Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Remote camera on ice linked to PC and Internet

O.K. Dwight you started it! You gave me the idea! Now I need ideas from you and those of you here that know alot more than myself who is technologically challenged.

Here's the specs:

I have four ponds on the property from 50 to 200 feet from my PC in the house. I've got one of those Harbor Freight underwater cameras that I traded a couple of large brown trout for, that were produced on my property. Water in all ponds is gin clear in the winter.

What would it take to set up the monitor in an insulated heated box somewhere on a pier on one of the ponds, and watch it remotely live on my PC? I do have power on the ponds, but it's 110 volt and not 12 volt, but I'm sure I could use some kind of transformer for 12 volt, as this would preclude cold batteries and recharging batteries.

I was thinking the monitor by sitting on the pier in the insulated box could be easily removed when necessary. Or would the monitor even be necessary with the right gadgets? The cord would feed out through a piece of conduit through the ice to protect the cord. The monitor end of the cord would be secured to the pier for easy removal once the ice thaws.

Although I may not do this this year, in the next two to three years I will have 5 to 8 pound brook trout (yes really) in one pond, and yellow perch up to 15 inches and over 1 lb. bluegills in another. It would be fun to watch them cruising around down there.

Taking it another step, how difficult would it be to post it live on the computer via a link?

Ideas? Grin

Cecil, I have a videosender that might do the job. your welcome to it, i've had it for 8 years and never used it.
You can see what it looks like on google, type in videosender wv-050. if you think you can use it I can send it, or bring it to the convention.
When you figure out what you'll need let me know.

Cecil, Maybe you could PM me the specs, model number, what ever you have on the camera.

The things you want to do are pretty easily accomplished. You bankroll it, I'll design something that will work for you and help you set it up from my remote computer management console.

Heck, maybe we could collaborate on an article about it in PBM so others can use the information.

Sounds good. Let me see what Dwight has to say after I send him my specs.

I'll send you the specs ASAP via PM. If you want I can write the article and give you all the credit and proceeds from the article along with whatever else I need to come up with as long as it's not too awfully costly. I definitely want to compensate you as this is what you do for a living.

Maybe we can use the video sender which AP is offering?

Somebody on IceShanty.com said something about a having a capture card in my computer.

Cecil,

I don't want any compensation. Pond video above and below the surface of the water really intrigues me. As you know I like projects as well.

I'll make it worth your while somehow. I'm sure this would make a great article for Pond Boss. Maybe ship some perch fingerlings your way? That are fast growers. Or if Bruce wouldn't mind I could ship up some Condello offspring I produce in one of my ponds. Or something in the realm of taxidermy?

I bet he would like some trout for Darlene.

I'd make one of my usual snide remarks but since Dwight is being such a nice guy I'll refrain.

Bringing back this thread from 2009.

Dwight I can get a really nice ice fishing camera from a local B & T that owes me money for taxidermy mounts. Are you still game to figure this thing out?

Or I can see if they can get me the latest Go Pro Wi Fi.

I was told by the manufacturer at Aquaview their ice fishing cameras don't have wi fi capabilities though, but I am only 30 feet from the pond so a cable is not out of the question. I was interested in the Aquaview 360 if I went the route of an underwater ice fishing camera.

http://www.aquavu.com/Previous-Systems/Aqua-Vu-360.html

The camera I had originally at the beginning of this thread was a Chinese knockoff that blew up when I accidentally reversed the battery connections. No parts and no brand name. No money out of pocket though as I traded two frozen trout for it.

The water is gin clear in the trout ond with 125 brook trout swimming around and will be under the ice. They are just planted though so they are not over 9 inches.

I have the vexliar flasher camera combo for ice fishing. I tried the camera this summer and my pond is not very clear after about 4 feet but the camera was able to pick fish up at the bottom as long as they were close. After the sun goes down it really makes a difference with the quality of picture. It will go to black and white when it gets too dark out. And it has a video out plug on it too.

