From: Bradley Miller (bradmiller@dslonramp.com)
Date: 01/29/02


Message-Id: <3.0.3.32.20020129103322.0184f590@mail.dslonramp.com>
Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2002 10:22:13 -0600
From: Bradley Miller <bradmiller@dslonramp.com>
Subject: Back to Linux . . . cameras

Speaking of Linux . . . I've been hammering away on tons of PHP solutions
for client web sites. 90% of what I do now from scratch is in PHP.

Here's an interesting problem I'd love to solve via Linux:

I'm wanting to setup a high resolution web cam -- basically a megapixel++
camera that snaps photos and has photos sent to a web site. I've tried the
Axis camera and the $1000 model (based on Linux) has the capture stuff, but
still doesn't have the quality I would like. I would like stunning lake
photos with zoom type camera -- not these wide angle shots that the Axis
camera gives me. Any suggestions? A distro would need dialing
capability, and USB support as most cameras use this for transfer. I would
probably have to build a remote trigger for the camera because most of them
do not have "on dock" triggering.

This is the quality I'm getting now:

http://www.golakeozarks.com/html_includes/golakeozarkscam.php

I found out the Axis 2100 cameras that I'm using are not happy with outdoor
light . . . the box says for indoor use only, but I assumed that to mean
"don't play with this in the rain" like most appliances would say. They
have a "outdoor light" setting and say "don't point to sun" but it never
says "this camera is for indoor shots with natural light and don't point it
out a window".

The next step up the evolutionary ladder with the cameras offers an
auto-iris lens, but the quality still doesn't go up -- it's still 640x480
camera basically.

The ideal situation would be a digital megapixel++ camera that would snap
photos when the computer triggers it. I'll settle for a camera that can
have a remote trigger, or even something as mundane as a basic servo to
press the button to take a photo. The thing I need most is high quality
shots at regular intervals without worry. Any suggestions?

-- Bradley Miller