My webcam Snapshot

[NorCal Dan]

To get things started, here is a picture from my webcam of a sunset in NorCal.

[Tim Hanko]

What camera are you using?

Really slick setup!

[aifan27]

Wow, Dan, that's really neat! 

No idea how it works, but I like it! 

--Tim

[dafuser]

To get things started, here is a picture from my webcam of a sunset in NorCal.

Here mine from a Toshiba IK-WB11A PTZ network camera http://www.lesdiefenbach.org/images/lakecam/cam_1.jpg

You can see live streaming video from http://www.dafuser.dyndns.org/

You can also see the last 48 hours in pictures taken every 5 minutes from http://www.dafuser.dyndns.org:81

[NorCal Dan]

What camera are you using?

Really slick setup!

I use a Canon VB-C50iR setup in a dome enclosure mounted on a mast above my roof.

Thanks for the comments.

[weatheroz]

I use a Canon VB-C50iR setup in a dome enclosure mounted on a mast above my roof.

Gee, they're pricey little buggers, aren't they ?

[NorCal Dan]

Yes they are...the only other cam I considered at the time I purchased was the Stardot.  It also comes with sticker-shock.  I still haven't found anything that compares with the Canon for a p/t/z cam.  The optical zoom is amazing.

[weatheroz]

Yes they are...the only other cam I considered at the time I purchased was the Stardot.  It also comes with sticker-shock.  I still haven't found anything that compares with the Canon for a p/t/z cam.  The optical zoom is amazing.

From what I could see with the specs, it really does look like a great little camera, but looking at the USA price, I dare not even think what it would cost to buy one over here !

The fact that it has optical zoom, rather than digital zoom is a real bonus.

[TNETWeather]

Dan, you have a picture showing the camera setup and placement.

I've considered one of these for a while ...  I've got some spare change shaking loose ...

[Coyote]

Spare change breaking loose Sent it over here I take Paypal
That Camera alittle high for me
Coyote

[NorCal Dan]

Dan, you have a picture showing the camera setup and placement.

I've considered one of these for a while ...  I've got some spare change shaking loose ...

Spare change??   

[TNETWeather]

Spare change??   

Was just kidding...

Wow... that suckers up there a bit.  I was figuring 5 - 10ft above the house at best.

I'm a bit surprised to see your ISS up there though.  Do you use your chimmy?  I would think that and the roof would effect your readings a bit.

[NorCal Dan]

I'm a bit surprised to see your ISS up there though.  Do you use your chimney?  I would think that and the roof would effect your readings a bit.

Yes, it is mounted to the chimney.  Was the best I could do to get the anemometer up away from most of the tree line.  I wasn't going to put the ISS up there, and I bought a transmitter for the anemometer, but in the end decided to try with everything mounted on the mast.  I think the FARS does a good job of not allowing the roof to affect the temps.

I am going to move everything...I am looking at 40ft telescoping masts right now.  My ISP wants to move my wireless connection to a different source antenna and I don't have a clear line-of-sight from the house (the webcam can see the tower ok).  So I think I am going to bite the bullet and get a real mast to mount everything on.  I am still not happy with my wind readings, just to many tall tress blocking the air so I have to do something...

The Canon webcam is not cheap...the only competition that I know of is the Stardot (and it doesn't have p/t/z).  The Canon is an amazing camera with great picture quality, an optical (and digital) zoom, p/t/z, and a built-in webserver.  The dome supplies power for the webcam and also contains a heater/blower.  The dome wasn't cheap either, but being able to run 24VAC instead of 115VAC makes it alot nicer (I used 4-strand wire used for yard water-sprinkler setups).  The dome has the electronics to convert the 24VAC to 9VDC the camera needs.

If I had it to do over I wouldn't buy the inverted webcam...I would get the desktop version and then a dome that would allow the webcam to look up.  My setup is great for looking down, a security camera type setup.  I think a weather-cam should be able to look up towards the sky and clouds.

SWMBO says I have to disable the webcams ability to look at the pool so I will be working on that this afternoon 

[niko]

SWMBO says I have to disable the webcams ability to look at the pool so I will be working on that this afternoon 

Either that or require a credit card 

[administrator]

If I had it to do over I wouldn't buy the inverted webcam...I would get the desktop version and then a dome that would allow the webcam to look up.  My setup is great for looking down, a security camera type setup.  I think a weather-cam should be able to look up towards the sky and clouds.

I've wondered about that, but I'm concerned that the dome will get very dirty which would mean lots of climbing to polish it. I've assumed downward facing domes work because most things falling down fall past them and don't get on the glass. Has anyone got any experience of an upward facing dome and how easy it is to keep clean?