Help with "Puppy Cam"

[Deemo]

We just got a new pupy and with the guilt factor setting in for Monday I would like to set up a Puppy Cam.

The potential methods are:

1) Linksys Wilreless B Cam
Nice little unit but the cost is rather high - over $300.00 and a service fee if I go with their monitoring package to get around any potential IP changes on my end.
I am also concerned the B cam will drop my G network down to B speeds although Linksys says that it won't

2) I have plenty of old PC's around and a wired house.
I could just setup a PC with cheap webcam and software.
Which cam and more importantly - what software????
I have webspace with my internet account.

Thanks

[Suhit Gupta]

What about Logitech's QuickCam? This would be something for your 2nd option. I especially like the Orbit.

Suhit

[Deemo]

Logitec has quite a few in a wide price range.
Why that particular one?
I don't think the Orbit is readily available here yet.

[Suhit Gupta]

I heard about it only recently and generally liked it because it can be used on a stand so that it is at eye-level. For you this would be good because the pup would not be able to fiddle with it ;-). Plus, it sounds very cool with its mechanical pan-and-tilt feature and automatic face-tracking software. Finally, QuickCams are generally known for good performance so...

Suhit

[igroknful]

Does your puppy have the run of the house?

[Deemo]

Nooooooooo chancey! 8O

[Lotto]

Not until Monday :wink:

[Deemo]

Oh...very freakin funny hahaha :D
The inlaws came over and babysat today.
I went for the Linksys after all.
I figured by the time I got a wireless card or 50ft of cat5e and a half decent webcam I would have been at $150-200 anyway and stuck with a headache so I wimped out and laid out the dough.
I will let you know how it works.

[groan]

give us the address so we can check it out!
hehe...
you should attach the camera to the dog...that would be much better (wireless of course)

[David Prahl]

give us the address so we can check it out!
hehe...
you should attach the camera to the dog...that would be much better (wireless of course)

The USA's White House did this a few years ago with (I think) one of Clinton's dogs. Visitors to the site could see what the pooch saw, and www.whitehouse.gov got a record number of hits.

[Suhit Gupta]

give us the address so we can check it out!
Heh :). That would be funny.
The USA's White House did this a few years ago with (I think) one of Clinton's dogs. Visitors to the site could see what the pooch saw...
Insert lots of obvious Bill and Monica jokes here ;-).

Suhit

[David Prahl]

(I actually didn't make that first quote - groan did.) :wink:

[Suhit Gupta]

(I actually didn't make that first quote - groan did.) :wink:
Fixed :)

Suhit

[Deemo]

Well I had to go to Vancouver yesterday but we set up the cam when I got back.
Painless installation.
We signed up for Sololink the site where you can link to the camera and it is pretty cool.
It is free for 90 days and then about $20-25.00 USD for one year depending on whether you sign up right away or not
You can adjust the camera brightness and color parameters remotely and also the video quality.
You can also add users with passwords to restrict access otherwise it is available for everyone to see.
The video quality is excellent - not jerky at all and keep in mind that it is a B camera.
It seemed just as fast when attached to the wired cat 5e network.
I am still debating about posting the link.
He really won't be in there much today as the inlaws are coming over to dog sit in the afternoon.
It's tough to watch and hard to get work done :(

[David Prahl]

If not a link to the puppycam, how about a few still images so we can get a feel for the image quality/cuteness of the the puppy?

[groan]

i still say you should tie the camera to the puppy...

:wink:

[ctmagnus]

I saw what I believe to be the new Logitech camera (the one that follows you) on the news today. If your dog is anything like ours, it'll take one look at it and run the other way. ;)

Incidentally, they were discussing Smart Displays on the same segment. :confused totally:

[JR]

So Deemo, what's the final word? Still happy with the Linksys wireless cam? I'm thinking about getting one for my son's nursery.

Also, you mentioned that you had to sign up for a service to host the camera. I was in Futureshop yesterday and I thought I read that the Linksys comes with it's own server so you don't need to do that. Any light you can shed?