Welcome to the Cumulus Support forum.

Latest Cumulus MX V3 release 3.28.6 (build 3283) - 21 March 2024

Cumulus MX V4 beta test release 4.0.0 (build 4018) - 28 March 2024

Legacy Cumulus 1 release v1.9.4 (build 1099) - 28 November 2014 (a patch is available for 1.9.4 build 1099 that extends the date range of drop-down menus to 2030)

Download the Software (Cumulus MX / Cumulus 1 and other related items) from the Wiki

what web cam for the job??

Hardware/software/hints and tips/discussion/webcam links etc
Post Reply
User avatar
ace2
Posts: 679
Joined: Tue 14 Jan 2014 12:38 pm
Weather Station: maxkon ws-1081pc
Operating System: windows 7 & 8
Location: Adelaide, south Australia, Australia
Contact:

what web cam for the job??

Post by ace2 »

ok, I new to this and wondering what's a good cam for what I need. Details below...

outdoors IP camera, I have power next to location, but is to far away for USB, I have a wireless router within range(about 15m away) and a 3TB NAS drive to store images.

current weather station is running on my media centre. I wish to ftp a still image to my web site and create a time lapse video each day and upload to web site.
I have a budget, it's called a wife, so under the $200 mark!!!
I would prefer to not load the media centre with the task of the still image uploads, but happy to schedule a task on the media centre for doing the time lapse video in the wee hour(it records 10+ shows/movies a day).

as my ISP only has a 50MB web space(shame on you internode) I will either only have small res videos or host on another site(via linking from my weather site)


so far looking at Foscam FI9805W HD 1.3 Megapixel, but open to suggestions.


thanks in advance
CHRIS
Image
web site
http://www.ace2weather.com
Follow me on Twitter
http://tinyurl.com/kwlr9re
YouTube channel
http://tinyurl.com/lehwpgp
Facebook page
http://tinyurl.com/k3sap4s
Tiny URL links used
User avatar
Intheswamp
Posts: 126
Joined: Sun 12 May 2013 5:35 am
Weather Station: Davis VP2+
Operating System: Windows XP SP3
Location: South Alabama, USA

Re: what web cam for the job??

Post by Intheswamp »

I know you said your desired location for the cam is too far away for USB but I thought I'd give you something to think about.

I use a Logitech C920 that I modified with what is famously (in some circles<grin>) known as the "Hubble Fix". A great thread with lots of information about the fix is here: http://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic= ... #msg185973 . Basically, the "hubble fix" is done by attaching a -2 camera viewfinder diopter in front of the C920's lens. These -2 diopters are intended to slip over the viewfinder of a regular camera to correct vision for eyeglass wearers. The reason for the "fix" is that most webcams focus only a few feet in front of them...this modifies the camera so that it focuses further out. Some people have used -3 diopters with good results, also. The C920 is a 15mp USB webcam that is capable of 1080p HD video, though. I bought it off of eBay for around $60.00. Make note...it *is* a USB camera.

How far away will the camera be from the computer? My C920 is on the end of a 10m/33' active USB extender that cost me less than $15.00 from Amazon. It works great. Folks have joined two and three extenders together with success.

I use a WebcamXP (free version) to handle my uploads of still images to my website...it uploads and overwrites an image every 25 seconds, though the interval can be set differently. You can create an overlay such as name of your website, date and time, etc.,. It works in conjunction with the Logitech software as your interface with the camera. The paid version will do timelapse, I think. Otherwise you could use a separate utility for creating a timelapse...or you could setup WeatherUnderground to create your timelapse and then link to it on your website. (WU is s a little "iffy", though, right now in regards to webcams.)

Here are a couple of links so you can see the quality of the C920 w/Hubble Fix...

This link is to my webcam page...the first image is the most current uploaded image, though you have to refresh the screen to get updates. The second image is the video that is found on WU...kinda of a cludgey video and not a good timelapse, but works for now. ;)
http://www.beeweather.com/wxcamera001.php

This second link will show several images through the image gallery of various pictures taken with the C920. Only those with the date and time stamp are from the C920, the other pictures were may with my Canon T2i. The webcam images are reduced down so right-click and select VIEW to see them enlarged a little.
http://www.beeweather.com/wxicestorm012814.php

Anyhow, I just thought I'd throw this option out at you and give you some food for thought. I checked your website out and it's looking great! Keep at it!

