Webcam for your buns?

[ariusshadow]

I'm looking to set up a bunny cam since we're going away a lot this summer. We will have friends staying here to watch the buns, but I would like to keep my own eye on them for when I miss them.
But I have NO idea where to start! I don't know the first thing about it. And my boyfriend knows more about it than I do, but he can't really do anything without some thoughts to go off of because he's never really set anything like this up before, either. I have 3 places I'd like to set up a bunnycam. 2 places with buns, and one for my ratties. I can obtain 3 very cheap webcams no problem... But I have no idea how to get them to stream live video or anything. :\
Any suggestions? How do you guys do it?
I don't have an iphone. Or a cell to do any of this on, since I know a couple of people on here use iphone apps... But I'm looking for something to do on a computer from somewhere else. I'm just going to my folks house, ya know? They have a computer there. x.x;

 

[hln917]

I'd send Helen, Kirbyultra a note, she uses hers all the time.

 

[ariusshadow]

Yes but her is pricey... I've already looked up what she owns.. I can't afford $80 cameras.. :\ I was hoping for a more technical response, I guess.. Someone to maybe tell us how to stream from a normal webcam, to a website...

 

[kirbyultra]

If you use a regular webcam, like the really cheap ones that connect to a computer, you need your computer on firstly, and secondly you need your friend to initiate the streaming (like if you were to do a web chat/IM). There are websites like uStream that will let you do broadcasts but I doubt they will let you stream endlessly for days, but check just in case they do! I used my $5 cam to stream Kirby and Penny's bondig sessions on uStream for about an hour. In any event to do it that way you'd first need 3 PCs to hook up 3 cheap cameras to do 3 separate live streams... Hence the advantage of the cameras that independently stream directly to your home router (without going through a pc) and have their own webserver built in for you to connect to via your parents' internet (replaces the need to use a service like uStream). You pretty much get what you pay for -- but, there are tons of webcam manufacturers. I love my $80 dlink dcs920, but I'm sure someone else makes something like it for cheaper. I once saw my camera for $69 on sale, though.

Btw, I use my iPhone/iPhone app to view my cams out of convenience, but I could just as well use a PC, which is what I will do when I'm out of the country and dont have a cell phone to use.

 

[kirbyultra]

I thought I would add:

If you buy an independent webcam they're called network webcams since they connect directly to your home/business network. Wired ones are always cheaper than wireless. But be careful when you buy wired. If you buy PoE wired, make sure you have a PoE router at home or you will have bought an expensive cam and have no way to use it. Power over Ethernet means the camera gets it's power from the router via network cable, eliminating the need for plugging in am extra cable to a wall socket. Wireless cams which use wifi all require you to plug in a power cable. It's "wireless"ly networked, but not cordless.

 

[ariusshadow]

I'll let my boyfriend look at this thread. He's a bit more in-tune to the tech stuff. I have some knowledge, but he has the brainpower to understand it all. I'll have to talk to the people that will be watching the buns while we're gone, to see if they'll turn on the cam every once in a while or something... And in the meantime, start saving my pennies... It's too bad there's no way to set up a webcam on a constant stream without paying out your bunnybutt.

 

[kirbyultra]

The holidays are just 6 months away Maybe something worth gifting

 

[Shaded Night Rabbitry]

i'm not sure about how long they'll let you, but I've been on streamed on livestream for 8+ hours.



o.o; I want to do something epic this summer. hmnnn...

 

[ariusshadow]

Shaded Night Rabbitry wrote:

i'm not sure about how long they'll let you, but I've been on streamed on livestream for 8+ hours.



o.o; I want to do something epic this summer. hmnnn...

Thanks, I'll look into it.