Re: Internet Microphone?

["Anthony R. Gold" <not-for-mail@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Thanks, but I think you've totally missed the point.  I don't want to know if
there's no power - I only want to know whether my generator started on
schedule to run its weekly automatic exercise.  And as I have dual-WAN
Internet connections, why would I even consider using a telephone call?

Thanks for your interest.

Tony

On Sun, 4 Jul 2010 11:46:52 -0400, "Josepi" <J.R.M.@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> What came to mind was the people with homes in the states that get freezing
> weather.
>
> Sitting around the pool in Mexico one explained it to me. A simple
> thermostat with a resistor hooked across the phone line. Thermostat set
> about 50F degrees. Every few days they call home and the phone rings and
> nobody answers. The thermostat contact is still open. No callcost. If the
> line is busy the thermostat is chatting and they know to call a neighbour to
> investigate. Contact closed... jouse below 50F.
>
> It's simple and the concept should be able to work, somehow for your
> situation. Possibly a 120vac relay with a N.C. contact and resistor on the
> phone line. No ISP charges required. You dial it from time to time (possible
> computer modem auto?) and if the phone rings you have AC power, no long
> distance fees.
>
> This doesn't give the the sound but you know there is power and much cheaper
> than a dial up or constant IP address charge for ISP Internet charges into
> your generator all year long. Not to mention the IP webcam costs.
>
>
>
>
> "Anthony R. Gold" <not-for-mail@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:sks036l0ole2vtalbrbef1q1kgtsog5inh@xxxxxxxxxx
> Thanks for the comments but, just to be clearer, this is a real seasonal
> home
> served by dual WAN IP service (DSL and Cable) and I have no need for
> anything
> to dial out.  I just want to be able listen-in at the time of the
> generator's
> automatic weekly 12 minute "exercise" (from around 1:55pm until 2:07pm EDT
> each Friday) to be reassured that the device is in good order and so will be
> able to kick itself into service if and when the utility power fails.  If I
> found that the generator did not run on its schedule then I would be able to
> call the local service technician to visit the site and investigate.
>
> My likely monitoring place is around 4,000 miles away, as the bytes fly.
>
> Tony
>
> On Sun, 4 Jul 2010 07:34:19 -0400, "Josepi" <J.R.M.@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>> If you are going to supply a permanent phone line out there anyway there
>> are
>> probably more ideas to accomplish this. You will need a clean area for the
>> camera and modem.
>>
>>
>> Need some circuitry to cause a phone to dial you up each time the testing
>> starts. Perhaps a cell phone woul work and no copperlines would be needed.
>> Either way you will be paying a monthly bill for the communications.
>>
>> I have attempted something like this years ago and it' not the same
>> listening to devices over an audio communications device. The subtlities
>> cannot be heard without the full range of frequencies.
>>
>> How far away is your monitoring place?
>>
>>
>>
>> "Anthony R. Gold" <not-for-mail@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> news:p4p036ln4ulhd1fv3pknp2lvetfgjbv5gr@xxxxxxxxxx
>> Just to be clear, the machine is a 4 liter/litre LPG/Propane engine
>> coupled
>> to a 40kW generator in a shed-size cabinet on concrete pad out in the
>> yard.
>> The property is in a hurricane-prone region with unreliable utility
>> supplied
>> electric service.  The router etc. all run on UPS to bridge the 20 seconds
>> it
>> takes for the generator to kick in after the utility power has gone down.
>>
>> http://www.generac.com/residential/quietsource/quietsource_series/
>>
>> I'm sure I could stuff an IP webcam somewhere in there, especially if
>> running
>> via PoE, but I don't think a PC would fit nor be happy out there.  No, an
>> IP
>> webcam does not need a PC to run any software - one just needs to open up
>> a
>> TCP/IP port in the router to allow for external access.
>>
>> Okay, if a webcam is the only known canned solution then a webcam it must
>> be.
>>
>> I don't suppose anyone has a broken one that went blind?
>>
>> Thanks to all,
>>
>> Tony
>>
>> On Sat, 3 Jul 2010 22:58:32 -0400, "Josepi" <J.R.M.@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>
>>> He would need to run it off a PC. Everybody has an old PC around. It
>>> would
>>> take one to run the software anyway.
>>>
>>> I doubt he would want to pay for a fixed IP address just to listen to his
>>> machine occasionally even if you could find an IP smart (webserver)
>>> microphone.
>>>
>>> The webcams usually come with instructions for access and space on their
>>> supporting websites for small fees to observe them remotely.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> "Cameo" <cameo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>>> news:i0orao$stu$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> Where do you get $29 webcam with a built-in web server, so he does not
>>> need to run it off a PC?
>>>
>>>
>>> "Josepi" <J.R.M.@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>>> news:bRQXn.7933$3%3.93@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>> Can't think of anything cheaper than a $29 webcam with microphone and
>>>> software to do the whole thing. The video could show some gauges too.
>>>
>>>
>>
>