Author Topic: AmbientCamHD (Read 10872 times)

robereno · « **on:** April 17, 2015, 04:59:38 PM »

After at least 10 years, I moved from the Stardot megapixel to the AmbientCamHD. I’m basically a “Homer Hobbyist” with no IT training but I've managed to get by with trial and error techniques. I’m pretty happy with the picture quality of the new camera and the price is pretty low compared to others, especially the Stardot cameras.

But the software on the Ambientcamhd doesn’t allow me to change the name of the capture files that I was sending to my website server. The program automatically assigns the name of the jpg to the time and date it was recorded. Such as: 2015041712450.jpg. The instructions seem to be Weather Underground centric in that they only provide info on using that service. I’ve tried other IP software but none so far have been able to connect with the Ambientcamhd.

For now I’m using the Weather Underground to host the jpg files but the service seems erratic and sometimes stops updating for hours at a time. Just wondering if anyone else is using this camera and having better luck with it. It doesn't seem to be a very popular camera.
Thanks
http://creekbed.org/weather/wx.htm

Bushman · « **Reply #1 on:** April 17, 2015, 05:47:37 PM »

So why do you need to change the file name? What OS? I think you'll find the AmbientCam HD to be a Chinese Foscam clone. But as long as you like it. I can tell you after futzing with cheap cams, nothing beats a Stardot.

robereno · « **Reply #2 on:** April 17, 2015, 07:00:21 PM »

I gotta admit that my old Stardot hung in there for a lot of years and I used their old models back when they were a young company. I just didn't get the impression from their website that they had developed much recently. Thinking of my Gopro.
The startdot names the files "netcam.jpg" and files them on my webserver in sequence so that I can link to them from other web pages. The ambient cam doesn't do that and I don't have the computer skills to figure it out myself. But I'll work on it.

Bushman · « **Reply #3 on:** April 17, 2015, 07:07:56 PM »

GoPro and Stardot are not in the same market. Any way... If I understand what you want to do, I think I've done it. I wrote a script that watches a directory for a new file to appear and then renames and copies it over to another directory for FTP. Or you can use something like: http://personalrenamer.blogspot.ca/

robereno · « **Reply #4 on:** April 17, 2015, 07:27:17 PM »

Yeah that's what I want to do. Thanks

Bushman · « **Reply #5 on:** April 17, 2015, 07:34:31 PM »

I am not sure I have my script of an accessible (to me) machine, but I'll take a look and see and if I do, I'll post it.

robereno · « **Reply #6 on:** April 17, 2015, 07:57:16 PM »

Thanks! I have the feeling that I'm the only one in the world who has bought the ambientcamhd. Me and that guy who did the one review on Amazon. And boy did he like it.

Alkibrewing · « **Reply #7 on:** April 18, 2015, 11:23:38 AM »

I am looking for a webcam and have been leaning toward the AmbientCamHD. My requirements are only that I can upload the images to WU and also view them on my iPhone - iPad. I contacted Ambient yesterday and asked them if I could do this using one of the Foscam apps. They said the camera is a Foscam modified to be WU centric and the apps will work.
I also saw the one review on Amazon, which didn't contain any setup or technical information.

ValentineWeather · « **Reply #8 on:** April 18, 2015, 11:50:46 AM »

I replaced my stardots with http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00UUPPLZO/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Price on these were $117 so snagged a couple. Now $165

, Night vision is awesome also. POE is really handy. Bunch of us also have the Hikvision DS-2CD2032-I bullet only runs about 100, night vision not as good however.
Just took a snapshot and attached.

cospringswx · « **Reply #9 on:** April 18, 2015, 12:24:58 PM »

Here is the Hikvision 2032 that Randy was mentioning above.

http://www.cospringsweather.com/Hikvision1.php

robereno · « **Reply #10 on:** April 18, 2015, 12:33:47 PM »

Unlike most of the posters on this site, I just dabble in the hobby so I'm not up on the latest technology. I went with the Ambientcam bought from their website at $129.99 plus shipping. I did notice the resemblance to the Foscam models and I have noticed that the Ambientcamhd seems to have been "crippled" in such a way to make it almost a Weather Underground specific camera. I do like the photo quality and at these low prices I'm looking at adding a Foscam FI9805P 960P Outdoor HD Wireless IP Camera as an inexpensive addition.
I'm not trying to hammer on Stardot but at $600 for their NetCam XL 640 I thought I might experiment with something else.

Quote from: Alkibrewing on April 18, 2015, 11:23:38 AM

I am looking for a webcam and have been leaning toward the AmbientCamHD. My requirements are only that I can upload the images to WU and also view them on my iPhone - iPad. I contacted Ambient yesterday and asked them if I could do this using one of the Foscam apps. They said the camera is a Foscam modified to be WU centric and the apps will work.
I also saw the one review on Amazon, which didn't contain any setup or technical information.

