I know there is much frustration with the poor quality of the live image and so I asked Peter from Carnyx for an authoritative view, the result of which confirms that it is down to the lack of sufficient capacity on the BT Network.
He has allowed me to share the text with you all.
"
Hello Mike,
Thanks for the email. We are all very frustrated with the lack of quality that we are able to get onto the internet. The overriding reason for this is the lack of speed on the the BT phone line and broadband. Particularly as we have a Hi Def camera on the nest. It is about 0.22Mbps, which is roughly 20% of the norm which should be about 1Mbps.
The only remedy at the moment is upgrading the phone line. We believe BT have no plans to do this, as it is far more important to them to get ‘super fast broadband’ in cities and towns rather than give rural areas the bare minimum of service. This unfortunately is all down to making a profit rather than offering a public service. Sad times.
We do monitor the condition of the phone line and broadband which does sometimes improve a little (probably due to weather conditions), when possible we increase the quality to suit.
The fixing of the camera is a little higher than last year due to the condition of the brackets and wooden pole next to the nest. As you say, this cannot be changed for this year. I will talk to the team up there and see what the situation is with the microphone.
Chichester is great as you say as we have a dedicated broadband line that is fast enough to stream the new Hi Def camera. The Common Buzzard nest in The New Forest is in an extremely remote location with no phone line at all. Here we have a budget to stream it via a satellite system strapped to a tree.
Sorry not to be able to give you any positive outlook. Although as I mention above, if and when the broadband connection improves we can broadcast a much better picture without disturbing the nest.
Kind regards,
Peter
Carnyx Wild
I guess we can only hope that the 'roll out' of Broadband reaches LG before too long.
Birdies LG DU update.
Thanks Mike. Frustration is caused by lack of communication. I think this should settle it. It's still strange how we've had a MUCH better picture in the past.
Birdie Num Num's brilliant DU summary 2017
It is also 'strange' that other remote Osprey sites are able to stream much better quality. The phrase "Where there is a will there is a way" springs to my cynical mind!
Thanks very much Mike for getting this information on the deterioration of the view on the webcam.
Moffer I was thinking the same that the camera was much much better way back in 2011 so wondered why it was now so bad, but I guess the explanation that Peter gave Mike explains it all.
I am and always will be eternally grateful that there is a webcam on this nest/eyrie it is after all historically the most important nest in the UK, so it is such a pity that this is the situation with the camera, EJ and ODIN deserve better. Wish we could go back to the 2011 set up now lol....
EJ's Memorial Balgavies Loch Ospreys 2023
Thank you ver much for all your effort MIKE
I'm still spitting tin-tacks.
We need a contact, someone who experiences the stream the same as we do and who has knowledge of the setup at LG, technology and personnel-wise, and has clout.
How much would it cost to install satellite at LG?
Does the RSPB have satellite installed anywhere else in a similar situation? I mean, dedicated to a single "project".
Apparently, if this was a new cam setup the EU would make funds available, which (I deduce) accounts for the superb systems streaming out WTEs, hawks and ospreys from eastern Europe. Eastern Europe, if you ever did?!
Let's hope Peter can get somewhere on the no-sound issue but I am not hopeful - why didn't he already know about it? Because it's not his pigeon, it's NOBODY's pigeon, from what I can gather.
I imagine that whenever one of us goes to LG they are disarmed by the extreme busy-ness and genuine pleasantness of the staff, so are unable to disrupt them - even if there was anyone there who understood the technology and knew why the cam went up last-minute unfit for purpose. Why no mention in the blog - "Sorry about the rotten stream for you guys, and as for the absence of sound, it's a broken widget and the RSPB can't afford to replace it".
IMAGICAT
I think it's time for the Valium Scylla! Coffee clearly not doing it for you !!. LOL.
I'll see if I can get more info after the weekend.
If you check out the New Forest Camera on the Carnyx site you will see that IT uses satellite BUT is is a jointly funded project. He mentions that in his e-mail to me.
THANK YOU, MIKE (you know I appreciate you :-* )
EDIT - That was meant to be included in my rant.