Author Topic: Wunderground Webcam 24 Hour timelapse broken. [RESOLVED] (Read 8686 times)

sam2004gp · « **on:** October 11, 2009, 07:58:42 PM »

I have emailed wunderground about this problem but so far no response yet. My webcam is transmitting to my website and wunderground fine, no ftp errors or any others. However ever since Thursday, I have had the same 24hr time lapse video. Also the respective time lapse videos for each day since Thursday are also the same. Wunderground does show my current static image but that is the only thing they get right.

I have restarted my machine and double-checked the file size being uploaded to wunderground. All looks good, any other ideas?

WeatherGoose · « **Reply #1 on:** October 11, 2009, 08:05:21 PM »

I just checked mine and it is working fine for all days this month.

WU has had a rash of problems with this section of their PWS pages in recent weeks. I lost a bunch of afternoon still images last month due to a bug in this section.

Doesn't appear that any of these issues are a GLOBAL problem, so it is only affecting certain individual stations. If you are one of those affected, it definitely sucks, but WU doesn't seem to put much priority on problems like this.

I have been trying to get them to fix my CURRENT CONDITIONS data problem for months. (See the UNKNOWN on my WU banner below?) I have sent over half a dozen tickets to them about this, and I have yet to receive a reply, or seen any change in my conditions.

WU use to be really great about replying to any issues I emailed them about. Now they seem to be ignoring me.

sam2004gp · « **Reply #2 on:** October 11, 2009, 08:19:31 PM »

Quote from: WeatherGoose on October 11, 2009, 08:05:21 PM

....

WU use to be really great about replying to any issues I emailed them about. Now they seem to be ignoring me.

That's what I am afraid of finding out in my case.

Does anyone think think if I stop my webcam feeds to them for a few days, that it will clear up on it's own, then later in the week I can restart the uploads?

WeatherGoose · « **Reply #3 on:** October 11, 2009, 09:39:45 PM »

Quote from: sam2004gp on October 11, 2009, 08:19:31 PM

Quote from: WeatherGoose on October 11, 2009, 08:05:21 PM
....

WU use to be really great about replying to any issues I emailed them about. Now they seem to be ignoring me.

That's what I am afraid of finding out in my case.

Does anyone think think if I stop my webcam feeds to them for a few days, that it will clear up on it's own, then later in the week I can restart the uploads?

You can try doing that, but I am pretty sure that the issue is on their end and what you do on your side doesn't make any difference.

mackbig · « **Reply #4 on:** October 11, 2009, 10:11:30 PM »

I have found they are great at responding to submissions when you mark it high. However their responses are clueless so far. I sent one this morning (third attempt) about my airport dissappearing (getting redirected to an airport several thousand kilomters away in the maritimes.... This morning's response was in 20 minutes. They gave a link to a markham forecast, using Toronto airport, saying "why do you think it used to work". Well I made it pretty clear in my other three emails....ummm it worked for 4+ years, you list the link in your globabl station index....

They dont reply at all to replies though, even though they ask for more info.

Andrew

Quote from: WeatherGoose on October 11, 2009, 08:05:21 PM

WU use to be really great about replying to any issues I emailed them about. Now they seem to be ignoring me.

sam2004gp · « **Reply #5 on:** October 13, 2009, 11:19:41 AM »

No response from them yet. So last night I shutdown my ftp upload to them for the next few days. Hoping that maybe somehow, it may reset itself.

I really need to learn how to do a low cost or free solution to make my own timelapse videos to put on my site, that won't overtax my Pentuim 2 machine.

TorH · « **Reply #6 on:** October 13, 2009, 11:55:58 AM »

Just for the info, I've not had or have any problem with the timelapse video from WU, i use it to in my webpage among the others webcams.

WeatherGoose · « **Reply #7 on:** October 13, 2009, 07:39:19 PM »

Quote from: sam2004gp on October 13, 2009, 11:19:41 AM

No response from them yet. So last night I shutdown my ftp upload to them for the next few days. Hoping that maybe somehow, it may reset itself.

I really need to learn how to do a low cost or free solution to make my own timelapse videos to put on my site, that won't overtax my Pentuim 2 machine.

If you had a Mac system I would recommend EVOcam. It does GREAT time-lapse movies. You can configure it any way you want. Very CPU friendly too. They unfortunately do not make a Windows version.

Here!

