Raspberry Pi Camera boards

[Ben Lyall]

Now that the camera boards seem to be in stock at the major Raspberry Pi players, has anyone placed an order and/or received theirs?

I've got two on order that should be here soon, and I'm looking forward to having a play to see how I can control it from the command line and capture images all over the place!

I've got no real reason for getting one other than tinkering, but that should be excuse enough around here! :)

Ben.

[David Lyon]

It might be possible to make something useful using it. Like a movement detector for the kitchen. Stop people raiding the fridge at night (or may not) :-)

I downloaded and installed a package called 'motion',

It's very straightforward with the command "sudo apt-get install motion" then "sudo motion &" to start the package.

When you start it, 'motion' captures from the camera (in my case a usb-webcam) and writes the files to /tmp/motion.

The official Raspberry-Pi camera appears to be a Toshiba-CCD camera.

I was able to use ffmpeg to reconstruct a video sequence from a bunch of jpgs, and that was pretty fun.

[tubular]

Thanks Ben.  I hadn't realised they had been released - last I heard was from Alex from Pi Foundation when he was out here, and that was a few months back now. 

I ordered one for possible use with the door access system, should turn up tomorrow

cheers

Lachlan 

[Luke Weston]

"I ordered one for possible use with the door access system, should turn up tomorrow"

Don't you think this is going a bit overboard?

It needs to be a usable door for members to access the space, it doesn't need a camera.

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[Andy Gelme]

hi All,

On Sun, May 19, 2013 at 8:18 PM, tubular <lac...@tubularcontrols.com> wrote:

I ordered one for possible use with the door access system, should turn up tomorrow

On 2013-05-20 01:59 , Luke Weston wrote:

Don't you think this is going a bit overboard?

It needs to be a usable door for members to access the space, it doesn't need a camera.

Given that Lachlan is very experienced and gets plenty of stuff done ... I doubt very much that he intends to slow down the door access project from reaching the initial goal (sans camera).

Whilst it is not an immediate priority ... over time building some form of security system that monitors the space when members *aren't there* to discourage theft (or at least have images to hand over to police) is a worth while goal.  The door access project can be used to indicate that the space is closed (no members around) and some motion detection software on the camera input stream can flag images and send a message.

More immediately, putting a camera on the Raspberry Pi on the desk next to the server rack ... with an aim to put vision on some of the roving robotics projects that members are working on is a good thing.  Perhaps a Raspberry PI with camera can form the basis of the Wheatley project.

Discouraging members from bringing recently available technology, like the Raspberry Pi camera, into the space for everyone's benefit (to get some experience) appears completely at odds with what the CCHS is all about.

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[Geoff]

Lachlan

Do you think an old pair of powered PC speakers would be suitable to provide audio for this project?

Regards

Geoff

[Darren Freeman]

On Mon, 2013-05-20 at 04:00 +1000, Andy Gelme wrote:

> Discouraging members from bringing recently available technology, like
> the Raspberry Pi camera, into the space for everyone's benefit (to get
> some experience) appears completely at odds with what the CCHS is all
> about.

From my reading of the conversation, I believe the suggestion was made
that the camera be for the door access system, not for general fun and
games. The reply was that this is going overboard, specifically for the
door access.

As a member who is hoping to get door access someday, I would like to
add: pretty-please just make it work and don't worry about the camera :)

Have fun,
Darren

[Luke Weston]

"From my reading of the conversation, I believe the suggestion was made
that the camera be for the door access system, not for general fun and
games. The reply was that this is going overboard, specifically for the
door access."

Exactly.

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[David Lyon]

On Mon, May 20, 2013 at 1:59 AM, Luke Weston <reindeer...@gmail.com> wrote:

"I ordered one for possible use with the door access system, should turn up tomorrow"

Don't you think this is going a bit overboard?

It needs to be a usable door for members to access the space, it doesn't need a camera.

One nice library for the Raspberry-Pi is Chatscript:

 - http://sourceforge.net/projects/chatscript/

It can be connected with voice-control.

I know that one potential use for a camera-board on a Pi is within an intelligent doorbell.

Instead of an Electronic Buzzer on the front door, the Pi answers and starts a conversation
with the door-knocker.

