Product: Video Camera
A.O.W.A.C   (0)  [vote for, against]
Autonomous Outdoor Web Animal Camera

Have you ever been to a game park in Zimbabwe? Watching a watering hole is quite an experience. At first it's boring. Then after some time it seeps into your blood and you just relax and live-in-the-moment.

I propose an autonomous web cam with radio link and modem device, to be placed within range of a base receiver, connected to the internet. For the watering hole, they need only be able to operate at 4 frames per hour, but with sxga+, and a few seconds of high quality sound per frame. Would that be impossible on a 24k modem? Heck, 2 frames per hour would do. Pehaps it could be made to hang like fruit from the top of a Bayobab tree to avoid theft or tampering, with a solar panel for power. On the other side of the world in Memphis, LCD screens on the walls would bring the peace of the wild into one's home.
-- peterpeter, Nov 05 2002

africam http://www.africam.com/public/index.jsp
yep its africam. [skinflaps, Oct 04 2004]

A little halfbaked http://www.halfbake...Web_20Cam_20Gallery
[Zircon, Oct 04 2004]

Live rats http://www.omsi.org...it/life/lab/ratcam/
They aren't outdoors, but they wanna be. [Amos Kito, Oct 04 2004]

Never seen 'africam' ?
-- skinflaps, Nov 05 2002


I've been doing the category thing wrong all day! Anyhow, pleased to meet you Seven. I know the technology is there, but has anybody done it with taste and panache. If you are suspicious that something went over my head: you're right.
-- peterpeter, Nov 05 2002


I saw a doco recently where a camera was attached to an elephant's head. It even had windscreen wiper blades to clear the lens for when the elephant was showering itself in the waterhole.
-- Helium, Nov 05 2002


Um, yes, I've been to a game park in Zimbabwe. Wasn't in the least boring, either.

[skinflaps: those cams are all in South Africa, by the look of it; however, in terms of water hole cams, they pretty darn Bake it.]
-- DrCurry, Nov 05 2002


SXGA+ & 6 secs audio = 2Mb data? 2Mb/24k baud approx. 1000secs = approx. 15mins on a really crappy radio link. I think it's do-able --whatever the name. Maybe it should be call Tiger Eye?
-- peterpeter, Nov 06 2002


I'd go for mounting a camera on top of a ram. Those battle sequences would be interesting.
-- RayfordSteele, Nov 07 2002


Excellent suggestion, 'Steele - I've often wondered what expressions we're missing, aside from the recoil/impact effect.
-- thumbwax, Nov 07 2002



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