WXforum.net
Weather Station Hardware => Weather Web Cams => Topic started by: Pinster56 on October 20, 2007, 05:48:16 PM
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Completely new at all this....I have my new VP2 connected to Wunderground with no problems. I am trying to connect my Microsoft LifeCam to my Wunderground page. I followed their directions and it's connecting OK , but it's just uploading jpegs of the the graphics of the Virtual Weather Station! How do I get VWS to recognize my webcam? There doesn't seem to be a setting which will connect it to VWS.
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Your profile doesn't state where you're located.
I'd like to see what you're seeing on WU.
I think the uploads don't show up on WU right away.
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KMAWILMI4
VWS just doesn't seem to have a link to connect my webcam.
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VWS doesn't have built-in support for the WU webcams at this time.
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VWS doesn't have built-in support for the WU webcams at this time.
So how do all these people Using Davis weather stations get their webcams on WU???
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You'll need a third-party FTP program.
I use "Fling" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fling_FTP).
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VWS doesn't have built-in support for the WU webcams at this time.
So how do all these people Using Davis weather stations get their webcams on WU???
Those that I know of... use Weather Display's built-in FTP feature... of course, the latest versions of WD have the webcam FTP in the WU setup screen.
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I use ImageSalsa for my web cam and that uploads the image to WU, among other places.
Bob
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You'll need a third-party FTP program.
I use "Fling" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fling_FTP).
OK this connecting webcam thing is ridiculously difficult. I am going to spend only one more hour on it before I give up... I downloaded "Fling", made the destination file where the webcam pics go into to webcam.wunderground.com. But how do I get my webcam to automatically take a picture? It seems the only way to save a picture is to click on the image manually!
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But how do I get my webcam to automatically take a picture? It seems the only way to save a picture is to click on the image manually!
That depends on what kind of camera you're using, and whether the software that came with it, if any, is capable of taking automated snapshots of images. As Bob mentioned, ImageSalsa will do this for you, and ImageSalsa will also do the uploads if you wish. ImageSalsa isn't free, but worth every penny in my opinion. There may be free programs that will take snapshots as well.
Maybe someone else will chime in within the next 46 minutes with other suggestions.
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So can anyone tell me how to make my LifeCam VX 1000 take automated snapshots? Don't tell me to look at software that came with it--it doesn't say!
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You will need some sort of software to do it. I am not familiar with that camera, so not very much help there as to what it requires.
How are you grabbing the image now?
Bob
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You will need some sort of software to do it. I am not familiar with that camera, so not very much help there as to what it requires.
How are you grabbing the image now?
I do it manually--I open up my cam, take a snapshot, and the Fling software program sends it to WU.
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Try webcamxp. This is what I use to send my data to Wunderground. You can try the trial version before you buy it but it's worth the money.
http://www.webcamxp.com
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You will need some sort of software to do it. I am not familiar with that camera, so not very much help there as to what it requires.
How are you grabbing the image now?
I do it manually--I open up my cam, take a snapshot, and the Fling software program sends it to WU.
Then by all means, you need some software bad.
Like I mentioned, I use ImageSalsa http://www.imagesalsa.com
There are tons of different software packages to choose from. Make a choice and get it ASAP to get things automated.
Bob
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OK I will try either WebXP or ImageSalsa. But before I cough up the cash, Does anyone know of a free program that works just as well?
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You can try WheresJames Webcam Publisher.
http://www.wheresjames.com/index.php?page=wjwp2 (http://www.wheresjames.com/index.php?page=wjwp2)
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You can try WheresJames Webcam Publisher.
http://www.wheresjames.com/index.php?page=wjwp2 (http://www.wheresjames.com/index.php?page=wjwp2)
All right--another hour wasted :mad: I downloaded WheresJames and it won't upload my images! Can anyone tell me what the SETTINGS should be? For the server address I put in webcam.wunderground.com and for FTP Upload folder I put in the ID name for my webcam assigned by Wunderground. I get a popup that says FTP Server information not found.
I don't know how the rest of you ever got yours to work--this is so frustrating!
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Don't worry, you will eventually get it. Could you include some screen shots so we can see exactly what you are doing? I'm not familiar with the program. OR...Have you tried WebcamXP like I mentioned? Sometimes freeware is freeware for a reason. Install WebXp.........
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The ftp portion of WheresJames does work. I've used it in the past to upload video from a security camera.
