Author Topic: CrabCam  (Read 18268 times)

Re: CrabCam
Reply #15 on: April 28, 2012, 11:15:04 AM
Just get a HD USB webcam and a long lead and stick it in a sealed box?

Re: CrabCam
Reply #16 on: April 28, 2012, 14:58:32 PM
Contour Plus (top end camera) has waterproof casings you can buy and bluetooth transmission of video to phones.

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Re: CrabCam
Reply #17 on: April 28, 2012, 16:08:01 PM
Just get a HD USB webcam and a long lead and stick it in a sealed box?

this is prob the easiest.
One of them microsoft life camera's - or a few & feed them in to CCTV capture device & software so you could have 4 camera's going.
Cant you get some sort of marine grant?

Re: CrabCam
Reply #18 on: April 28, 2012, 17:42:26 PM
might be worth talking to SRS Microsystems in Watford re the sponsorship/discounted gear idea. Probably a long shot, but the boss (Chris) is a decent bloke so you'll probably at least get a reply even if it's in the negative. It's a proper independent camera store so if Chris likes you and your idea he doesn't have to ask anyone for permission, which is always handy.

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Re: CrabCam
Reply #19 on: April 28, 2012, 19:49:54 PM
RE: Bluetooth, wouldn't there be an issue with signal loss through water?

An RE: Usb cables, I thought there was a very limited length of cable you can get away with there too?

I've now got a PowerShot S100, and a housing is on its way. Hopefully this will be enough to get something done, and from there have a stronger case to get a grant for experimenting with USB stuff. I've sadly missed most grant deadlines for this year, lots of others stipulate it's not for the purchase of equipment (I guess lots of people try to get grants to buy expensive stuff for other things, whereas really the equipment is the property of the grant giving agency).

Re: CrabCam
Reply #20 on: April 28, 2012, 20:07:00 PM
ohhhh, waterproof CCTv cameras are the normal...

if you use IP cameras you don't need anything fancy to connect them to (just plug into network port)

and you can get pretty awesome cameras which are a few mega pixels for not daft money...


I've got a mix of cameras at work... some £12 in places which arn't important.... and they're not far short of TV quality :-)


no idea how you'd seal the network connector going into the camera.... but it's not such a big deal... bit of epoxy etc.. ?

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Re: CrabCam
Reply #21 on: April 28, 2012, 23:47:56 PM
With a suitable waterproof clear plastic box and some waterproof tank sealant it shouldn't be a problem. Drill a hole through, pass in the cable, seal around it and put the camera in.

  • Offline Dave

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Re: CrabCam
Reply #22 on: April 29, 2012, 00:11:52 AM
An RE: Usb cables, I thought there was a very limited length of cable you can get away with there too?

Yes there is, though you should be OK for 3 meters. Not sure you need a grant... if you're willing to take the risk then why not try customising the housing.

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Re: CrabCam
Reply #23 on: April 29, 2012, 10:35:50 AM
Will need more than 3 meters, it's often 3 meters till it actually gets to the water from the quayside!

Re: CrabCam
Reply #24 on: April 29, 2012, 10:48:54 AM
I know people who have carried out runs on USB much much longer than 3m, probably closer to double that if that helps, maybe use a network camera, you could use one of those that you could move and stick it in a bell jar :).. Cat5 will be good for 100m

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Re: CrabCam
Reply #25 on: April 29, 2012, 12:30:06 PM
I would agree that cat 5 cable would be much preferable to USB if it needs a good distance. There are cameras that can use a network to transmit data and they often have low light options.

The issue is it would be more expensive.

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Re: CrabCam
Reply #26 on: April 29, 2012, 14:32:46 PM
Well, I'll see how I can get on with my current set up.

I agree the Cat5 network CCTV idea is the best bet. Maybe if I can get something half decent with the canon, I'll have something good enough to apply for a small grant next year with a Marine Natural History Society. They say that equipment isn't allowed, but I'm sure if I put a bid in on the premise of developing a budget system to video off of docks they'd be up for it as it'd mean on Society field trips it'd be an added element to look at. I'd imagine there'd be less than £500 in material, which is peanuts for most grants...

Re: CrabCam
Reply #27 on: April 30, 2012, 14:39:06 PM
Just saw this on HotUkDeals, thought it could be a good option for you.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B005WY3TI4?&tag=hotukdeals-21

Spec Page:
http://gopro.com/cameras/hd-hero2-outdoor-edition/

170º Wide FOV (Including 1080p)
1 Waterproof Housing (197′ / 60m)
* Now supports time-lapse photo every 0.5 seconds. Requires Class 10 speed SD Card.
Last Edit: April 30, 2012, 14:42:02 PM by addictweb #187;
Formerly sexytw

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Re: CrabCam
Reply #28 on: May 01, 2012, 09:23:04 AM
Perhaps we are looking in the wrong sort of direction? This seems to offer some possibility that a USB camera can be operated over cat 5 cable.

http://www.lindy.co.uk/usb-2-over-ip-server/42890.html

Might not be the ideal option but it is a starting point and cheap!

Quote
ASD-102 is new palm-sized USB server enables an external hard drive, flash drive, memory card reader, USB webcam, USB speaker, or USB Multi-Function Printer (MFP) to be shared over on a network.

http://www.cooldrives.com/usb20ovipdes.html
Last Edit: May 01, 2012, 09:32:06 AM by Serious #187;

  • Offline bear

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Re: CrabCam
Reply #29 on: May 01, 2012, 12:10:25 PM
http://www.camsecure.co.uk/CamsecureUSBtoIP.html

But they need power, look for devices possible to power over the Cat5.

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