Top High Definition Streaming Webcam Sites
Every major cam site offers HD streaming rooms, but at some platforms HD is in the minority, as opposed to the majority. Some sites compromise on broadcasting quality in an effort to keep private chat rates to a bare minimum. Other sites attract mainly new amateur performers who have yet to invest in a decent cam. At the following sites, HD live cams aren't just common place, but some of them take things to the next level with HD plus, 4K and even virtual reality streams.
In this round-up we take a look at the leading webcam platforms that are focused on providing viewers with top quality feeds. We show you how to quickly find the HD friendly hosts and how to make sure you're seeing the live feed in the top resolution possible.
Not every room at these sites, or any site, is HD enabled. There are always a few broadcasters (mainly the newer performers) that are using SD feeds, but at the premium sites, the SD streams will be of a high quality. The difference between them and the clarity achieved in HD rooms is negligible.
The Different Streaming Qualities
Most people tend to think of a live feed as coming through in HD (high definition) or SD (standard definition), but these two groups cover a range of resolutions. Standard definition is generally found when the image is blurry or even haze like. It's most commonly used in the freemium cam sites where anyone can set themselves up as a broadcaster, as long as they have an internet connection and a webcam. If a model is based somewhere with a volatile internet connection or has limited bandwidth, chances are they'll be streaming in SD and the feed will be somewhat disruptive.
SD comes in three different level (240p, 360p, 480p). The lower the number, the poorer the image. If a model on a premium site is using SD, chances are the feed will be 480p and the website often uses technology to help improve the clarity of the live video. SD is a more common choice if you're viewing a live cam session on a mobile device with a limited bandwidth connection as it eats up less data than an HD video.
HD now comes in four different standards (720p, 1080p, 1440p and 4k/2160p). 4K is often referred to as Ultra HD, where as 1080p and 1440p are often called HD plus. The difference between 720p and 1080p is noticeable on most monitors and screens. However, when it comes to visually seeing the improvement in the image from 1080p to 1440p - it's far less noticeable. As for 4K, well that depends on the quality and size of your monitor. If you're using a small screen and not sitting close to it, you won't notice much of a difference when a 4K feed comes through.
How To Check For HD In A Live Cam Room
On CamSoda, you'll see a setting cog on the left of a model's live feed that displays Auto. If you hover on it, you'll see every level of high def that her webcam supports, up to 1080p. The same is true for Cherry.tv, except the icon is on the right hand side. So with both these sites, it's best to simply click into a room with a model who catches your eye.
At LiveJasmin and LivePrivates, the majority of the broadcasts are in HD. At LiveJasmin, you simply select the HD category on the homepage's left menu bar and then check that HD is coming through in the live video (a small icon appears on the far left of the room's chat window). At LivePrivates, the upper right search icon (three lines and three dots) brings up a pop-up window with major features including HD Quality. By selecting this, you'll see only the rooms that are HD friendly.
At Stripchat, HD is a category that appears towards the top of the left vertical menu bar on the homepage. You can also choose rooms that have virtual reality capabilities (VR Cams). Both of these broadcasting options have icons that appear on the preview snapshot of the room so you know before you click through what to expect.
At Chaturbate the preview photos, which are grabbed moments before from a live feed, have stickers indicating not only if the room is HD friendly, but also if a room is using an HD+ feed. Chaturbate also has a few options where the models perform live using 4K (ultra HD). Like the other sites, you'll need to check the level of the feed by selecting the HD icon on the bottom right of the window. Often a lower feed automatically comes through, so you'll need to manually select the top resolution.
Conclusion
Ultimately, it's up to you to choose the best resolution for yourself. Even if a room is HD enabled, that doesn't mean the feed automatically comes through in the top resolution possible. It also depends on your requirements and bandwidth capability as to whether HD is the optimum feed. On mobile devices and areas with limited connectivity, you may want to consider lowering HD to SD, otherwise the stream can get stuck at regular intervals.
HD rooms don't come with a premium surcharge, per say. At the freemimum cam sites, you can enjoy a wide range of crystal clear entertainment in the open chat rooms without paying a penny. But generally, the lower streaming hosts have cheaper per minute private cam rates, compared to those who have invested in better quality webcams.
At the premium cam sites like LiveJasmin and LivePrivates, HD is pretty much the norm and prices tend to be the same regardless of whether you're watching an HD or high-quality SD session.
If we had to recommend one site over another, we'd suggest you start with a quick visit to CamSoda - but by no means limit yourself to this one site. CamSoda has a plethora of HD hosts, as well offering HD in mobile webcam to webcam chat. As it's a freemium cam site, you can enjoy a lot of free activity in the open rooms to get a good sense of the difference in viewing quality between the HD and non HD rooms. And when it comes time to starting a private session, you can even record your 1on1 performance and store it in your CamSoda account where you can revisit it and re-live the exclusive cam experience over and over without paying any extra.