is it possible to set up a surf cam?

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Cray
Cray
VIC
26 posts
VIC, 26 posts
23 Dec 2009 6:53pm
hay all.

i live on flinders island and want to try to set up some surf cams. it would be awsom not to have to go for a 40min drive to find the surf is no good. is it possible to set up a surf cam? has anyone done set up a remote cam before? i have no idea how this stuff works but it would be cool to be able to get on the net and have a look of what is going on.

hope you all have a magnificent christmas and get some time on the water.

chris
braaad
braaad
QLD
82 posts
QLD, 82 posts
23 Dec 2009 6:46pm
Anything is possible...with money.

You need an outdoor network camera with net access and somewhere to put it and lots of money to buy the thing.
Kitehard
Kitehard
WA
2782 posts
WA, 2782 posts
23 Dec 2009 5:18pm
Hi Cray,

I recently went through this exercise a couple of months ago when trying to set up a Pinnaroo Live Cam.

It's difficult unless you have a premises where you can set it up. Perhaps if there's a house which overlooks your favourite break, you may be able to ask them if they don't mind you setting one up.

You need a cam (of course) which has either a hard wired connection to a server or you need a wireless setup which needs a IP Address, then depending upon your internet speed you can either setup a low quality "live" streaming video or have software which uploads photo's every (x times) you select.

I gave up as I had to have it all remote setup which required 240v and a bunch of money, and too many headaches. I talked to three so called techsperts from big name geek computer stores who all scratched their heads.

I even spoke to Laurie who suggested to call the guys who run coastalcam.com.au and ask them. The whole things is fraut with dificulties and the software or hardware seems unstable as the cameras are frequently down.

I gave up, I wish you more success.

Cheers,

KH
Aorta
Aorta
VIC
244 posts
VIC, 244 posts
23 Dec 2009 10:01pm
its really a question of money.
Id suggest heading down to a store like dick smith or Tandy and seeing whether they may have a solution, perhaps a small solar cell for power, then a 3G mobile device for the data transfer.
Aorta
Aorta
VIC
244 posts
VIC, 244 posts
23 Dec 2009 10:03pm
oh hang on, you live on Flinders island....you probably don't have 3G there right?
Cray
Cray
VIC
26 posts
VIC, 26 posts
24 Dec 2009 9:28am
it sounds cheaper to just drive to the beach. we only get telstra next g or whatever it is bloody called. i was thinking you might be able to get a phone with a camera and set it up to take a photo every hour and txt it to a web sight or something. maybe it will be easyest to train a pelican to fly around the island with a video camera for me

thanks for the info anyway

take it easy
Aiolus
Aiolus
NSW
102 posts
NSW, 102 posts
24 Dec 2009 10:21am

I overlook Seven Mile Beach at Gerroa and feed the wind data to Seabreeze

I setup an IP streaming webcam takes a photo every 5 minutes with the wind and weather details superimposed on it and display it on my website. I also automatically create a few timelapse videos for the last hour, last day and from yesterday. It will also stream live video with tilt and zoom. You can see when the wind starts to blow from these time-lapse videos as the water surface starts to ripple and whitecaps start to form

wx.theshackbythebeach.com/wx/wxcam-history.php

wx.theshackbythebeach.com/wx/webcam_last_day.php

wx.theshackbythebeach.com/wx/webcam_loop.php

wx.theshackbythebeach.com/wx/webcam_yesterday.php

Download my free toolbar to get access to the live camera stream:

www.ourtoolbar.com/

It was fairly straight forward to do using some free software available on a weather forum site, there are links to it on my webpage.

Setting this up remotely would require a secure location overlooking your break with 240v to connect and house the camera (mine is a Linksys PZT IP Camera) and access to broadband, this can either be via 3G/Edge or a copper hardwired connection. The camera would then send the images to your server running the free weather software which could be either in the same location as the camera or remote.

@ Kitehard, send me a PM if you want some info/help?

wx.theshackbythebeach.com/wx/wxgraphic.php?type=banner_big



Cheers
Ian

cwamit
cwamit
WA
1194 posts
WA, 1194 posts
24 Dec 2009 9:39am
Cray said...

it sounds cheaper to just drive to the beach. we only get telstra next g or whatever it is bloody called. i was thinking you might be able to get a phone with a camera and set it up to take a photo every hour and txt it to a web sight or something. maybe it will be easyest to train a pelican to fly around the island with a video camera for me

thanks for the info anyway

take it easy


i set one up using a hamster, two monkeys' and a pigeon. the hamster keeps the treadmill going to produce the electricity, monkey number one presses the shoot button and removes the memory card then places it in the carrier pigeon whom when flys to monkey number two which uploads it to the net.

monkey number one is also responsible of feeding the hamster by stealing picnic snacks at the beach .. and monkey number two feeds the pigeon at home.

i would send you plans but monkey two put it in the hamster shredder.





here is monkey number one in action



sometimes the images dont get uploaded as fast due to the pigeon getting lost...




here is monkey number two uploading the file




and take note of the wse chinese saying pay peanuts and you get monkeys , dont pay monkeys peanuts and you get a kick in the head.