For example, Electricity Salespeople, Religious Doorknockers, and Roof-Painting Canvassors
and any of the other myriad of people that seem to knock on the door during the day.

"Hi, is the Home-Owner there?" Pi answers, "Yes, wait a minute". "Please wait, btw how much is it?"
"That seems expensive, can't you do it cheaper?" etc etc.

Projects like this might sound ridiculous, but somebody is bound to make one up sometime soon.

Those pi camera's are really just the same camera's that are in netbook pc's. Only a little less integrated
and a lot more hackable.

[tubular]

OK be warned.    Unless we get a server soon I'm going to add one dubious and potentially redundant feature *per week*   :)

Really, Luke and Darren, there is nothing to be scared of.   We can muck around on the spare Pi if that helps

[Mathew McBride]

On 20/05/2013 9:25 AM, tubular wrote:

OK be warned.    Unless we get a server soon I'm going to add one dubious and potentially redundant feature *per week*   :)

Really, Luke and Darren, there is nothing to be scared of.   We can muck around on the spare Pi if that helps

And speaking about the server - I was given access to one last week (thanks John Spencer!), once I get everything installed Tuesday we'll start with a small trial for a limited set of users.

For mass release I have a small wish list of supporting infrastructure that should be in place first - integration with TidyClub, getting the 'shield' I/O board done, LCD screen facing outside etc.

- Matt

[Geoff]

OK, I believe some work was done on the server last Tue. But no one said it was done by the time I walked out the door.

This week we will be adding Big Brother to watch over us, so next week could we please add audio. I will look for some old PC speakers.

Big Brother needs a voice!

[Andy Gelme]

hi Luke,

On 2013-05-20 06:28 , Luke Weston wrote:
> "From my reading of the conversation, I believe the suggestion was made
> that the camera be for the door access system, not for general fun and
> games. The reply was that this is going overboard, specifically for the
> door access."
>
> Exactly.

No, not really. You leapt to a highly unlikely conclusion.

The door access project will make progress (or not) based on people
identifying and doing the priority tasks, e.g putting in place a server
(to replace the compromised notebook) and on-going testing of the
hardware / software that is already in place.

Bringing a Raspberry Pi camera into the space for learning / experience
(a good thing) or sending disapproving emails in response will neither
hinder nor help the door access project.

Concern about the progress on the door access project would be better
addressed by asking where is it at, what needs to be done ... and for
other members to offer help where they can.

[tubular]

Guys, lets move all the NFC door discussion over the CCHS Kent Lane thread and keep this thread for its intended title.   I didn't realise we had a server installed.  We can push on...

David thanks for those links that might be a good place to start experimenting.   A conversational doorbell, sounds like something out of hitch hikers' guide to the galaxy.    ~10~12 years ago Douglas Adams gave a talk at Jeff's shed, and at that time the parking meters in the basement of Jeff's shed used to talk to you.   I always wondered what he would have made of that... 

[David Lyon]

On Mon, May 20, 2013 at 11:32 AM, tubular <lac...@tubularcontrols.com> wrote:

David thanks for those links that might be a good place to start experimenting.   A conversational doorbell, sounds like something out of hitch hikers' guide to the galaxy.    ~10~12 years ago Douglas Adams gave a talk at Jeff's shed, and at that time the parking meters in the basement of Jeff's shed used to talk to you.   I always wondered what he would have made of that... 

Here's a link to the voice-control adaptation that's currently 'hot' for the Pi:

 - http://stevenhickson.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/voice-command-v20-for-raspberry-pi.html

There's some interesting reading there and in his other blog entries.

[Darren Freeman]

On Sun, 2013-05-19 at 16:52 -0700, Geoff wrote:
> This week we will be adding Big Brother to watch over us, so next week
> could we please add audio. I will look for some old PC speakers.
>
>
> Big Brother needs a voice!

Oh dear. Now he can tell the housemates, I mean, spacemates, that they
are to hop on one foot outside for an hour. Wearing nothing but a
sandwich board that says "Get naked with CCHS".

Any that don't comply will be up for elimination at the next meeting :)

Have fun,
Darren