Do you get a video picture on your pc?
If you do get video, it could be your router is blocking the transmission since it doesn't ftp with two different software programs.
Here is a note I found;
When running or accessing certain Internet Applications from your home network, a required port or range of ports specific to the application will need to be opened through the Gateway's firewall.
I had to set the cameras IP address to open up port 80 (default). TCP,UDP 80
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Yes I see a picture on my PC. On my Wunderground page it says my camera is not active. It only seems to go active when I put the web server address into my Virtual Weather Station settings. Do I need to do this? I don't see why this is necessary if I use WheresJames to upload the images directly to the server. Thoughts?
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VWS has nothing to do, what so ever, with uploading your webcam image to WU.
Bob
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That's what I figured anyway, Bob. I emailed the Wunderground Tech Support about this issue, but they never got back to me. Typical :mad:
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If you're not uploading anything I don't understand how they could possibly help you. WU doesn't have any software available to do what you are asking. You are going to have to figure out which software you want to use.
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If you're not uploading anything I don't understand how they could possibly help you. WU doesn't have any software available to do what you are asking. You are going to have to figure out which software you want to use.
All I did was ask them to tell me what are their FTP settings needed to allow the software to upload to WU.
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All I did was ask them to tell me what are their FTP settings needed to allow the software to upload to WU.
...which you already know if you've used other software to FTP a fixed image to WU.
FTP software varies considerably in what settings to use. Some fields may be blank in one application whereas you'd need a slash for that field in another. Some want a leading and/or trailing slash, some don't. WU can't keep track of the precise settings to use in dozens of software applications. Application-specific questions will need to be directed toward the people writing the software.
You can use the internet version of VWS to automatically upload the webcam image-- once it exists-- IF you don't already use it to upload other things to a different server.
If you decide to give ImageSalsa a try, several of us on this forum use it and can help you with those settings.
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All I did was ask them to tell me what are their FTP settings needed to allow the software to upload to WU.
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FTP software varies considerably in what settings to use. Some fields may be blank in one application whereas you'd need a slash for that field in another. Some want a leading and/or trailing slash, some don't. WU can't keep track of the precise settings to use in dozens of software applications. Application-specific questions will need to be directed toward the people writing the software.
Yes that is where the problem lies. I just figured the WU folks would have seen these questions before and would have the answers on file. I will take your advice and try ImageSalsa.
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On your advice I downloaded a demo version of ImageSalsa. Can someone tell me what the settings should be in order to upload the images to my Wundergound page? My page still says the camera is inactive.
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Have you gotten to the point where you've set up your canvas and are seeing your webcam image update in real time in the application?
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Have you gotten to the point where you've set up your canvas and are seeing your webcam image update in real time in the application?
Yes I did that no problem.
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Can anyone give me some advice on ImageSalsa? I am trying to get my webcam to connect to my WU page and I am trying to figure out the settings. I made a canvas, set up a video feed and I see the image. What settings do I put in Web Server setup? When I right click on the canvas, what settings to I need? All that I see my WU page is a white blank that says Demo Edition. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
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As I said earlier, I've been using "Fling" as my FTP method. For testing purposes, I set up a second webcam this afternoon from the same IP address and have been trying to use ImageSalsa to do the uploads for the second one. After some trial and error, I've posted below what I believe those settings should be.
The only settings you will need are "Fixed Save" and "FTP Push".
Here are a couple of screenshots. Of course, the file path on your PC may vary.
(http://www.roanokevalleyweather.com/posted/IS_settings_WU.png)
(http://www.roanokevalleyweather.com/posted/IS_settings_WU2.png)
Review Weather Underground's instructions on this page:
http://wiki.wunderground.com/index.php/WunderCams
Based on those instructions, you should use the "Put Original" mode in your FTP Settings.
I don't see the point in going more frequently than 5 minutes on the uploads. WU seems to have trouble keeping up with that pace anyway.
Some folks restrict the FTP uploads to daylight hours only, which you can change in the FTP Settings as well.
Pay no attention to the "xx minutes ago" indicator below the thumbnails on the WU page. Sometimes it's correct, but sometimes the images are much newer than indicated. Putting a time stamp on your image is a good way to verify that it's updating.
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I use the same settings, but use 1 minute intervals.