Ed
Image
Davis VP2, v3.12
Cumulus v1.9.4 Build 1079
WU - KALRUTLE2 // PWS - BEEWEATHER // CWOP - EW2927 // Weather-Cam
tumutbound
Posts: 154
Joined: Thu 11 Mar 2010 11:03 am
Weather Station: WH1081
Operating System: Linux, Raspberry Pi (Wheezy)
Location: Port Huon, Tasmania , Australia
Contact:

Re: what web cam for the job??

Post by tumutbound »

If you're into the DIY then do what I did and build one from a Raspberry PI.
Great resolution on the camera module but not so good at low light stuff.
It will cost you around $160 but there's so much more you can do with it over a simple IP camera.

Fixed focus lens but I might check out that 'hubble fix' site
My weather
CumulusMX (3036)
Raspberry Pi: Wheezy
FineOffset WH1081
User avatar
ace2
Posts: 679
Joined: Tue 14 Jan 2014 12:38 pm
Weather Station: maxkon ws-1081pc
Operating System: windows 7 & 8
Location: Adelaide, south Australia, Australia
Contact:

Re: what web cam for the job??

Post by ace2 »

I really don't want to load my media centre with the sole job of this web can, if I can get the cam to upload still shots onto the nas drive and a single still via ftp to web site, then I only have to rely on media centre to do the time lapse video in off peak time. hence the IP camera option. to even run a cable to the media centre, I would be looking at 30m put running the cable in roof and down walls to the centre of lounge. so I think a IP type camera is the only option!!!
CHRIS
Image
web site
http://www.ace2weather.com
Follow me on Twitter
http://tinyurl.com/kwlr9re
YouTube channel
http://tinyurl.com/lehwpgp
Facebook page
http://tinyurl.com/k3sap4s
Tiny URL links used
tumutbound
Posts: 154
Joined: Thu 11 Mar 2010 11:03 am
Weather Station: WH1081
Operating System: Linux, Raspberry Pi (Wheezy)
Location: Port Huon, Tasmania , Australia
Contact:

Re: what web cam for the job??

Post by tumutbound »

Using the Raspberry Pi as your camera means you can do all of the image processing, including time-lapse, on the camera itself.

My camera takes and processes the images, uploads a processed still image to my website every 5 minutes, copies the same image (and the raw ones at this stage, still testing) to a shared drive while still leaving plenty of processing power unused. No other computer is involved.
The only cable is the power (8Volt) cable.

The downside of the Raspberry Pi is the learning curve if you don't know Linux.

Most of the affordable IP cameras I looked at didn't have the resolution I wanted. Those that did, I couldn't afford. Once the camera module was available for the Raspberry Pi, I had a project!

I must admit to a certain bias having worked at supporting UNIX and Linux for over 30 years. My knowledge of Windows is user level at best :oops:
My weather
CumulusMX (3036)
Raspberry Pi: Wheezy
FineOffset WH1081
uncle_bob
Posts: 505
Joined: Wed 17 Aug 2011 2:58 pm
Weather Station: WeatherDuino Pro2
Operating System: 2008
Location: Canberra

Re: what web cam for the job??

Post by uncle_bob »

tumutbound wrote:Using the Raspberry Pi as your camera means you can do all of the image processing, including time-lapse, on the camera itself.

My camera takes and processes the images, uploads a processed still image to my website every 5 minutes, copies the same image (and the raw ones at this stage, still testing) to a shared drive while still leaving plenty of processing power unused.
Would it have the processing power required to encode and stream live video?
Interested in building your own Weather Station? Maybe check out the WeatherDuino Pro Project Here
Conder, Canberra Weather
Image
tumutbound
Posts: 154
Joined: Thu 11 Mar 2010 11:03 am
Weather Station: WH1081
Operating System: Linux, Raspberry Pi (Wheezy)
Location: Port Huon, Tasmania , Australia
Contact:

Re: what web cam for the job??

Post by tumutbound »

uncle_bob wrote:
tumutbound wrote:Using the Raspberry Pi as your camera means you can do all of the image processing, including time-lapse, on the camera itself.

My camera takes and processes the images, uploads a processed still image to my website every 5 minutes, copies the same image (and the raw ones at this stage, still testing) to a shared drive while still leaving plenty of processing power unused.
Would it have the processing power required to encode and stream live video?
Yes it can, it has hardware encoding/decoding for H264. The weakest link would be the wireless networking.
I did try it out streaming HD video to a windows machine running VLC and the results were pretty good.
As I've got such a crap ISP link, there was no point in trying do this via my web page.
My weather
CumulusMX (3036)
Raspberry Pi: Wheezy
FineOffset WH1081
User avatar
ace2
Posts: 679
Joined: Tue 14 Jan 2014 12:38 pm
Weather Station: maxkon ws-1081pc
Operating System: windows 7 & 8
Location: Adelaide, south Australia, Australia
Contact:

Re: what web cam for the job??

