19 replies to this topic

[+Shikaka]

Hey All,

I have a client that needs a Webcam to work on Skype, so his employees can call him if they get stuck working a special peice of machinery, they can take the webcam over to the machine, and he can see what settings they have put into the control panel of the machine, and talk them through changing it etc, i know this isnt the best system in the world, but its the only thing we can think of that will be doable from his phone when out and about.

I have been looking at this webcam - http://www.amazon.co...61194648&sr=1-1


But it has been so long since a even owned a webcam, i wondered if you video the screen of a CRT monitor with it, will you get them black lines running down the screen? all these old engineering machines use CRT monitors and Windows 95!

Also if the webcams will be ok, can you plug them upto a PC with extra long usb cables? or are wireless webcams good?


Cheers

[Detection]

I know you're looking for webcams but my 2 cents

Remote access might be better than a webcam and probably easier to see on a phone

We used to have HTC Touch Diamond phones at my last IT job and used them for remote access, nightmare on such a small screen but it worked

The black lines could be fixed by setting the webcam to the refresh rate of the CRT I would have thought

[LUTZIFER]

That's the one I have. Absolutely love it. Works awesome. Was the top of the line but Logitech just released a new one, which pretty much looks the same.
New one is Logitech c930e
http://www.logitech....iness?crid=1252

[ashpowell]

Do they not have internet access to use screen sharing software?

www.join.me is free and there's an app for it too for mobile viewing

[xendrome]

It sounds like he wants them to be able to show him what is going on on a piece of machinery not an actual PC, so when he says "Control Panel" he doesn't mean Windows Control Panel. OP can you clarify?

[firey]

xendrome, on 18 February 2013 - 14:07, said:

It sounds like he wants them to be able to show him what is going on on a piece of machinery not an actual PC, so when he says "Control Panel" he doesn't mean Windows Control Panel. OP can you clarify?

This is what I got from it, was he wanted the ability to take the webcam over to the machine and show parts/physical control that help is needed with, not whats on the computer monitor.

[Detection]

xendrome, on 18 February 2013 - 14:07, said:

It sounds like he wants them to be able to show him what is going on on a piece of machinery not an actual PC, so when he says "Control Panel" he doesn't mean Windows Control Panel. OP can you clarify?

firey, on 18 February 2013 - 14:17, said:

This is what I got from it, was he wanted the ability to take the webcam over to the machine and show parts/physical control that help is needed with, not whats on the computer monitor.

Quote:

"i wondered if you video the screen of a CRT monitor with it, will you get them black lines running down the screen?"

[HawkMan]

you will always get the scanline on a webcam/video camera from a CRT, even if it's a 100hz screen. du to the collision between the webcams 25/30 fps and the scanlines 100, giving you the slower "wave" down the screen as opposed to a flicker.

[Detection]

HawkMan, on 18 February 2013 - 14:27, said:

you will always get the scanline on a webcam/video camera from a CRT, even if it's a 100hz screen. du to the collision between the webcams 25/30 fps and the scanlines 100, giving you the slower "wave" down the screen as opposed to a flicker.

A lot of webcams have a 50/60Hz flicker fix in the settings, not 100% sure but I always thought that was what it was for, TVs, monitors, etc

[HawkMan]

It stops the flicker bot not the dark wave. and is mostly intended for fluorescent lights actually, which flicker at 50 or 60 hz, depending on the power network in the country in question.

[xendrome]

Detection, on 18 February 2013 - 14:23, said:

Quote:

"i wondered if you video the screen of a CRT monitor with it, will you get them black lines running down the screen?"

Right I think he wants to see the whole unit, being the controls for the system, the physical control panel, and any CRT screen that is hooked up to the unit that shows it's status/job. Not the actual OS or what is running on the CRT

[HawkMan]

Give them all iPhones and use that face thingy .

or you know, just Skype on anything

[xendrome]

HawkMan, on 18 February 2013 - 15:05, said:

Give them all iPhones and use that face thingy .

or you know, just Skype on anything

I think the problem is, it's probably precision engineering equipment, so details need to be able to be seen. Especially if it's some type of fabrication machine or electronic soldering automated system.

[HawkMan]

Apparently it's just to check the settings on the computer. and trust me the computers and interfaces of these control apps are not very sophisticated. shouldn't need much.

[xendrome]

HawkMan, on 18 February 2013 - 15:27, said:

Apparently it's just to check the settings on the computer. and trust me the computers and interfaces of these control apps are not very sophisticated. shouldn't need much.

We'll have to check with the OP to find out.