Make sure the resulting jpg is <= 150kb otherwise Wunderground rejects the upload. Mine is 61kb.
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I use the same settings, but use 1 minute intervals.
I did too until yesterday. I had trouble getting mine to update more than once every hour or two, even with 5 minute uploads.
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Hmmm.. I've had the odd ImageSalsa freeze-up (and restart by StartWatch) .. I'm wondering if it's a FTP problem with Wunderground. I'll try switching mine to every 5 minutes too. Thanks..
Ken
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Mine locked up about 7 or 8pm yesterday evening.
I figure at least one of their servers was having issues. About a third of the images were taking hours to update; others were updating every few minutes.
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Thanks, Kray100 for the screen shots. They are very helpful.
Still playing around with it. Even though my cam shows a live picture in the video setup tab, I assume it should be automatically creating jpegs for the ImageSalsa file folder in order for it to upload after. I don't see any saved images in the folder, hence no upload to WU. I do have a connection to WU, because I see a blank canvas there that says Demo Verson. Oddly, it seems to also be randomly uploading display JPEGs from my VWS display!
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Even though my cam shows a live picture in the video setup tab, I assume it should be automatically creating jpegs for the ImageSalsa file folder in order for it to upload after. I don't see any saved images in the folder, hence no upload to WU.
You should definitely have a "current.jpg" file in the "C:\Program Files\ImageSalsa\images\" folder. If you're not finding it, then there's a setting that's been missed.
You've just indicated that you've enabled the camera feed in the "Video Feed Setup", but you should also be seeing a live image in the ImageSalsa application "desktop". I've posted mine below (cropped to fit). This image updates according to the settings I've entered in the "Graphics" tab.
(http://www.roanokevalleyweather.com/posted/IS_desktop.png)
Oddly, it seems to also be randomly uploading display JPEGs from my VWS display!
This is strange. It almost sounds like you've got VWS set up to upload graphics from your jpeg folder to WU. Double-check the "FTP Upload Folder" schedule in the VWS Internet menu to make sure it's not still enabled.
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You've just indicated that you've enabled the camera feed in the "Video Feed Setup", but you should also be seeing a live image in the ImageSalsa application "desktop"
I don't see this and I have tried every setting possible. Now I am thinking my webcam is not compatible with this type of software application It is a Microsoft LifeCam VX-1000. I bet it is a piece of junk--I should have known better since it only cost 25 bucks. I think I will give up and eventaully buy a more expensive cam and maybe attempt this again sometime...very disappointing.
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If you are able to get a picture to show up on your canvas, then you should be able to upload the image to WU. Are you sure you are actually saving an image to your hard drive, so it can actually be uploaded? If the cam wasn't going to work, you wouldn't even see an image in a canvas.
Bob
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No, I DO NOT see the image on the canvas, so it is not saving images to the hard drive. I only see the live cam image on the "Video Feed" tab. It is amazing to me that this is so difficult to resolve....
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No, I DO NOT see the image on the canvas, so it is not saving images to the hard drive. I only see the live cam image on the "Video Feed" tab. It is amazing to me that this is so difficult to resolve....
Then THAT is the root of your problem. Get the canvas working first and then the other stuff will follow. If you can see a cam image in the video feed, then if setup correctly, it will be seen in the canvas. If your video feed is not showing in the canvas, the canvas is not setup correctly.
You really need to provide some screen captures of what you have set and what you don't. Otherwise, we are just grasping in the dark as to what you have and don't have configured.
Bob
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As Bob said, you need to get the canvas set up first. I was under the impression that you had made it that far with no problem. But if you can see the image updating in the Video Feed Setup, there's no reason why we can't get the canvas working.
Go to your canvas properties and click on the "Graphics" tab. I've posted a screenshot of my settings (I have the Weather Edition; your demo version will probably look different).
(http://www.roanokevalleyweather.com/posted/IS_graphicstab.png)
In line 1, double-click in the white box below the "Enable" heading (on my screenshot, it says "Yes" in that box).
Move across to the box under the "Update Interval" heading. I'd suggest putting a "1" in that box, which tells ImageSalsa to retrieve a new image every 1 second.
If you're using a USB camera, you will use the video feed for your canvas. Click on the box under the "Video Feed" heading, then go to the drop-down menu below the tabs and select a video feed. You will probably only have one to choose from. Mine says "Microsoft WDM Image".
