The History of WavGirl.Com WebCams





It all started simply enough. I thought it would be interesting to show our guests live footage of preparations on our wedding day. I only knew how to create static images then (September 2001), but people turned out the hits to watch people getting their hair done, a busy photographer, and those final moments of chaos. We had a good response from the broadcast, and decided to set up a permanent cam in our not-so-permanent basement apartment in my parents' house. I'll never understand why, but curiosity of the censored, g-rated cam grew.

In June, 2002, we got an apartment of our own. One by one, cams were added. I learned how to implement streaming cams and light controls. Before we knew it, we had cams in the kitchen, dining room, two computer desk cams, and one outside. We even had a cat cam for a while!

People watched as we moved from one place to another and settled in. A lot of them said they felt like they knew us, and to some extent, they did. We were giving them a glimpse into our daily lives in a way few people do.

In 2005, I purchased a Smilecam, which had pan/tilt capabilities. It also had an audio feature. In addition, we added streaming sound from the computer room and occasionally did music broadcasts. We sold a lot of T-shirts that year! However, there was one focus that was unwelcome; our children. While we didn't mind that people could get a limited view of our daily activities, we wanted to shelter our daughters from being watched. That, along with some viewers with attitude, forced me to take down the cam site.

For the next six months, I wasn't sure whether I ever wanted to bring cams back into my home. We planned on buying our first home, and I was working away at a design for a new site about our experiences as homeowners. In May, 2006, I decided to do a little experiment. I put up two new cams in our house. Slowly, visitors began to figure out that the cams were back, and I got a lot of good feedback. We've brought back what this site stands for. We're just regular people living regular lives, and we don't mind letting you see that. I am proud to have one of the few cam sites out there which isn't pornographic in nature.


Equipment We've Used

  • ATI All-In-Wonder Pro (8 MB) connected to a Sony Handycam

  • Creative Web Cam

  • Logitech QuickCam Pro and QuickCam Zoom (640X480)

  • Smilecam with ezWebCam21 Software

  • Windows Media Encoder (for sound broadcasts) with Sima Video EditMaster Plus Editor/Enhancer/Mixer

  • X-10 Appliance Modules with USB Wireless Transceiver

  • Homeseer Software for Light Controls

  • Webcam32 Software for Streaming Cams


    Equipment We Use Now

  • Logitech QuickCam Zoom (2) (640X480)

  • X-10 Equipment (see above) and Homeseer

  • WebcamXP Software for Streaming Cams and Chat

  • Smilecam with ezWebCam21 Software