Alkibrewing · « **Reply #11 on:** April 18, 2015, 12:51:46 PM »

The image quality of the HikVision is excellent. I did neglect to mention that I need a wireless camera. I don't have a website so I don't need the software to interface with. I also just dabble in the hobby so don't have many requirements.

sebeclake · « **Reply #12 on:** April 18, 2015, 12:57:28 PM »

IPTimelapse has an option (under menu->Help) that can watch a folder and when an image appears there rename it to set file name like image.jpg or whatever. It can also do all the other functions like FTP upload. It's a pay for program that should make it easy to do what you want but as a poster said earlier you could script such a function. -Mike

robereno · « **Reply #13 on:** April 18, 2015, 01:51:37 PM »

It does look like IPTimelapse would do what I want but I suspect it would not be able to connect to the Ambientcamhd. I've not been able to connect to it with any other software but the one supplied with the camera. Probably someone with tech experience can easily work around that. As for using a script, well, I'm an old fart. I use an old 1998 version of Frontpage to do my websites and haven't advanced much beyond that.

All things considered though, I can live with the current situation.

Quote from: sebeclake on April 18, 2015, 12:57:28 PM

IPTimelapse has an option (under menu->Help) that can watch a folder and when an image appears there rename it to set file name like image.jpg or whatever. It can also do all the other functions like FTP upload. It's a pay for program that should make it easy to do what you want but as a poster said earlier you could script such a function. -Mike

sebeclake · « **Reply #14 on:** April 18, 2015, 02:25:34 PM »

You could try these strings in IPTimelapse. One of them might work with your camera:

http://IPADDRESS/videostream.asf?user=[USERNAME]&pwd=[PASSWORD]&resolution=32&rate=0

or

http://IPADDRESS/videostream.asf?user=[USERNAME]&pwd=[PASSWORD]&resolution=[WIDTH]*[HEIGHT]

-Mike

Alkibrewing · « **Reply #15 on:** April 18, 2015, 02:49:07 PM »

Robereno, was the setup & port forwarding easy to do?
Thanks

robereno · « **Reply #16 on:** April 18, 2015, 05:52:31 PM »

Setup was easy and if "port forwarding" means connecting with my home router then yeah, no problem. They do provide an app for the iPhone so I'm sure that must work. It does exactly what they say it will do and for working with the Weather Underground it seems a good camera. So far today it has posted with no glitches from the WU.
http://creekbed.org/bandh/Ranchcam.html

Quote from: Alkibrewing on April 18, 2015, 02:49:07 PM

Robereno, was the setup & port forwarding easy to do?
Thanks

Alkibrewing · « **Reply #17 on:** April 18, 2015, 06:10:09 PM »

Robereno, thanks for the reply and info I appreciate it.
That is a high quality image and awesome scenery!
I think I'll go ahead and order the cam. I know there are a lot of choices out there however this one appears to fit my needs.

Terry

robereno · « **Reply #18 on:** April 18, 2015, 07:31:02 PM »

Good luck with that. I'll let the Ambient run on auto for the weather underground and I've gone ahead and ordered the Foscam FI9805P just to play with. See if I can figure this stuff out. Thanks to all who responded.

Quote from: Alkibrewing on April 18, 2015, 06:10:09 PM

Robereno, thanks for the reply and info I appreciate it.
That is a high quality image and awesome scenery!
I think I'll go ahead and order the cam. I know there are a lot of choices out there however this one appears to fit my needs.

Terry

Alkibrewing · « **Reply #19 on:** April 18, 2015, 07:45:36 PM »

That cam (F19805P) certainly enjoys good reviews. I would think you could upload to WU and interface with a personal website as you wouldn't be locked in to WU via Ambient's software mods.
Please post your experience with this cam once you've had a chance to play with it.
Are you running on a Windows or IOS system?

Terry

Alkibrewing · « **Reply #20 on:** May 02, 2015, 10:53:10 AM »

Robereno, have you had a chance to setup the Foscam F19805P yet? If so how would you rate it? Also, does the Ambient cam display the time/date stamp or are you doing that with other software? Thanks.

Terry

robereno · « **Reply #21 on:** May 02, 2015, 04:25:41 PM »

Yeah I did get the Foscam and have it running here: http://creekbed.org/bandh/randomcam.html .
The Ambientcamhd has a better image though I haven't compared the specs for each camera yet. The foscam uses the identical software as the Ambientcam and I can run both cameras from the same software. Foscam kind of steers you to their cloud service but $8 per month seems kind of high. I'm using the Weather Underground to host both cameras out of convenience for now.
Thinking of joining the crowd and trying the Hikvision for my 3rd camera. I'm just not sure I have the time to read all 32 pages on that thread.

Quote from: Alkibrewing on May 02, 2015, 10:53:10 AM

Robereno, have you had a chance to setup the Foscam F19805P yet? If so how would you rate it? Also, does the Ambient cam display the time/date stamp or are you doing that with other software? Thanks.

Terry

Alkibrewing · « **Reply #22 on:** May 03, 2015, 10:40:19 AM »

A lot of people like the Hikvision cameras. I looked at them but couldn't find a wireless model, they were all PoE.
I agree, $8 a month to use their cloud service is a bit high.
I'll probably go with the Ambient cam even though it's software is locked into WU.

robereno · « **Reply #23 on:** May 03, 2015, 11:09:37 AM »

Yeah after looking closer at the Hikvision I've backed off for the reasons you mentioned. No wireless. The price is great but POE won't work for me.

robereno · « **Reply #24 on:** May 07, 2015, 08:15:39 PM »

For what it's worth I got the Ambientcam to work with Blue Iris. Makes sense since it's a re-branded Foscam. The webcam photo updates from the weather underground were so erratic I had to try something else. Still really happy with the image quality and the hot summer days ahead will test the electronics.

News:

Author Topic: AmbientCamHD (Read 10872 times)