Kitehard
Kitehard
WA
2782 posts
WA, 2782 posts
24 Dec 2009 9:58am
A little too much time on your hands Andrew?

Merry Christmas mate,

KH

Fooosh
Fooosh
WA
563 posts
WA, 563 posts
24 Dec 2009 10:10am
cwamit said...

i set one up using a hamster, two monkeys' and a pigeon. here is monkey number one in action



here is monkey number two uploading the file



and take note of the wse chinese saying pay peanuts and you get monkeys , dont pay monkeys peanuts and you get a kick in the head.






HAha! That's a great idea!

NB: First two are chimps (although number two looks a bit suspect) - they're great apes, like us, not monkeys.

Last one is a macaque, monkey on the money (or peanuts I should say).
Cray
Cray
VIC
26 posts
VIC, 26 posts
24 Dec 2009 1:22pm
no wind ay
galah
galah
ACT
29 posts
ACT, 29 posts
25 Dec 2009 3:35pm
Kitehard said...

Hi Cray,

[snip]

I gave up as I had to have it all remote setup which required 240v and a bunch of money, and too many headaches. I talked to three so called techsperts from big name geek computer stores who all scratched their heads.

I even spoke to Laurie who suggested to call the guys who run coastalcam.com.au and ask them. The whole things is fraut with dificulties and the software or hardware seems unstable as the cameras are frequently down.

I gave up, I wish you more success.

Cheers,

KH


I have been running remote surveillance low cost IP cameras for several years now and could probably come up with a cheap workable solution for Pinaroo - or anywhere in fact that has access to wireless internet. Flinders island would not be out of the question if a wireless internet connection can be made (eg using high gain antennas).

Cost is about $2000-$3000 for the electronics & software, and for this you get a bare bones high speed PC + wireless IP camera + wireless internet modem + software to publish to the web site. This just then needs to be housed in secure weatherproof location. The whole thing could in theory sit atop a pole in a box with (large) solar cell to power it. However, best to have a building to put it in.

PM me if you are interested.
cwamit
cwamit
WA
1194 posts
WA, 1194 posts
26 Dec 2009 4:49pm
Merry Christmas Darren , Its been a little sad with the wind of late... least its nice enough to go for a spear fish, although i think i need to stop reading terry pratchett novels its influencing my posts.
otania
otania
WA
18 posts
WA, 18 posts
26 Dec 2009 11:03pm
cwamit said...

Cray said...

it sounds cheaper to just drive to the beach. we only get telstra next g or whatever it is bloody called. i was thinking you might be able to get a phone with a camera and set it up to take a photo every hour and txt it to a web sight or something. maybe it will be easyest to train a pelican to fly around the island with a video camera for me

thanks for the info anyway

take it easy


i set one up using a hamster, two monkeys' and a pigeon. the hamster keeps the treadmill going to produce the electricity, monkey number one presses the shoot button and removes the memory card then places it in the carrier pigeon whom when flys to monkey number two which uploads it to the net.

monkey number one is also responsible of feeding the hamster by stealing picnic snacks at the beach .. and monkey number two feeds the pigeon at home.

i would send you plans but monkey two put it in the hamster shredder.





here is monkey number one in action



sometimes the images dont get uploaded as fast due to the pigeon getting lost...




here is monkey number two uploading the file




and take note of the wse chinese saying pay peanuts and you get monkeys , dont pay monkeys peanuts and you get a kick in the head.









Ha Ha Ha Good one!
Cray
Cray
VIC
26 posts
VIC, 26 posts
30 Dec 2009 1:40pm
this could be a cheeper easy way of being able check out the surf. it was released in 2004 so i imagine prices are a lot cheaper now. it could be set up with a small solar charger.

newatlas.com/go/3274/
Aorta
Aorta
VIC
244 posts
VIC, 244 posts
30 Dec 2009 4:31pm
that looks perfect, had a bit of a look to see how much and couldnt fine one immediately, some hunting may be required. I remember 3 released something similar too
Aorta
Aorta
VIC
244 posts
VIC, 244 posts
30 Dec 2009 4:33pm
here 'tis

www.textually.org



EDIT: All reports say this thing is a piece of garbage, plus you need 3G.
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