While I was finishing up my countdown/reminder software today, I got distracted and decided to write a time lapse webcam program that streams online. For demo purposes I stuck in a page about the weather and have it pointing out my window, but it will work for anything. Right now it is updating the ’stream’ every 10 seconds and saving an image permanently every 15 minutes. The saved images are stored by day, and at the end of the day the program automatically zips the folder up to help save storage space. Everything is configurable, from the times to the directories to the filenames, but there is no GUI at the moment. I don’t see much future for this (and I’m sure there are LOTS of time lapse programs already out there), but if there is interest I’ll throw a GUI on the front and distribute it. Other features I’ll probably include if there is ever a release version: create avi from pictures, maybe its own webserver, more control over brightness and contrast, system tray.
If you want to see it in action, send me an instant message or an email and I’ll give you the link. It’s on my personal comp so I don’t like to link that publicly. Also, it will allow me to make sure it is running if you want to see it, since I will probably turn off the program soon.
The weather is nifty, but what I really want to do now is grow something under the camera. What grows well indoors with little direct sunlight?
4 responses so far ↓
1 lbellvoh // Apr 17, 2008 at 11:14 pm
Bean sprouts, like you grew in kindergarten science projects. They don’t need direct sunlight (actually should not have direct sunlight) and — as an added bonus — grow quickly.
2 Keeyai // Apr 18, 2008 at 12:30 am
Great idea — what kind of beans do I need and where do I get them? I guess google is probably my friend in this regard…
3 adroit // Apr 18, 2008 at 1:30 pm
an avocado pit works too
but slower growing
4 lbellvoh // Apr 19, 2008 at 5:17 am
Sweetie, you weren’t even born when I was in kindergarten, so Google’s probably the better source here. I certainly don’t remember what kind of beans we used, and the kids aren’t there yet. I think that you can use a lima bean or do bean sprouts, but I wouldn’t even label it an educated guess.
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