Move left to the box under the "Source Type" heading. Repeatedly double-click in that box to cycle through the available options. Hopefully you will see your camera's image, probably using the "0" setting.
Hopefully this will work. ;)
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You really need to provide some screen captures of what you have set and what you don't. Otherwise, we are just grasping in the dark as to what you have and don't have configured.
Bob
I agree, post some pics so we can see exactly what you are doing. I think I mentioned this before so if you could do that it would be really helpful. Right now we don't know what you are seeing or what is going on. I think I'll start wearing a blindfold when I read this thread. :lol:
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Kevin,
Stupid question for you. In your canvas screenshot above, what is the 9958 80?
I've looked at that over and over and for the life of me, it just doesn't click.
Getting old sucks! :oops:
Bob
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LOL... the 9958 is the number of frames for the day so far, and the 80 is the exposure. Those are put there by the camera, not ImageSalsa. But good question... :grin:
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Take off the blindfolds...here are my settings:
(https://publish.comcast.net/rpath/K24GARs8pdrYZONlwGzzltjkxUob5SLlM-qENCqbSWeLjoyXldBog8_GMaVN2_GQB5asIcAkMEsk0bqKv1UA36-iNLSe0wve_wR-M989Txpt4VC_5Gc87F5SxxxUr0Va/)
(https://publish.comcast.net/rpath/darnUSoJZoQf6v7YW9sQc_md_PMCiCp8psspet8H8ESY60uiEDDewJNzyXD8w3bl7XqgHZrEEYnJ3mGUBlCxHG4sgxsvjvgjKfYulyp3uzNY8UjLge7tpUbEWQ0T5b-k/)
(https://publish.comcast.net/rpath/ONJdWjR7ujR21ktWZcKZRILLr1unX4k3Lplpu7St52ZRMjUM6ftMsPMlAAtcxk3C9mQaw1luPLwUElbhnfj-0l84oafvUapcerscMDq3vCeuvR266JPInUgQrKN2AZXN/)
(https://publish.comcast.net/rpath/a6_SjGAsqcIh8GPmka9hORS4fH7bwYGapRGseMcqvcXdUHlWFq5SfeOXMNaGuv8j8lH6dJB4ksbQcBRQ8aOQxNlaLYSOI2kaQRbPq2UXXPVNxxmKjmwjibOalESEBjZZ/)
[imghttps://publish.comcast.net/rpath/piDqNFKqo--hmYOynMEqz_5LTMOP8iNm6ill5xXRkBvJjvFzAFiH7Q7GCSK0GD_lzLuvrvO8CdhvsyGiedg8dcVuCp3E4C8nWlJ-E_XczcVgWJ7iNkrg3kFGgoUXqLZe/]http://[/img]
(https://publish.comcast.net/rpath/R5P_W2BfbhOAYD71z86T4tx3eBBVuDTK_FMAr4XasTS1CDBIDm3cEZx0Yo7CzOwQBJh5b2KqGCt5ia4ITAxZBcBc-v0_uoQzM2ynWecTARHOuGoQ4RPGfcTb6UJEz6YX/)
(https://publish.comcast.net/rpath/8WAfGvc5JHatepTtnI50n-c_EJ21f-xBg7vcO_0nKISFvwQo5WqQ23RicuEllkGz2wjBMeqhvnpQ9WQDo3JrlEieSlctik0gJdoPnMMjMfNdu38VW38y4ooOgkf4P4_2/)
(https://publish.comcast.net/rpath/BwK-2WLBiLS9XRBcF_C2wlhmpg2IgzasC7LxUlBpGtHGmKwGZ_JUmYvf0Up-Q63xlymCxABWQ0Hf07N8p8FJKP3avsK9wAHLjmo2SwoLxI8kvF54odDlv_3bCuSrfodm/)
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Thanks. That helps a lot.
Did you set your image up for the canvas in the GRAPHICS tab?
Bob
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LOL... the 9958 is the number of frames for the day so far, and the 80 is the exposure. Those are put there by the camera, not ImageSalsa. But good question... :grin:
Damn, those figures never even entered my thoughts. Thanks for clearing that up. Now I can sleep. \:D/ :grin:
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Thanks. That helps a lot.
Did you set your image up for the canvas in the GRAPHICS tab?
