I'm back to using Motion and USB

[chorlton2080]

With the limitations of the CSI module becoming quickly apparent for my needs, I'm back to using my Logitech USB webcams with the "motion" daemon.

I can stream to VLC, most browsers (except IE) and view using Android's IPCam Viewer with almost no configuration. This is incredible versatile software and has a low resource requirement on the RPi: I'm currently viewing a stream (via an external IP) and it is hogging only 9% CPU at 640x480. I'm running wireless and without a powered USB hub.

This isn't the place to discuss Motion, but let me know if you need any advice in setting up a timelapse, motion activated or constantly streaming output.

[jkflying]

I'm curious what kind of framerate you get from the camera, just local, not over the network. I'm thinking of using the camera for a line-following robot, and I'm wondering if the USB solution will work.

[chorlton2080]

I'm curious what kind of framerate you get from the camera, just local, not over the network. I'm thinking of using the camera for a line-following robot, and I'm wondering if the USB solution will work.

I haven't tried anything greater than 1 fps at 640x480, but I'm running headless so it does rely on the network. It depends on what resolution you are happy with: for a line-following robot I would imagine a fairly low resolution would be acceptable and therefore you might achieve a higher fps. I do wonder, however, if you would be better with the CSI camera module if framerate is your focus: it also has the advantage of being relatively low power and has built-in image filters. More expensive than a cheap webcam though and it has a fairly short stock ribbon connector.

[pluggy]

Using a camera for a line following robot is making something fairly simple very difficult.

Standard solution is a reflective IR sensor hooked up to GPIO. It takes a tiny fraction of the CPU power that analysing a moving image takes.

http://uk.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Opte ... lSMFh4ug==

http://www.parallax.com/tabid/768/Produ ... fault.aspx

[simplesi]

More expensive than a cheap webcam though

What webcam are you using?

Simon