If it were me and given the distances that you stated:

Get 4 submersion rated ip cameras with POE and cable them back to an Ethernet switch or plug them directly into your router if you have the ports available. With this setup you can view the camera outputs locally and on the Internet as well.

This would be the way to go for the least amount of equipment expenditure with the best reliability.

I forgot to mention that these would be on 24/7 with no user intervention needed after installation. Ok, you would need to clean the camera lens on occasion.

Thanks Dwight. Why four? For 360 degree viewing?

I see someone is selling a camera here for viewing Koi for $299.98 with a 65 foot cable and 55 foot extension.

http://www.bonniesplants.com/BuyCamera.html

when the same exact camera is available for about $151.85 on Ebay here:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Security-Labs-Slc-137c-Waterproof-Submersible-Color-Ir-Camera-slc137c-/330793682954?_trksid=p5197.m1992&_trkparms=aid%3D111000%26algo%3DREC.CURRENT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D14%26meid%3D3815734931690878202%26pid%3D100015%26prg%3D1006%26rk%3D1%26sd%3D330793682954%26

Supposed to be able to hook it up to a TV, VCR, or computer and view remotely on the web if the feed is placed on a website.

Found an interesting old thread here of cameras used to view koi in koi ponds. Same principal applies doesn't it?

http://www.koiphen.com/forums/showthread.php?76028-Underwater-Cam-Pics-Just-Snapped

Did do some measuring with a measuring wheel and flashlight just now and I am 57 feet to the end of the my pier from the edge of the house foundation where I would drop in the camera another 4 or 5 feet. I would have to go up probably an addtional 20 feet to a place I can insert the cable next to a window, and another 10 feet to an unused TV in the loft. So a total of under 100 feet of cable would be needed. I assume one could connect additional cable to a 65 foot cable if needed.

BTW happened to point the flashlight into the pond and observed my newly planted 125 brook trout just about anywhere in the pond in 5 feet or less of water. All look healthy with no sign of fungus or strange swimming. None dead on the bottom either.

Going to hatch my own trout starting next fall and maybe even some tigers if I can get some female browns or eggs. I'm confident i can do it with an RAS in the basement in conjunction with an a aquarium size chiller.

Yeah I knew that would get your attention. It's just I have oodles of taxidermists that want them and I can't get them, so -- being the capitalist I am...

BTW the agitator you sent me is the best one I have out of the three I have with the other two much newer. The other ones gum up and need to be cleaned before I used them each time. It causes them not to start up. Not so with the one you sent me. At this moment it's being used at one of two high schools I set up with systems and fish. It's being used to provide oxygen while a holding tank with bluegill goes up in temperature before the fish are added to system. (Acclimating water temps.)

Just goes to show that even if your old your still useful.

Here's another underwater camera possibility, it's wireless transmitter is good for 50ft., but with 60 ft. of wire from the camera to the antenna you get more than 100ft to the video receiver recorder if you only mount the camera 5ft. deep.
It might have possibilities at $156.99.
http://www.meritline.com/video-camera-dv...CFUWo4AodR1cAdw

Looks interesting. However I has a camera with the same yellow colored plastic that was made in China and of poor quality.

I thought you wanted one for each pond.

The camera that you linked to isn't an IP camera so you need a video controller or other device to view on you computer and the Internet. You can connect that camera to a TV to view or a DVR to record but it is just a video signal and has no IP capability.

Actually no. My other three ponds wouldn't be clear enough with either an algae bloom or Aquashade.



Thanks. So is a video controller or other device expensive?

If you want to keep it simple, reliable, and go the most cost effective route an IP camera is it. One wire and direct network (PC & Internet) connection with software included to do pretty much anything one would want.

I could set it up from here. All you need to do is the physical labor part.

When you are ready to go ahead with the project, PM me. There is no sense figuring it out all a year ahead of time since this stuff is constantly improving and getting less expensive.

You can get Cat5 or 6 direct bury cable pretty cheap, you wont need conduit. You can run that 300 feet. Fiber is not too expensive either. Maybe look at lightening protection also.