0501 RMH time lapse camera

Camera bundle

http://www.misco.co.uk/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=163428

Wireless might be useful if there is power near the camera position and running a network cable to the PC location is awkward

http://www.icode.co.uk/icatcher/cctvshop/axis-211w-wireless-network-camera-outdoor-bundle-p-216.html

http://www.networkwebcams.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=599

Standard lens

F1.0 varifocal 3.0 - 8.0 mm, CS mount.

Horizontal viewing angle: 27°-67°

http://www.icode.co.uk/icatcher/cctvshop/datasheets/axis_211.html

Wide angle

Varifocal Megapixel Lens 2.4 – 6 mm (5500-871) M13VG246

47°-111°

http://www.axis.com/products/cam_varifocal/

2.8 - 12mm 1/3" Direct Drive Varifocal Lens TG4Z2813FCS

24°-98°

http://www.icode.co.uk/icatcher/cctvshop/2.8---12mm-1-and-3-direct-drive-varifocal-lens-(cs-mount)-p-41.html

3G router

Vodafone

http://www.misco.co.uk/applications/factfinder/search.asp?querytext=WRT54G3G

£15 per month up to 3GB

or £15 per GB PAYG (£5 per month, per stream)

Three

http://threestore.three.co.uk/broadband/?router=1

T-Mobile

http://www.expansys.com/d.aspx?i=168845

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Other

Top Global MB6000 3G Phoebus 3G/Wi-Fi Wireless Router

NAS box

http://www.misco.co.uk/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=278766&CatId=2721

Considerations

Access and power (7 - 20V DC, max 5W) for the camera position

Location of the storage and router

UPSes if the power to the camera location or router/storage location is likely to be interrupted.

Data rate

Image 640 x 480 x 24 bit average compression jpeg 30KB

One frame every 5 minutes, 288 frames a day

approximately 10MB per day, 70MB per week, 300MB per month

7.5GB for the two years

Recommendation

NAS box    £92

Camera    £930

3G router  £110

PCMCIA card    £15

Total    £1147

Extras:

Mounting hardware, extended power cable

The 3G connection is always on. The router updates rmhtlc.dnsalias.org whenever the IP address changes and forwards incoming connections to the camera or NAS box as determined by a port lookup.

The camera sends a frame to the NAS box and an external ftp server rmhtlc.jpscltd.co.uk every 5 minutes.

An external running process at JPSC Ltd gets a frame from the camera every five minutes via the 3G router and sends an SMS if no activity for 10 minutes.

The three sequences are staggered so that a video stream of three times the frame rate can be assembled (perhaps for neatness we make the time a six minute window with a frame to the three different locations every 2 minutes).

The camera can be accessed at any time over the internet to stream live video. This has cost implications, depending on the frame rate.