Ok, so right up front I just know I'll regret making this posting, but in my self-appointed capacity as offshore, 'never-been-there-yet', Lamma rabble-rouser I feel it's my duty to create more trouble for L-G before 2005 closes

Lamma needs a live webcam!

So many times I've wished there were some way for me to take a near-real-time peek at Lamma scenery with a simple click of a mouse. Well, I've done it for my own web site, so why can't Lamma have the same sort of thing? In fairness, L-G raised the subject in this forum a couple of days ago, so I have to give him credit for planting the idea. (There, L-G, have I sucked up enough to get you on board?)

All you need is a suitable used digital snapshot camera (1 MPixel or better, with a mains power adapter), a used PC which can be pressed into service as a Linux server, a USB link between the two, and a broadband connection. This sort of lash-up does require a bit of on-going attention to keep it on the air, but it's relatively easy to maintain once installed and running.

I'll make an offer here on the spot ... if the good folks on Lamma can collectively round up the needed hardware and a suitable location to park it (a spectacular view would be appropriate), I'll donate the software I wrote to run my own camera, along with any modifications needed to make it work properly. I'll happily also provide software which will make a daily dawn-to-dusk time-lapse movie using pictures from the snapshot camera.

Hmmmm ... perhaps time-lapse movies of YSW Main Street? The Island Bar? Instant unpopularity!

There ... the challenge has been tossed into the ring. It's up to you to take the next step, and I'll gladly provide whatever remote assistance I can from here.

Your opinions? I won't be upset if it's a resounding "no"

_________________
Lead me not into temptation;
I can find it myself, thank you.

Well, I'd LOVE to have one or better several web cams showing Lamma 24 hours a day to the world. The web cams I've set up many years ago were extremely popular and attracted millions of hits to my website back then. I've set up many of the most popular webcams in HK for tourists worldwide many years ago and many of them are still running. But those setups of high-ciost professional webcams (Axis) were quite easy and mostly LAN-connected. My hardware techie/IT Manager days are in the past and I wouldn't want to set this up myself anymore.

Well, I've been working on my private Lamma webcam pet project a little bit on and off since Lamma.com.hk started. There have been several challenges and several false starts, mainly lack of location and lack of funds. See former discussion about a Pak Kok webcam.

I've scouted quite a few possible locations (top of Water Front Restaurant, several private rooftop flats, but almost all of them had to be dropped as possible locations for various reasons, like no reliable, 24-hour broadband available (not technical but people-related reasons).

I've finally recently found a fantastic location up on Millionaire's Hill for up to 3 webcams (showing the wind turbine/sunrise, most of YSW and a harbour/ferry pier/sunset view), plus the permission to set them up and free broadband and Wi-fi as well. A most generous offer from a good friend...

But I'd need the hardware and somebody to set it all up, ideally over the exisiting Wi-fi in the location. And I'd definitely prefer a simple, automatic, off-the-shelf webcam software solution than a home-brewed one that would be a nightmare to support and maintain, especially from far away (Sorry, Chuck). The costs also need to be sponsored as I cannot afford any of the necessary hardware myself. A major, major obstacle, so far preventing the project from even getting started...

I'll offer a spot on the home page for any Lamma web cams we'd be setting up. Anybody who'll help will get a credit and link with the web cams, of course. Any local business sponsoring the hardware and setup would also get prime free exposure on the home page... Any takers?

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I've got a 486 and I think a Pentium gathering dust if you have a use for them, should run a Linux server as Chuck suggested without any problem.

Or ask Andy at Chun Man, his shop is full of bits and pieces of old PCs.

Do you want a cam in Wah Fu pointed at the windmill?

BTW, I have some computer hardware pieces too. Feel free to ask.

Here are the two pics I took two years ago during a typhoon

LG - have you considered to get HK Electric involved?

If my memory serves me correctly, there was some rumour of one in the Lighthouse ladies toilet

_________________
My real name isn't Harry.
Slurp my bean juice.

_________________
Lead me not into temptation;
I can find it myself, thank you.

_________________
Some of my finest work:
http://www.milkandcookies.com/link/12537/detail/

_________________
Lead me not into temptation;
I can find it myself, thank you.

_________________
Click here for Lamma-zine stories and recent Lamma Spotlights of the Week:
Photo, Video, Person, Wildlife, Bird, Artwork.

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Well, we're still missing most things & services necessary for a webcam setup.
We've only got the location and a bit of cash so far. We need at least:

- somebody who can setup and maintain a webcam on a Mac Wifi network.
- some help with the server-side setup and scripting (Cron job?) to copy the image in regular time intervals from the web cam server to this website.
- some more cash to buy the actual weatherproof webcam(s).

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I am happy to donate some waterproof sheeting and some wire.

OK, the long overdue Lamma webcam setup has just become a lot easier, thanks to a new potential location:
my own new rooftop with a sweeping 360-degree view of Yung Shue Wan valley, wind turbine, HEC chimneys, sunrise, sunset and partial ferry pier and harbour view as well

No more Mac LAN required as in the previous location, which will make the setup and maintenance so much easier.
The cabling would be easy and straight-forward now, I could even do it myself.
24-hour broadband access: check.

But the sponsorship for the typhoon-proof web camera itself is still an issue. Ideally, it would be one that can be rotated and zoomed by the viewer over the web. We might have to start with a static one, like the one for Lamma Winds.

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