long:
I have used this script for several months on and
off to show me, things, video tapes, live TV, etc.
to muliple people on my local computer's website.
I made it a bit dynamic for other people to use,
and now I am releasing it. My last ARexx script
I have placed online was ARexx Web Server, which
some people may remember.
---
You will need a GVP IV24 board, of course, as well as
an image converter that can be accessed via shell. I
have included the arguments to have GfxConv 1.8 (a nice
utility by Dirk Farin located in gfx/conv) convert
the large 24bit IFF full screen images to small
greyscale 320x200 GIF. This can be simply ajusted if
you wish for a different picture type, size, or color
displayed. You also need to be running the IV24CP
program (the control panel) which you should be running
from WBStartup if you use your board a lot -- the hotkey
is defaulted to ALT-F1 if you wish to check. Also
suggested is a web server of some kind (ARexx Web Server,
AWS, etc.) for users to fetch the page from. You will
have to read the documentation for those servers if you
wish to add the directory 'RAM:webcam' to the root
directory of your site (AKA maping). I recomend RAM
operation to avoid massive harddrive usage and possible
slowdown of access.
To quit this program, simply hit control-c, or make
a directory in your RAM: called 'stopcam'.
You will need to run this program from a shell prompt.
This is because GfxCon likes a stack of over 20,000.
This program uses a neat little trick of typing the
stack command for you, and can fail if ran otherwise.
If you are running it from any custom application, you
will have to make sure the stack is set properly and
that you modify the program so it doesn't try to set
the stack also. If anyone has a better way of doing
this (address command "c:stack 20000" will not work)
let me know.
After downloading, load the script up in a text editor
such as MEMACS (in your workbench:tools directory),
ED (located in C:), CED, etc.
At the top, you will see /* Configuration Settings */.
Change the settings as you wish.
location="ram:webcam/"
This directs to the webpage location directory. Make
sure you include a trailing '/' or else you will get an
error.
temp="ram:"
This is where the image is captured to; from the IV24's
frame buffer. RAM is the fastest to convert an image
to and from, unless you have some magical 10ns media
device that I don't know about.
index="internet:www/webcam.html"
This shows where the webcam HTML document is. This is
nice if you have the webcam create a directory in RAM:
to avoid constant copying when you run the program.
log=1
This will show date and time information as to when the
image was taken, converted, and placed online.
time=120
This is the time delay between image captures. Please
note that the time that it takes to digitize and convert
the image is not included in this time.
imagecon="work:gfxcon"
This is the image converter. I suggest using gfxcon,
since the proper arguments have been figured for you. It
is also a great program :-)
imagearg="FORMAT gif SIZE 320 200 COLORS 256"
These are the arguments for the image converter. Before
these arguments, it is assumed that the TO and FROM
image filenames come before this. Make sure you change
this at the bottom if you have some different program.
Please note the following:
The IV24 has no background digitizing processes I know
of. If you have the monitor pluged into the IV24 output,
you will see the digitizing in progress every so often.
This can be cumbersome when trying to use the computer
and the webcam at the same time. I suggest you put your
monitor on the Amiga's video out if you wish not to see
it grab. REMEMBER TO TURN YOUR COMPUTER OFF FIRST!!
I am not responsable for your monitor being blown up
due to you hot plugging it.
Image converting on a A3000 030/25 (like I have) is quite
slow compared to other digitizers which handle things
differently. that is because (on my setup for instance)
My computer is digitizing a 736x482 image in 24 planes.
This image is a megabyte or so, or perhaps 700k with
IFF compression on. When converting it down to 320x200
in greyscale 256, expect some time delay. It takes me
about 45 seconds. It maybe very fast on other setups,
but I have not yet tried.
If you make any modifications to this script, please send
a copy to me (cmdo@gte.net) because I am always looking
for a better/faster way to do things :-) You may then
place it on aminet or such after doing so.
Technically, you could possibly change the IV24 addressing
portion of the script to other framegrabbers as well. If
you do this, let me know. Perhaps we could come up with
a large webcam archive that supports many boards and
executes joint features.
Bugs:
o There was a bug that lost pictures and delayed them.
I fixed it just before i archived this release. It
might have made a good feature ;-)
o Let me know if you run into any .. lets hope you don't.
Future:
In the future I may include:
o FTP support (for now I suggest for now you use FTPMount.
Simply save it to FTP:yourftpsite/cam.gif or whatever)
o Possibly more web cams for other video boards if people
are interested.
o A GUI?
o A custom webcam web server?
o Suggestions?
Disclaimer:
THIS SOFTWARE IS AS IS WITH NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. I AM
NOT RESPONSABLE FOR ANY USE OR MISUSE OF THIS SOFTWARE AND/OR
COMPUTER HARDWARE. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A RELIABLE FORM
OF COMMUNICATIONS. THIS SOFTWARE IS NOT INTENDED FOR
CRITICAL OPERATIONS SUCH AS SECURITY OR LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS.
I AM NOT RESPONSABLE FOR ANY ILLEGAL USE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
webcam.rexx for GVP's IV24 -- copyright 1997, All Rights Reserved.
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