you're looking for the lowest-hassles method that maximizes your
earnings while you sleep (who isn't?), here's what to do. First, use site'
new LiveStream format to host the live videochat that you want to play
back later. While hosting your live videochat, click the "other
options" link in your site videochat interface, and select the
"Record a Replay Session" link. (This works just like taking an
archive videoclip -- the moment you click that link, site begins recording
your session for future replay). After you finish recording, site adds the
recorded clip to your very own "Replay Library", which you can
access from the chathost console in the "Edit Archives" section.
Once you have populated your Replay Library with at least one clip, you're
good to go -- when you're ready to playback that replay in the site Replay
section, just sign in a new chathost session as usual, and select the new
LiveStream replay options on the session sign-in forms. (Using these forms,
you can even combine multiple clips from your replay library into a full movie
... in any sequence you desire.) But the best part of all? site does all
the work of serving the replay for you, so you can turn off your PC when you
sleep! (Yeah!).
June 2003 update: You can now add your own home movies to your site Replay Library -- in AVI or WMV formats -- by using the "upload
replay" feature in your FanClub manager. Questions asked by Viewers: Surfing site as a guest doesn't cost you a dime. Also 100% FREE are
many members-only features such as browsing through uncensored archives taken
from millions of past live site videochats, cruising the site search
engines looking for "tall blondes" "under 25", and live
textchat with more than 300,000+ site video chathosts.
You never pay for anything on site without your consent. Check out
the full
TECH TALK: What's the best way to run 24/7 replays of my
previous live site videochats?
Terms and
Conditions for more information
Your account registration and billing information, which you
Is my account information safe with you? Who do you share it
with?
submit
to site through a Verisign-certified, digital-certificate-encrypted
secure channel and which site maintains behind an impenetrable,
firewall-protected encrypted secure system, is never disclosed or
otherwise provided to any outside party, including site' video chathosts.
Your account information is accessible only to a handful of trained site'
staff, all of which have passed detailed background checks. For additional
information, please refer to our Privacy
Policy.
site works with all browsers, and functions equally well with
Microsoft Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator, and America Online. Although
not required, for the best experience, we recommend that your browser support
java and javascript. Watching site does not require any plug-ins! No annoying downloads! If you're using MSIE as your browser (even if AOL is the underlying online
service), you'll automatically receive a Java-enabled display that provides
for high-quality streaming video. If you have java turned off, or you are
using an old version of MSIE, the java display may not work so well. In that
case, try clicking on the "MSIE/AOL" button; you'll get a basic
video window that refreshes every 30 seconds. If you are using a very old
version of AOL's built-in browser, your display may update every 60
seconds, because AOL's older built-in browsers offer the least support for
video streaming and java. (If that's the case, upgrade to MSIE or Netscape;
they're both free downloads, and each will run over your AOL connection).
To avoid complications, make sure that you are using the latest version of
your AOL browser, or even better, run Microsoft Internet Explorer. And for you
AOL users, this can be run right over your AOL connection. Just buzz your
friendly AOL tech support department, who can walk you through step-by-step
setting up your computer to run this way. You are trying to access a portion of site that requires Java, but you
have not yet installed the latest Mac OS Runtime for Java (MRJ). You can find
out more about MRJ and how to download it at
On which browser does site work best?
http://www.apple.com/java/.
Absolutely. Unless you are browsing through the "archives", or
are watching the small portion of videochats that are clearly labeled as
replays of previous Live site videochats, every site videochat you
encounter is live. Real people. In real time. It's REAL! That's up to the performing iFriend. At their discretion, they may or may
not choose to give you their email address, phone number, or other contact
information. No. The "IP address" of performing site cannot be traced to
the physical point of origin without a court order. Also, the IP address is
often "randomly assigned" by their provider each time they transmit.
Privacy laws vary from state to state, but in most cases, attempts to
physically locate an iFriend through their IP addresses, however useless,
nevertheless violate anti-stalking and anti-harassment statutes. Also,
attempts to incapacitate or disable an video chathost's session constitute
theft of services and are aggressively prosecuted to the fullest extent of the
law. (All attempts to do so are automatically logged and are easily traced to
the point of origin) First, use the chat interface and ask if anybody else is seeing video. If
everyone else in the room *also* can't see video, then there may be something
wrong on the video chathost's end. This seldom happens, because the video
chathost usually signs out if nobody can see their video.
However, if you are the *only* one in the chatroom who can't see video, try
the following: First, make sure that you've done everything you need to for
the browser you're using. Make sure that your browser is supporting Java and
Javascript. Try closing your browser and restarting it. Try rebooting your PC.
Try switching browsers. If all that fails, try accessing site from a
different online service provider. If you still cannot see video, then LEAVE THE ROOM to avoid unnecessary
charges. Please let us know that there were problems by contacting our help
desk at help@site.net and giving us a detailed report of the incident. There are two ways to end your site session. The easiest and most
effective way is to simply click on the "End Session" button
immediately beneath the Video Chathost's video window. Alternatively, you may
simply close your browser (best bet when you're having tech problems). Either
of these approaches will terminate your session and prevent further billing
for that session. Try the site
Is this live?
Guide to
Private Sessions, or perhaps even better, the Private-Sessions
FAQ.
site would never apply your registration payment information to any
premium services without your consent. Premium services include fee-based
videochats you might visit, where the chathost has chosen to charge for access
to his or her videochat (other chathosts offer such services for free).
Second, should you choose to join our "Club VIP", you will be billed
$6.95 per month for access to the wide range of
I have a "WebPower/WPI/site" charge on my
credit card statement. Why is it there?
exclusive
VIP benefits available to you (if you joined VIP earlier when the price
was $4.99, you are "grandfathered" in at the lower rate ... for the
life of your account!). Third, some chathosts offer an optional "Fan
Club" feature; FanClubs have both free and premium areas. All premium
services on the site are clearly labeled in a prominent and conspicuous
manner, and your consent is affirmatively obtained prior to your entrance to
such areas. Of course, if you ever have questions about any site charge
activity appearing on your statement, call our toll-free 24/7 customer service
center (1-800-site; overseas callers dial 001-561-656-0600), where live
agents are available day and night to cheerfully provide assistance and answer
your questions.
Once the above conditions are met, that chathost may, if he or she desires, see your webcam image while you interact live in the fee-based video chatroom. The chathost is under no obligation to watch you, however, so remember to say "Please"!
Where can I learn more about TalkLiveTM,
the new toll-free telephone conferencing system where I can talk live with my
favorite chathost during live videochat?
A relatively new service, TalkLive is perhaps the fastest-growing feature ever
offered on site. To find out more,
click
here.