Discussion about: Boston LinuxWorld WebCam

[Websmurf]

Yeah, problem is it's a linux machine

[brian]

Have a look at http://www.linux.com/howtos/Webcam-HOWTO/index.shtml and

www.linux.com/howtos/Webcam-HOWTO/devices.shtml

They are a good starting point

Brian

[Asphyx]

Doesn't matter what OS your running really...
Most cams you buy come packaged with software to do webcams either under the guise of security software or as a webcam itself.

simply go to the manufacturer's site and you can usually find the software for any OS there....

[gsbe]

the arsTechnica interview was informative. I learn new things about 1.5 everytime I read something you guys say. In particular, Andy's comments on adding paramaters to the site template system in 1.5 offers lots of promise. Thanks for posting the link.

[Deffexor]

I'm the writer for Ars Technica. Glad you enjoyed the interview. I had fun hanging out with Mitch, Andy, and Louis last week...

[AmyStephen]

It was great, thanks Deffexor!

[HarryB]

Anyone looking for a webcam to run on Windows, try this one...it is GPL and works quite well....

http://www.yawcam.com/

[AmyStephen]

Cool! Thanks!

[mediamagnate]

Nice tip Asphyx,

If you've got the budget, Axis cams are really cool too.

http://www.axis.com/

[TomT]

Nice tip Asphyx,
If you've got the budget, Axis cams are really cool too.
http://www.axis.com/

These are very good, but even with them it takes some time to find the right drivers. But Axis netherlands gives good support and international support will probably be good too.

[Asphyx]

I do like the pan and tilt options those cameras show...

I have not tried that brand yet but will try and get a demo from them for a new facility I am about to build...

But usually I find that network cameras suffer in the video quality department.
Mostly because they use such a small CCD the resolution is atrocious (mind you I'm a TV guy so what is bad to me is great for most other people! LOL)

What I'm looking for is something that will do the pan and tilt controls via the network that I can simply plug the camera of choice into it...

It's a neglected part of the market...Should be easy to make a camera mount that does all of these functions (including the networking) that lets you put your own camera on it.

[mediamagnate]

I do like the pan and tilt options those cameras show...

I have not tried that brand yet but will try and get a demo from them for a new facility I am about to build...

But usually I find that network cameras suffer in the video quality department.
Mostly because they use such a small CCD the resolution is atrocious (mind you I'm a TV guy so what is bad to me is great for most other people! LOL)

What I'm looking for is something that will do the pan and tilt controls via the network that I can simply plug the camera of choice into it...

It's a neglected part of the market...Should be easy to make a camera mount that does all of these functions (including the networking) that lets you put your own camera on it.

Asphyx, I've used Axis cams in some extreme conditions.  One example was ourdoors in Australia, mounted next to a water pump at the site of a rice irrigation field.  The camera was used so it could be remotely tilted and panned and worked in conjunction with a servo controller for the water pumps.  The farmer was able to remotely check if he needed water or not.  This was a joy for him as it saved him a 40 minute drive each way by clicking a button.

[Asphyx]

Oh no don't get me wrong mediamag...

I wasn't talking about durability but in video quality more of a broadcast capacity as for a TV network as an example...

IE:
I am building a HDTV studio in vegas...
I will have a web cam pointing out to the strip...
But I will also use that video feed as a background behind guests using a chromakey (greenscreen)
I will need a fairly good signal for this and more than simple functionality of seeing what is going on...

Most of these cams are security grade which means little more than a 1/4" CCD as opposed to the 1" or 3/4" I can get in a camera just as small (only 10 times more expensive!

The problem is that in order to keep the price affordable they do need to skimp on the resolution and camera where I need most of my money in the camera and optics...
I am sure the cameras they have are fine for the general use it is designed for but I would like the option to pick a much higher end camera that can be plugged in...

IT's not that I was inferring the cameras they have aren't good just that there are much better cameras that someone might want to use and there is no way to upgrade in those packages on their site...
But I bet if I called them and asked they could easily make me what I needed...

Forgive me as a Video guy I wasn't really taking from a webcam point of view!LOL

What I did see on their site was quite good for the average person I just have a much higher end need since it will be rebroadcast over HDTV and as such has a much higher standard due to generational loss...
But I liked their product line a great deal...

[gsbe]

I guess I could see how this thread is related to the subject...but should this discussion belong in another forum besides "Announcements Discussions"? Perhaps we could move this discussion about webcams to Chit Chat. Gracias.

[Asphyx]

LOL I'm done if thats what your worried about!

[Jo]

Yeah, i would like to know this as well.
been looking for something like this for the restaurant i work for.

There are a ton of ways to do this...Especially if your running an MS system...

WebcamXP is probably one of the best as it will be as close to streaming as you can get with the right nsettings and will even send audio...

But really the hard part is done on the client side not the cam side...
As was stated the webcam simply uploads a pic to a server every X seconds...
USers go to a webpage that either refreshes every X seconds or to a page with a Java App that will update each time the picture has changed on the server....

WebCamXP also allows users to directly connect to the webcam getting as close to full motion video as possible with technology like this...

Ah, how time gets away.

The article about 'Boston' is now frozen in time, and the faces on the 'cam' never stopped smiling.

[mIn0tAuR]

yeah and its great.!