Chicken Cams anyone

[BawkinOnTheBench]

Those of you out there with chicken cams - can you share your experiences? What to look for, where to host? We're thinking we'd like to do one and trying to get started.

 

[1mommahen]

I've got one. It's wired though. We played with wireless but have 300' to coop so they were terrible.

Here's mine, only in the daylight http://cluckincoop.viewnetcam.com:5000

login: byc123
password: cluckincoop

then hit the "single" tab

Pm me if you have trouble.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

1mommahen, it lets ya watch without signing in.

BawkinOnTheBench, mine I host myself. If your uploading to a web host your using your band width 24/7. If your hosting it your self it only uses your band width when someone is actual watching.


First figure out if your IP address stays the same(usually cable) or if it changes(dial up or dsl). You can go to www.dyndns.com an sign up. This is a "have to" if your IP address changes but a good idea even if it dont. Use one of there free web addresses an get the software to update your IP when it changes.

If your behind a router you need to forward the port your camera uses to it ip address. Usually port 80 or 8080.

If you have an IP camera your set or you can use a webcam or digital still camera. I use an old digital camera an 2 webcams.

Using webcams or digital cameras means you need software. I tried Active WebCam an really liked it but it was to much for the old pc I use. Im now using WebcamXP which is free for use with one camera only or free to try with multicamera setups like mine. If you set it up by its self on port 80 an someone types in your IP address or web address you get something like this.

I also run Apache, a server app thats free to make my own web page. It takes a little reading to learn to use it but its good.

I also use Kompozer to design my page. This is where it can get complicated but Kompozer is free an you can type in any web address a it will steal there page then you just edit the text an links an save it as yours. Here's my finished product as of now.

The blurriest cam is an old webcam, the better camera is a new webcam an the best camera is an old low megapixel still camera. Still cameras work best.


Marlon

 

[1mommahen]

Marlon, if ya sign in you can move the camera and hear the girls.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Im assuming thats an IP camera? Mind if I ask what that camera cost?

 

[1mommahen]

I think it was $150 at Best Buys

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

I wouldn't mind having some of those cameras but thats a forth of my monthly income. I'll have to stick with cheepies. I've got under $30 in my whole setup.

I can get sound on my end but not across the net yet. I can make it send me a SMS message to my phone if it hears a sound or sees movement.

 

[BawkinOnTheBench]

Rebel, thanks for the extremely detailed answer. Perhaps we can run with that!

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Glad I could help

 

[BawkinOnTheBench]

Greetings.. here is an update: our first attempt at getting our new "chicken cam" up and running on the internet....

http://bawkinonthebench.hobby-site.com/


You'll see a screen with the picture of our webcam on it.. it will say Linksys in white letters in the upper left corner.. just click that first link in the middle that says "View Video" and if Internet explorer asks you to install something like active-x software, just say yes, or click the option to allow it to be installed.. then the video will come up, and that is a view of our 3 nest boxes inside the coop! The best time to view is around 8-9 AM Mountain time that's when it's fairly active with our girls.

It's not working for me at work (DH) right now, but that could be work blocking the website from streaming video). Please send in your replies all if it's working OK for you?
Thanks

Edited: It is working for me (DW).