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Author Topic: High-Resolution Weather Cam  (Read 111619 times)

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Offline anchorageweather

  • Posts: 93
    • Anchorage KY Weather Center
Re: High-Resolution Weather Cam
« Reply #15 on: January 20, 2007, 06:31:55 PM »
Quote from: darrell110 on January 19, 2007, 01:53:06 PM
I just replaced my Logitech weather cam, with a used, "broken" Olympus 4MP camera I found on eBay. It is broken in that the LCD on the back does not work (but who cares when it is a weather cam).

I cannot believe the results!  I do lose the ability to have a live, streaming camera, but I gain resolution and unbelievable low-light capabilities. At night, when it is cloudy (and the light pollution from the city is refelected back) it looks like daytime on the camera.

I am also experimenting the compression on the time-lapse videos. Now that so many people have broadband internet access, I'm making the videos a bit larger for better quality.

View the camera here: http://itsyourweather.com

Darrell

I still think this is the way I should go with my webcam.  What power source to you use for the camera?  Do you have to replace batteries every day, etc?  Is is the connection to the computer usb or firewire?
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South of the Tracks, Anchorage, KY

Offline darrell110

  • Posts: 81
    • Its Your Weather Milwaukee
Re: High-Resolution Weather Cam
« Reply #16 on: January 20, 2007, 06:34:36 PM »
I'm connecting it to the PC using a standard USB cable.  I purchased a 6 volt power supply from Radio Shack so I do not need to run it off batteries.  The camera I am using has a DC input, so it was quite easy.

Darrell
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Offline anchorageweather

  • Posts: 93
    • Anchorage KY Weather Center
Re: High-Resolution Weather Cam
« Reply #17 on: January 20, 2007, 10:50:35 PM »
Quote from: darrell110 on January 20, 2007, 12:41:19 AM
Mine is the C4000. It is NOT mounted outside. Just looking out a window.

I have a C4000, I would love to try this.  Do you mind telling me what DC power cord you used?
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South of the Tracks, Anchorage, KY

Offline darrell110

  • Posts: 81
    • Its Your Weather Milwaukee
Re: High-Resolution Weather Cam
« Reply #18 on: January 21, 2007, 12:23:20 AM »
It is just a standard, 6 volt AC to DC adapter. You can find one here: http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2194437&cp=&sr=1&origkw=6+volt+adapter&kw=6+volt+adapter&parentPage=search

The software is quite easy, but not very user friendly, so it will take you a bit of time to figure it out. I got it working the way I wanted in just a few hours playing around.

I'm surprised more people are not using these. I really love the quality in comparison to the standard web cam.
« Last Edit: January 21, 2007, 12:39:43 PM by darrell110 »
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Online jmcmurry

  • Jim McMurry
  • Posts: 2,213
  • Mauston, WI, USA
    • Juneau County Weather
Re: High-Resolution Weather Cam
« Reply #19 on: January 21, 2007, 01:03:56 AM »
Darrell,

In the documentation they talk about video capture cards.  Hopefully none is needed?  - Jim
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Offline Fox_Of_The_Wind

  • Anthony
  • Posts: 1,163
  • C:\DOS C:\DOS\RUN RUN\DOS\RUN
  • De Soto Wisconsin USA
    • De Soto Valley Weather
Re: High-Resolution Weather Cam
« Reply #20 on: January 21, 2007, 02:45:04 AM »
This is a neat idea. But it got me thinking......#-o  I wonder how long a digital camera would last being on 24/7? Unless a person would turn it off (or have a timmer on it) like.....when it got dark.....Like I said I am just thinking...


Well this thread should make all the people on ebay with broken cameras happy. :-)
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Offline darrell110

  • Posts: 81
    • Its Your Weather Milwaukee
Re: High-Resolution Weather Cam
« Reply #21 on: January 21, 2007, 12:47:21 PM »
No video capture card is required. That software is designed to work with many types of cameras, including video cameras, which is why the documentation may talk about capture cards.

As far as the reliability of the camera: I was concerned about that too, but there are a few sites running these, 24/7. Somewhere, I read of one that has hit a million images.  My camera does make a slight "click" sound every minute, so I do think something mechanical is happening inside.  I do have mine set for auto exposure. I may need to change that to aperture priority. The only mechanical movement might be the adjustment of the aperture.

You do NOT want to turn the camera off at night, now that you are still able to get images at night!  :D  Check out my night time lapse. You can see cloud movements. (I do need to get that camera pointing up soon).