Bob
Thanks! Here you go:
(https://publish.comcast.net/rpath/u55GSq9tYjvFg-XmD9DW7qIcylLIlUq8IelyvrKcD5xcaR46kB_ZDBZ8pYgYBBm8t3wlrVhKm2K9d_5Wtd-NwtoTXOtOi_J2zMAmlfdjqsWLIMj7ptHi8MwX1M7wGa2U/)
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Check your PM's
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Pinster56,
What we can't see on the "Graphics" tab is the parts under the "Source Type" and "Video Feed" headers (scrolled off screen).
Also, regarding the "Base Time" entries you have on your "Fixed Save" and "FTP Push" tabs... what you have might work, but I would say the base time should be a lower value than what your interval is.
Kevin
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Pinster56,
What we can't see on the "Graphics" tab is the parts under the "Source Type" and "Video Feed" headers (scrolled off screen).
Also, regarding the "Base Time" entries you have on your "Fixed Save" and "FTP Push" tabs... what you have might work, but I would say the base time should be a lower value than what your interval is.
Kevin
Source File Name is blank. Video Feed says Microsoft WDM Image. What should they be?
I thought "Base Time" meant the clock time of the base station.
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Nobody seems to have answer about what is wrong with my settings. At this point I am giving up.I am taking up too much message board space and boring everyone. In the future if anyone knows someone who can help me email me at pinster1956@yahoo.com Thanks again for everyone's input.
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Source File Name is blank. Video Feed says Microsoft WDM Image. What should they be?
I thought "Base Time" meant the clock time of the base station.
And 1 minute and 21 seconds later...
Nobody seems to have answer about what is wrong with my settings.
To quote a famous philosopher...
(http://www.roanokevalleyweather.com/posted/caveman.jpg)
WHAT?!?
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But to answer your first question, your Source File Name and Video Feed entries are fine. But again, what do you have for "Source Type"? Try a source type of zero if you haven't already.
Regarding the "Base Time"... read all about it on page 59 of the Image Salsa User's Manual (http://www.imagesalsa.com/documents/ImageSalsa.pdf), always a good place to start when you have questions.
Good luck.
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Nobody seems to have answer about what is wrong with my settings. At this point I am giving up.I am taking up too much message board space and boring everyone. In the future if anyone knows someone who can help me email me at pinster1956@yahoo.com Thanks again for everyone's input.
If you checked your PM's as requested, you would have seen me offering to call you yesterday to walk you through the settings. I never got a reply back. Much easier that way then typing back and forth all the time. Won't have much free time until early next week now. #-o
Bob
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I am almost there! Now what settings should I have to make the cam image fit the full canvas?
(https://publish.comcast.net/rpath/9Hbj9O0lSurSorKVnhWK6o6uat6AAqLIp3my_Ctva_woFXOhZ47SNA9kOB1fG5NVOakBWeb5FgZOsw24s1vnSOtCCwEf_DAoduMnOl8u19pr4gxPK7rQQGHM8rrzmeqz/)
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Set the images size and the canvas size to the same size.
So, if your image size is 320x240, set your canvas size to 320x240.
I would suggest changing your image size, since it appears that you have it set pretty small at the current time.
Bob
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It looks like you got it working: http://www.wunderground.com/webcams/Pinster56/1/show.html#cal
Bob
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What are ImageSalsa's streaming options?
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What are ImageSalsa's streaming options?
ImageSalsa doesn't do the actual streaming to the web. It has an internal web server that you can serve the image from, then use any streaming method you prefer. I personally use the flash method for my stream.
Bob
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It looks like you got it working: http://www.wunderground.com/webcams/Pinster56/1/show.html#cal
Bob
It turns out all the aggravation came down to needing to change the "Source Type" from 1 to 0. Everything worked fine after that. I didn't see the Source Type box earlier because I hadn't noticed the scroll bar in that window until you pointed it out from my screen capture. Thanks, Kevin and Bob!
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It always seems to come down to 1's & 0's. ;)
Glad everything is working as it should now. So, the uploads and everything are running smooth for you now?
Bob
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Yes, it is going well so for. What I would really like to do ultimately is to set up a wireless webcam because the view from the other side of my house is much more interesting, but its too far a reach for a cabled cam. Can you offer any advice on going that route? My PC is already has a wireless router for our peripheral PC's.
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Just do a search for "Wireless network cam" on google and it will return tons of stuff.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22wireless+network+cam%22