[HOW-TO] webcam

[EdP]

Qbasic *cough* *cough*

Be careful, or you'll sound like a barbarian
Tcsh should be much to your liking then. OK back on topic I guess ...

[wpte]

Qbasic *cough* *cough*

Be careful, or you'll sound like a barbarian
Tcsh should be much to your liking then. OK back on topic I guess ...

hey don't underestimate the sheer power of qbasic

anyway, this is the latest version of the script, which gives a harddrive time to spin down by temporary storing the files in /tmp/imag

I tested it, and it worked great
here it is:

#!/bin/sh
#Seconds of sleep before doing another copy
SLEEP=15
#Source JPG file that needs to be copied.
SOURCEJPG=/var/tmp/display.jpg
#Output folder which will contain all the JPG files
OUTPUT=/mnt/webcamimages
#Choose between a counting name or date(not working yet)
#COUNTING   or    DATE
MODE=COUNTING

#Optimize for Harddrive spindown? (TRUE or FALSE)
OPTIMIZE=TRUE
#Save files up to ... in flash
#The max size of an jpeg file is about 65KB so 65*150=9,75MB wich leaves enough of the ~14,5MB flash.
#And if the images are taken every 15sec you will leave the hdd untouched for 37min!
#Please keep in mind that if you set it too high there won't be memory left in /tmp
FLASHSAVE=150
#Flash directory to save in
FLASHDIR=/tmp/imag



COUNT=0
if [ $OPTIMIZE="TRUE" ]; then
	if ( [ ! -d $FLASHDIR ] ); then
		/bin/mkdir $FLASHDIR
		fi
	/bin/rm $FLASHDIR/*
	if [ $MODE="COUNTING" ]; then
			while /bin/true; do
				for i in $(seq 1 $FLASHSAVE); do
					/bin/cp $SOURCEJPG $FLASHDIR/$COUNT.jpg
					COUNT=$(($COUNT + 1))
					/bin/sleep $SLEEP
				done
				/bin/cp $FLASHDIR/* $OUTPUT/
				/bin/rm $FLASHDIR/*
			done
		fi
	else
		if [ $MODE="DATE" ]; then
			while /bin/true; do
			for i in $(seq 1 $FLASHSAVE); do
				/bin/cp $SOURCEJPG $FLASHDIR/img\_$(/bin/date '+%Y%m%d_%H%M%S').jpg
				/bin/sleep $SLEEP
			done
			/bin/cp $FLASHDIR/* $OUTPUT/
			/bin/rm $FLASHDIR/*
			done
		fi
fi
else
	if [ $OPTIMIZE="FALSE" ]; then
		if [ $MODE="COUNTING" ]; then
			while /bin/true; do
				/bin/cp $SOURCEJPG $OUTPUT/$COUNT.jpg
				COUNT=$(($COUNT + 1))
				/bin/sleep $SLEEP
			done
		fi
		else
		if [ $MODE="DATE" ]; then
			while /bin/true; do
			/bin/cp $SOURCEJPG $OUTPUT/img\_$(/bin/date '+%Y%m%d_%H%M%S').jpg
			/bin/sleep $SLEEP
			done
		fi
	fi

another example of the script result:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LW9RsETEBk

[velcrow]

Thanks wpte & Edp -

This is great, I spent some time trying the rcamd commands but with no luck...

what does the -r setting do?

rcamd -p 7777 -s 4 -z MET-1METDST,M3.5.0/2,M10.5.0/3 -a 0 -t 0 -r 0 -f 640x480 -m 100 -c 100 &

and why does it record 6 files - record0.jpg - record5.jpg?

Really appreciate this, as there was no chance of me solving this in such an elegant way

Velcrow

[wpte]

Thanks wpte & Edp -

This is great, I spent some time trying the rcamd commands but with no luck...

what does the -r setting do?

rcamd -p 7777 -s 4 -z MET-1METDST,M3.5.0/2,M10.5.0/3 -a 0 -t 0 -r 0 -f 640x480 -m 100 -c 100 &

and why does it record 6 files - record0.jpg - record5.jpg?

Really appreciate this, as there was no chance of me solving this in such an elegant way

Velcrow

what about using the -h parameter

 rcamd -h
Usage: rcamd [options]
       -d <debug level>
       -m <max difference threshold=0-255> (lower->more updates, default=30)
       -s <seconds between frames> (default==1)
       -f  <WidthxHeight obey supported size> define size of the output image (default:640x480)
       -p <port to listen for connections>
       -b <brightness=1-500> (default=400 available only cameratype=1)
       -g <gain=0-4> corresponding to a gain of 2^<gain> (default=0)
       -t <cameratype=0,1> corresponding to a camera driver (0:pwc or 1:ov511 default=0)
       -r <record interval=0-65535> (default=60 minutes)
       -a <alert=0,1> define if alert is on or off)
       -s <max count for difference threshold=0-999999> (default=100)
       -z <time zone string>

for me it only records 3 shots

but I don't understand completely... couldn't you get the bash script working?

[velcrow]

-h lol

No script is great - - just trying to see if rcamd has any "native" commands that could be used.

One question where should the script be created / saved - /opt/sbin/?

I plan to use cron to gzip the folder at night

Thanks again for the help...

[wpte]

-h lol

No script is great - - just trying to see if rcamd has any "native" commands that could be used.

One question where should the script be created / saved - /opt/sbin/?

I plan to use cron to gzip the folder at night

Thanks again for the help...

you can place the script anywhere you want, even on the harddrive
I tested in on a hdd, and it still spun-down good, so I guess it's a perfect script

np mate, any time

[EdP]

and why does it record 6 files - record0.jpg - record5.jpg?

it always makes those record*.jpg files and uses them to compare, motion can only be detected by comparing images after all.

[velcrow]

Thanks Edp - Yes, makes sense.

rcamd - our (my) misunderstood friend.

[Jarex]

Does anyone have a webcam running on WL-500gP v2? I have two different cameras which no go. I checked them with spca, pwc and ovc and they are not recognized. Spent to much time trying make it work. Give me please a webcam name which is working for sure under Oleg or dd-wrt firmware and I will buy it.

[EdP]

Check out the WL500g Reported Compatible Hardware > Webcams section.