[thelist] Chicken cam, UK

[Luther, Ron]

John inquired further about safekeeping his chickens:

>>I hope I don't become a naysayer, but I've no laptop, and there is no remote 
>>point to point it to. It needs to be cheaper than me buying a laptop :-)



Hi John,


In this case 'the particulars' matter.  If the coop were on the roof of your 
flat you could put an inexpensive web-cam on the roof and run some wire down 
to a window in your flat - until the superintendent catches you anyway. A 
secure site served up by your home box and accessed from any public library 
or internet café would do the trick.

The 'general case' problem is a good deal tougher nut to crack.  If 
you want to locate and video a single chicken on a heavily forested 
five square kilometer tract using a self contained and self powered 
wireless environment ... Guess what? ... It's gonna be costly!  
('Course ... You might be able to offset that cost through research 
grants for military applications!)


Breaking down the sub-issues:

* Power - Probably the smallest problem of the lot. If there is no grid 
accessible, then any of the suggestions already given for solar, a used car 
battery, R/C batteries ... and some knowledge of wiring power conversion 
electronics ... would do the trick.

* Security - Neuro brought this up and it's an important consideration. 
How 'public/private' is this area where the chickens are?  How likely 
is your kit to disappear with the chickens? (If it has free and complete 
public access, then how 'bout giving us an address? ... I can have the 
grill fired up in a few moments!) If there is a building nearby, making 
friends there could greatly simplify the problem.

* Bandwidth - You need to get the signal from the camera out to where you 
can work with it. Some of the available options include wire, radio, 
infrared, microwave, satellite ... all at somewhat different price points 
mind you.

* Signaling - Do you need to turn the camera on and off?  Pan?  Zoom?  
Focus?  Do you need more than one camera?  Any of those could lead to 
extra kit and extra expense in adding that level of 'intelligence' ... 
and thereby increasing the need for security.



Then again, (never being one unable to also offer useless suggestions), 
you could always:

(1) Equip each individual chicken with a radio tracking array, GPS, 
a digital camcorder and a satellite phone ... and then just train 
them to 'phone home'.  

Of course, that could become expensive once they learn the number 
to the local granary ... or embarrassing once they start posting 
video on the 'HENS!_HOT-OR-NOT' usegroup.


(2) Take the easy way out!   Simply stuff them in your pants and 
take them with you on holiday.  Surely a treat for all concerned!

(And ... if anyone asks ... just tell them you're on your way to 
a futball game!)


RonL.

(Outstanding "Friday" question BTW!)  ;-)