Check out some of the cool ones I posted from last winter!

http://basslake-weather.com/gallery.html

I should warn you that these are rather LARGE files. The movies are running at a 30 second sample rate at 800x600 res. and cover the entire day. About 160MB-200MB depending on the movie you choose to either stream or download.

And RE the WU time-lapse movies... I don't use them myself. The image quality sucks.

sam2004gp · « **Reply #8 on:** October 15, 2009, 06:17:32 AM »

I got the following response in an email from wunderground support this morning.

Quote

Hello,
Thanks for the bug report. We are aware of the problem you reported and we are working to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

Thank you for your support!

Weather Underground, Inc
http://www.wunderground.com/

Ticket Details
===================
Ticket ID: LRD-XXXXXXX
Category: Webcams

kray1000 · « **Reply #9 on:** October 15, 2009, 08:00:06 AM »

Quote from: sam2004gp on October 15, 2009, 06:17:32 AM

I got the following response in an email from wunderground support this morning.
Quote
Hello,
Thanks for the bug report. We are aware of the problem you reported and we are working to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

Thank you for your support!

Weather Underground, Inc
http://www.wunderground.com/

Ticket Details
===================
Ticket ID: LRD-XXXXXXX
Category: Webcams

I see their autoresponder is still working.

mackbig · « **Reply #10 on:** October 15, 2009, 08:12:09 AM »

better than my responses are. My last one, was "international cities can not use a zip code for forecast" Never used this emoticon but

I guess its my fault I over explained things down to minute detail, and that the WMO chose a 5 digit code for station id's that looks too close to a US zip code. Keep the one sentence responses coming. I would kill for a "we know about the situation and are looking into it" type response.

Andrew

sam2004gp · « **Reply #11 on:** October 15, 2009, 08:20:40 AM »

Quote from: kray1000 on October 15, 2009, 08:00:06 AM

Quote from: sam2004gp on October 15, 2009, 06:17:32 AM
I got the following response in an email from wunderground support this morning.
Quote
Hello,
Thanks for the bug report. We are aware of the problem you reported and we are working to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

Thank you for your support!

Weather Underground, Inc
http://www.wunderground.com/

Ticket Details
===================
Ticket ID: LRD-XXXXXXX
Category: Webcams

I see their autoresponder is still working.

That was what I was thinking too.

WeatherGoose · « **Reply #12 on:** October 15, 2009, 02:28:38 PM »

I got a reply to my Current Condition issue a few nights back and it was from an ACTUAL PERSON!

He told me that he was planning to go in and FIX the problem, but now, 36 hours later nothing has changed and he has not replied to my reply to his email.

Their support leaves a lot to be desired to be sure!

P.S. I didn't start using the "head against the wall ICON" either until we started talking about Wunderground support!

Weather Display · « **Reply #13 on:** October 15, 2009, 02:59:58 PM »

but wunderground provide a free service
personally I would not be complaining about lack of support for all the free stuff they provide
just my opinion

WeatherGoose · « **Reply #14 on:** October 15, 2009, 03:46:47 PM »

Quote from: GBW on October 15, 2009, 02:59:58 PM

but wunderground provide a free service
personally I would not be complaining about lack of support for all the free stuff they provide
just my opinion

Meh...

I strongly disagree!

They make a load of $$ from advertising on that site as well as selling paid memberships for ad free pages. Without our PWS data, they would be just another weather portal out of the hundreds of sites already out there. The thing that makes WU unique and appealing to users is the inclusion of PWS stations.

I don't get anything from WU for sending my data other than a page to refer to. If that page is constantly broken or is losing data I send to it, it makes their site less appealing and reliable for everyone. It also makes me less inclined to refer visitors to them which when multiplied by other unhappy PWS owners results in less ad revenue for WU.

They should be a lot more proactive with this stuff instead of forcing PWS owners to pester them to fix problems that seem to go on for months with no resolution.

It is a very good thing that few share your misinformed opinion. WU isn't providing PWS access out of the goodness of their heart! They are doing it to make money!

If everyone shared your opinion and just let all this broken stuff slide, the WU site would be a lot more screwed up than it already is!

Weather Display · « **Reply #15 on:** October 15, 2009, 04:00:23 PM »

its still a free way to get your data online
and I take my hat off to them for providing that

WeatherGoose · « **Reply #16 on:** October 15, 2009, 04:19:08 PM »

Quote from: GBW on October 15, 2009, 04:00:23 PM

its still a free way to get your data online
and I take my hat off to them for providing that

Whatever.