Darrell
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Online jmcmurry

  • Jim McMurry
  • Posts: 2,213
  • Mauston, WI, USA
    • Juneau County Weather
Re: High-Resolution Weather Cam
« Reply #22 on: January 21, 2007, 02:02:19 PM »
Amazing night video and fun to watch the street and your neighbor's driveway get covered with snow.  Now I know what my next project is and EBay here I come.  Thanks for bringing this to us.  - Jim
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Offline evets-md

  • Posts: 274
  • Rock Hall, MD
    • Belcak Weather Station
Re: High-Resolution Weather Cam
« Reply #23 on: January 21, 2007, 02:30:01 PM »
Pictures are sure better than my video camera is generating......anyone have an idea where to go to get a list of cameras that can be controlled by a PC?

As ur suggesting it would make the eBay search easier..
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Steve Belcak - Belcak Weather Station
Rock Hall, MD

Offline daveq

  • Posts: 3,098
  • Hollywood, MD
    • Hollywood - St. Mary's County, Maryland
Re: High-Resolution Weather Cam
« Reply #24 on: January 21, 2007, 02:44:31 PM »
Look at reply #12 above.  Steve's Digicam has listing for quite a few programs that support PC control of cameras.  Both links that Niko posted are shareware but they support quite a few Olympus cameras.  On eBay there is a Olympus store that has quite a few cameras for sale.

--Dave
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Offline anchorageweather

  • Posts: 93
    • Anchorage KY Weather Center
Re: High-Resolution Weather Cam
« Reply #25 on: January 21, 2007, 05:14:24 PM »
Quote from: darrell110 on January 21, 2007, 12:23:20 AM
It is just a standard, 6 volt AC to DC adapter. You can find one here: http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2194437&cp=&sr=1&origkw=6+volt+adapter&kw=6+volt+adapter&parentPage=search

The software is quite easy, but not very user friendly, so it will take you a bit of time to figure it out. I got it working the way I wanted in just a few hours playing around.

I'm surprised more people are not using these. I really love the quality in comparison to the standard web cam.

Yes, I agree.  I think this is the best still picture setup I've found.  Your pictures are GREAT!
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South of the Tracks, Anchorage, KY

Offline darrell110

  • Posts: 81
    • Its Your Weather Milwaukee
Re: High-Resolution Weather Cam
« Reply #26 on: January 21, 2007, 05:48:37 PM »
The VM95 software that I am using can be found here: http://video-monitoring.com/hobbyist.htm

This same page lists compatable cameras.  Olympus cameras include: D575, D595, C4000, C4040, C5050, C5060, C700, C730, C750, C765, C7070, C8080, SP350 and SP500.

I look forward to seeing some new weather cameras in the world!  :D

Darrell
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Offline darrell110

  • Posts: 81
    • Its Your Weather Milwaukee
Re: High-Resolution Weather Cam
« Reply #27 on: January 21, 2007, 06:09:12 PM »
Here are a few more sites running the VM95 software and Olympus cameras:

Salt water fish tank cam:
http://wrongcrowd.com/cam/

Mc Leans Ridges, NSW Australia weather cam:
http://www.bsch.au.com/webcams/index.html

Altadena, CA weather cam:
http://www.westphalfamily.com/wxdata2.html

Conejos River, CO weather cam:
http://www.gartholson.net/horca/weather/php/index.php

Conifer, CO weather cam:
http://www.thepipers.org/ranch/index.htm

Montecello, ME weather cam:
http://www.monticelloweather.com/

Hollis Point, Maryland weather and bird watching cams:
http://www.sigma-financial.com/

Madison, WI pumpkin cam:
http://www.video-monitoring.com/pumpkincam/ss1.htm

Salisbury Plains, NSW, Australia weather cam:
http://www.lochiel.iscentral.net/weather/Lochiel.htm

I really like the fact that I reduced the compression of the movies on my site (itsyourweather.com). It means larger file sizes, but much higher quality. I am no longer that worried about file size because so many visitors have broadband now.
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Offline evets-md

  • Posts: 274
  • Rock Hall, MD
    • Belcak Weather Station
Re: High-Resolution Weather Cam
« Reply #28 on: January 21, 2007, 06:48:55 PM »
Turns out the VM95 software also supports the Kodak DC4800....exactly what I have in my drawer. Problem is after several hours, I can get the VM95 software to control the camera and take pictures, images show on the storage card, but VM95 always comes up saying "No Image" when it's done so I don't see anything.
Am I missing a switch somewhere Darrell.....
Would like to use this camera but stumped about the no image issue.
Thanks
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Steve Belcak - Belcak Weather Station
Rock Hall, MD

Offline Fox_Of_The_Wind

  • Anthony
  • Posts: 1,163
  • C:\DOS C:\DOS\RUN RUN\DOS\RUN
  • De Soto Wisconsin USA
    • De Soto Valley Weather
Re: High-Resolution Weather Cam
« Reply #29 on: January 21, 2007, 07:42:23 PM »
Don't think this will work for me. I don't have to much room left on my site as it is. :-) But I am going to keep my ears open in case I hear someone junking a digital camera around here.

As for turning off the webcam at night. I forget that everyone is not like me. No street lights around were I am at :)
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