Rochelle Webcam Update

[trainfan1221]

They nshould put a big spotlight so we can watch it at night, too.

[bcammack]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Bergie

Here are some things to keep in mind with the Trains.com Rochelle web cam:
A) The City of Rochelle serves the web cam, so we cannot provide a picture updated more frequently than every 3 seconds without using more of their bandwidth
B) As far as sound goes, see point A. Sound equals more bandwidth.
C) As far as controllable cams, I personally think they're too risky. If you get someone at the controls who either doesn't know what they're doing or has a slow connection that doesn't respond quickly, you end up looking at everything but the train that just went by.

Erik

Erik,

The only two things I find to be negatives about the web cam are that at higher screen resolutions, the image becomes too small for my eyes to really resolve any reasonable detail from and that, after a minute or so, it tends to "time out" and stop updating.

I don't know about the latter issue, but the former could be addressed by an enhanced Java client that would, at the very least, offer the user a choice of image sizes to scale the content into. Much like the way the various mapping services offer you the choice of a small, medium, or large map image to view. This sort of enhancement would have no impact on bandwidth and would not requre interaction with Rochelle.

[bcammack]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Bergie

Here are some things to keep in mind with the Trains.com Rochelle web cam:
A) The City of Rochelle serves the web cam, so we cannot provide a picture updated more frequently than every 3 seconds without using more of their bandwidth
B) As far as sound goes, see point A. Sound equals more bandwidth.
C) As far as controllable cams, I personally think they're too risky. If you get someone at the controls who either doesn't know what they're doing or has a slow connection that doesn't respond quickly, you end up looking at everything but the train that just went by.

Erik

Erik,

The only two things I find to be negatives about the web cam are that at higher screen resolutions, the image becomes too small for my eyes to really resolve any reasonable detail from and that, after a minute or so, it tends to "time out" and stop updating.

I don't know about the latter issue, but the former could be addressed by an enhanced Java client that would, at the very least, offer the user a choice of image sizes to scale the content into. Much like the way the various mapping services offer you the choice of a small, medium, or large map image to view. This sort of enhancement would have no impact on bandwidth and would not requre interaction with Rochelle.

[bcammack]

Erik,

I played around with the source to the Rochelle web cam page and found that you only have to increase the X and Y dimension values of the image to increase the size of the web cam display. I accomplished it easily running locally.

The image suffers, of course, from the scaling and becomes a bit grainy and with some "jaggies", but it still makes it more enjoyable to watch because I can make out a lot more detail.

I really would love to see a button on the web cam page that says "View larger image" that would take me to an alternate page with the X and Y dimensions doubled.

[bcammack]

Erik,

I played around with the source to the Rochelle web cam page and found that you only have to increase the X and Y dimension values of the image to increase the size of the web cam display. I accomplished it easily running locally.

The image suffers, of course, from the scaling and becomes a bit grainy and with some "jaggies", but it still makes it more enjoyable to watch because I can make out a lot more detail.

I really would love to see a button on the web cam page that says "View larger image" that would take me to an alternate page with the X and Y dimensions doubled.

[Anonymous]

I got an idea,lets put a webcam on eather side of the diamonds for a better view of the trains.
mr.love.

[Anonymous]

I got an idea,lets put a webcam on eather side of the diamonds for a better view of the trains.
mr.love.

[Anonymous]

I like the idea of sound or a pop up but i like it the way its but trains should have on set up in a tower in Dolton

[Anonymous]

I like the idea of sound or a pop up but i like it the way its but trains should have on set up in a tower in Dolton

[Anonymous]

I love going to Rochelle to see the trains in person and when not able to love watching the web cam and agree with the others that would like to have a web cam facing the east and seeing the trains travelling towards the park and pavillion...it is a wonder ful park no matter what the season...also would love to be able to see the workings of the new UP intermodel yard up close and personal...it is huge but lots of security..

[Anonymous]

I love going to Rochelle to see the trains in person and when not able to love watching the web cam and agree with the others that would like to have a web cam facing the east and seeing the trains travelling towards the park and pavillion...it is a wonder ful park no matter what the season...also would love to be able to see the workings of the new UP intermodel yard up close and personal...it is huge but lots of security..

[Anonymous]

thanks trains for your support of webcam. thanks trains for all the opportunities available on yer web site. i am sure rochelle would improve the cam. all the rail pals from all over the world come there and spend money in town . put some of that into improvements of camera.thanks again train mag

[Anonymous]

thanks trains for your support of webcam. thanks trains for all the opportunities available on yer web site. i am sure rochelle would improve the cam. all the rail pals from all over the world come there and spend money in town . put some of that into improvements of camera.thanks again train mag

[Anonymous]

I like the web cam, but it could be improved if there were additional cams placed on the overhead signal towers near the diamond. Just my thoughts......

It is a great RR park to visit any day !!!

[Anonymous]

I like the web cam, but it could be improved if there were additional cams placed on the overhead signal towers near the diamond. Just my thoughts......

It is a great RR park to visit any day !!!