It is a nice option to have, but they should make more of an effort to address problems reported by users instead of ignorning them for weeks at a time, or leaving people hanging in mid resolution. I have had email exchanges with these people several times where suddenly, they stop responding in mid conversation. They ask for more data, you send it to them and then weeks go by without so much as a "Thanks we will get back to you!" Meanwhile, the problem you are trying to get fixed remains broken.

I have dealt wih plenty of other sites that provide a free service, and their tech support is 100x better than WU. Playing the "IT's FREE" card doesn't cut it with most people these days. Advertisers sure as heck aren't getting their ads up there for FREE.

Weather Display · « **Reply #17 on:** October 15, 2009, 04:24:53 PM »

but they will have costs of providing the free service which they will need to cover, and hence the adds
all I am saying is cut them some slack...they probably gets 100's of emails every day, as they must have like 10,000 users
(and so maybe they need a bigger help department....but if people complain of the adds, then how can they cover their costs I guess)

sam2004gp · « **Reply #18 on:** October 15, 2009, 05:09:26 PM »

Just happened to notice that another webcam in my area, is having the same issue. They have had the same 24 hour video since Wed of last week as well. Must be a server related to us Virginia folks that is the problem.

sam2004gp · « **Reply #19 on:** October 15, 2009, 05:14:29 PM »

Here is another Virginia based cam that has a time stamp on it, with the same problem.
http://www.wunderground.com/webcams/wc4r/1/video.html?month=10&year=2009&filename=20091014.flv

So at least its not just my account.

WeatherGoose · « **Reply #20 on:** October 15, 2009, 05:16:43 PM »

Quote from: GBW on October 15, 2009, 04:24:53 PM

but they will have costs of providing the free service which they will need to cover, and hence the adds
all I am saying is cut them some slack...they probably gets 100's of emails every day, as they must have like 10,000 users
(and so maybe they need a bigger help department....but if people complain of the adds, then how can they cover their costs I guess)

My opionion is based on several months worth of attempts to get my broken current conditions fixed. Even when I finally heard ftom a human being, they still haven't fixed it, and the replies from them have stopped.

Perhaps when you encounter a major issue with your WU account and are forced through the gauntlet they call tech support, you will finally hang up your WU apologist hat.

WeatherGoose · « **Reply #21 on:** October 15, 2009, 05:23:31 PM »

Quote from: sam2004gp on October 15, 2009, 05:14:29 PM

Here is another Virginia based cam that has a time stamp on it, with the same problem.
http://www.wunderground.com/webcams/wc4r/1/video.html?month=10&year=2009&filename=20091014.flv

So at least its not just my account.

That is good news I guess Sam.

It is much harder to get anything done when you are the only user experiencing the problem. My current conditions problem affects everyone in my zip code including Yosemite.

Here is a screen shot from my favorites bar showing all the QUESTION MARK ICONS where the current condition is supposed to be. In my weather sticker I have a SUN ICON all the time, and instead of a current condition is says "UNKNOWN". I first reported this problem back in April and am still waiting for them to get around to fixing it.

Weather Display · « **Reply #22 on:** October 15, 2009, 06:28:45 PM »

maybe your software feed is not supplying the current data to WU , re your current condition not showing up
for sam2004gp , it sounds like it could be a IP block or similar happening, i.e a router between you and WU

WeatherGoose · « **Reply #23 on:** October 15, 2009, 07:00:14 PM »

Quote from: GBW on October 15, 2009, 06:28:45 PM

maybe your software feed is not supplying the current data to WU , re your current condition not showing up

First thing I checked 6 months ago. The data is being sent and WU confirmed that the problem is on their end. Webcam page is showing the correct conditions, but that is the only place that it works.

Any other suggestions as to how this isn't WU's fault?

I hope they are paying you well for all the shilling you are doing in this thread. You are a better WU apologist than their public relations staff!

sam2004gp · « **Reply #24 on:** October 15, 2009, 09:03:10 PM »

As for an IP block, I don't think so, because the other station I found this problem on is roughly 120 miles away. Also WU is getting my static image, because it shows up correctly in my WU-webcam banner.

As far as the "unknown" data not appearing issues since April, have you thought about signing up as a new weather station, with a new WU Station Id?

News:

Author Topic: Wunderground Webcam 24 Hour timelapse broken. [RESOLVED] (Read 8686 times)