Technical Test Thread

LMAC the GE network link for Loch Garten Ospreys is http://www.rspb.org.uk/kml/lochgartenospreys.kml

Scylla I'm sorry, unable to help this time re WMP and Carnyx

scylla said:

Looks like we are abandoned, LMAC :-(  I thought I had the Google Earth link but it's lost.  So... BUMP for my question above and Lmac's :-)

scylla said:

Looks like we are abandoned, LMAC :-(  I thought I had the Google Earth link but it's lost.  So... BUMP for my question above and Lmac's :-)

Scylla. I just found  www.rspb.org.uk/.../index.aspx this page and the details are there so I guess you can pick up a link from there.

UPDATE. If you click the Google Earth link at the bottom of the map it will take you to the details you want.

Look what I just found from searching the RSPB site :-D

1. Google Earth instructions for tracking the Loch Garten ospreys

2. The satellite tracking page

Sorry SCYLLA, did not reply to your query as I could not help...... tBoL

EDIT... Ha, like waiting for the bus, wait for ages then three come along !;-p

scylla said:

On my "recording laptop" the RSPB webcam currently associates itself with VLC, even though it says it needs Windows Media Player.  I would like to make WMP take over but don't know what file extension to change.

(The reason for this is that the cam is taking about 10 seconds to recover from a browser refresh, I want to see if it's any faster with WMP in charge.)

Please assist.  I am only just holding it together since seeing the new Carnyx webcam page... *about to kick over the stool*.

Is this any use SCYLLA? File association dialogue box....

BADGIE, I really appreciate you trying to help, but the problem is that I am ignorant on file types and I have no idea how to access that box you've shown.  Are you on Windows XP?  I'm on 7.  Did you access the box from within WMP?  I can't find ANYTHING about settings in mine :'(

I think I found in Control Panel that my Windows Media Player "has all its defaults" - so why is the RSPB cam (as opposed to Carnyx, which I can't use at all any more because it requires clicking) using VLC? ?? ???

The reason I want to do this is to see if the cam will refresh any faster - I'm losing at least 7 seconds at the mo.

MIKE and CHLOE - THANKS!

PLEASE WOULD COLLEAGUES TROUBLESHOOT/CORRECT/ADD TO the following.

This is VERY BASIC "How to" set up VLC to record and take snapshots.

(1)

   

(2)

For speed and simplicity, I have as few icons as possible in the controls.  These are basic needs, some might like to dispense with the Slower and Faster ones.

FAFF! sliding unwanted default icons out of Line 1 (and 2, if they're there), and siding required icons from the left panel into Line 1/2 (don't worry about which if it's too much trouble) so they end up more-or-less as this.

My icons are RECORD - SNAPSHOT - STOP - PLAY - PLAY SLOWER - PLAY FASTER - VOLUME - PROGRESS BAR.  It took me blummin ages.

   

NB - the RECORD button toggles on and off, you don't need to use the Start/Stops.

(3)  Set the folder where you want your video to be saved:

  

Counter-intuitively (that's what makes VLC so difficult to get to grips with, for me anyway), select Input & Codecs on the left, and Browse to the folder you want to save your videos in.  Mine always go to my "data" partition D in their own folder, but if you may like to leave it at default, as long as you can find them.

 

(4) Set the folder for snapshots to be saved in - select Video in the left panel and Browse to folder you want to save them in:

  

Once you are playing a cam, you can set VLC to be "Always on top", so that you can carry on doing other things without losing sight of precious boids ;-)  I think that the Always Fit Window is ticked by default, but you'll need to tick Always on Top.

 

Once the above is done, VLC is extremely easy to use.  You can stretch/shrink the size of the framework when videos are playing,

Test

:)

Great. The fix seems to have worked.

Yep, between Frankie and myself my original account is now fixed :)