Post by ace2 »

yeah Linux is well above me!!!!

on top of that, I don't have time to build one as my working week involves 2 jobs and a min of 50 hours a wedk
CHRIS
Image
web site
http://www.ace2weather.com
Follow me on Twitter
http://tinyurl.com/kwlr9re
YouTube channel
http://tinyurl.com/lehwpgp
Facebook page
http://tinyurl.com/k3sap4s
Tiny URL links used
User avatar
ace2
Posts: 679
Joined: Tue 14 Jan 2014 12:38 pm
Weather Station: maxkon ws-1081pc
Operating System: windows 7 & 8
Location: Adelaide, south Australia, Australia
Contact:

Re: what web cam for the job??

Post by ace2 »

Also add i have limited web space!!!

My current setup takes just under 6MB and i have allocation of 50MB. Now i want to have 3 to 4 time lapse vids, so i'm looking for a file size of 10MB per vid.
A super HD camera is not really needed, maybe around 1024 x 576 res.

I kind of like what nossis has done on his site!!!

http://members.iinet.net.au/~nossis/weather/cam.htm
CHRIS
Image
web site
http://www.ace2weather.com
Follow me on Twitter
http://tinyurl.com/kwlr9re
YouTube channel
http://tinyurl.com/lehwpgp
Facebook page
http://tinyurl.com/k3sap4s
Tiny URL links used
User avatar
Intheswamp
Posts: 126
Joined: Sun 12 May 2013 5:35 am
Weather Station: Davis VP2+
Operating System: Windows XP SP3
Location: South Alabama, USA

Re: what web cam for the job??

Post by Intheswamp »

I'm probably overlooking it, but you might want to put your location on your homepage. The only hint of location that I could find was "morphett vale area"...I ended up going to WU and found that you're located in Australia (looks HOT down there, too!). Anyhow, you might want to have your location on your website more visible for prospective users. ;)

Ed
Image
Davis VP2, v3.12
Cumulus v1.9.4 Build 1079
WU - KALRUTLE2 // PWS - BEEWEATHER // CWOP - EW2927 // Weather-Cam
User avatar
ace2
Posts: 679
Joined: Tue 14 Jan 2014 12:38 pm
Weather Station: maxkon ws-1081pc
Operating System: windows 7 & 8
Location: Adelaide, south Australia, Australia
Contact:

Re: what web cam for the job??

Post by ace2 »

good point
CHRIS
Image
web site
http://www.ace2weather.com
Follow me on Twitter
http://tinyurl.com/kwlr9re
YouTube channel
http://tinyurl.com/lehwpgp
Facebook page
http://tinyurl.com/k3sap4s
Tiny URL links used
uncle_bob
Posts: 505
Joined: Wed 17 Aug 2011 2:58 pm
Weather Station: WeatherDuino Pro2
Operating System: 2008
Location: Canberra

Re: what web cam for the job??

Post by uncle_bob »

ace2 wrote:Also add i have limited web space!!!
Don't sweat that. I've been over before and Internode hasn't said a thing ;)
Interested in building your own Weather Station? Maybe check out the WeatherDuino Pro Project Here
Conder, Canberra Weather
Image
User avatar
ace2
Posts: 679
Joined: Tue 14 Jan 2014 12:38 pm
Weather Station: maxkon ws-1081pc
Operating System: windows 7 & 8
Location: Adelaide, south Australia, Australia
Contact:

Re: what web cam for the job??

Post by ace2 »

I'm thinking of an IP cam uploading the still image to the web site every 30 mins. but what would be good to take care of the time lapse videos???
I need something totally automatic and be able to schedule the lapse image taking between dawn and dusk then process to a video and upload with bogging down my media centre, the processing can be done in the media centres quite time(3-6am)
CHRIS
Image
web site
http://www.ace2weather.com
Follow me on Twitter
http://tinyurl.com/kwlr9re
YouTube channel
http://tinyurl.com/lehwpgp
Facebook page
http://tinyurl.com/k3sap4s
Tiny URL links used
Post Reply