!!! The Etobicoke Sun Life peregrine web cam is back live!!
September 20, 2012 - Etobicoke - Sun Life Centre
Mark Nash Reports:
September 2012
Hello All
We have some great news has that been a long time in the making, and I can now finally post the story, but in the interim, I know that it has been a very long time since the Etobicoke Sun Life web camera had been active. Well, we have some GREAT NEWS, we’re back on line - LIVE once again!!
Some history:
After more than 15 years of 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, the original Etobicoke nest web camera that we installed back in 1997 started to give us problems a few years ago,, (actually, the camera was never the problem). The older technology and way of getting the camera images to the world wide web and the CPF web site depended on a computer, a computer operating system (Microsoft) and lots of other very expensive security software and other peripheral equipment and components to actually get the camera signal to the world wide web and the CPF web site.
As you know, since theos days back in 1995, Microsoft has changed their computer operating system many times,, from Windows 95, to Windows 98, to Windows 2000, then to Windows XP, Windows 7 and most recently to Window 8. We have been there for this entire ride!
We have had the Etobicoke web cam running almost continuously since 1997.
I know, as I helped install it. Every time Microsoft changed their operating system, sooner or later, the software that was needed to process the camera image became non-functional and failed. Eventually, many of the companies that engineered, designed and developed the security software we utilized either went out of business and/or the few that did survive and were able to keep up with the Microsoft operating system changes had to start from the beginning and re-invent themselves and commit huge resources back into additional research and development to redesign and redevelop their software to work with the newer MS systems. Sadly, most of the newer this newer software quickly became out of reach for us given the cost to replace it.
As such, we did our best to patchwork-quilt the problems as they say, to keep the PC computers going for the last 5 years until it just became impossible for us to fix without some a major money investment to purchase the new software. In addition to the Microsoft operating system challenges and the software conflicts, there still remained the actual PC problems.
If your lucky, the average desktop computer only lasts 3 to 5 years on average, I can tell you with a great deal of experience if you are running them 24 hours a day, 365 days a years for 15 plus years, both the consumer desktop PC’s (and their hard drives) were simply not made to withstand this type of use. As such, we went through five different computers (at the Etobicoke nest site alone).
Each time, the new replacement PC was installed, it had to be reprogrammed, had new software installed, patches, fixes and a host of other replacement peripherals that always needed to be replace and/or upgraded.
Also remembering that all of these cameras and computers are hooked up and located on site (not at our head office) and these remote locations and distances from us caused many other very labour intensive expensive challenges.
Remember, in our early days, we had live web cameras installed at the university of Guelph, Richmond Hill town hall, Hamilton Sheraton hotel, Ottawa Crowne Plaza, Ottawa Constitution Square, Toronto King Street, the Toronto Sheraton hotel, the Mountsberg Conservation Authority and at Charleston lake out in the bush on top of a cliff at our Brockville peregrine hack box.
I can begin to tell you all of the equipment we have been through, (and had to maintain and / or) over the past 17 years. Think about all of the cameras, cabling, PC’s, monitors, key boards, mice, and allot of other peripheral components and equipment that was needed to make all of the systems functional!
I would be afraid to tell you what we have been through and the things we’re had to do over the past 17 years to do to keep them all going, (let alone to install them) over the years! Remembering that have historically never had more than four staff members (all of which are and have always been only seasonally employed by CPF) and have had had to have other employs to afford the luxury’s of working with CPF.
Well, we’re finally into the next century of camera technology where the desktop computer and ALL of the other peripheral components is no longer necessary, THANK GOODNESS!!! New technological IPZ colour HD security cameras are small, self contained and have their own computer like processors all included in a camera housing not much bigger that a small upside down cereal bowl.
With the support of allot of people working feverishly behind the scenes, and some very long late night hours week days and weekends alike, with allot of miles and travel time in between, and incredible support from our new partners and sponsors, and ongoing and continued support from some of our existing partners, we are back live!
A HUGE THANK YOU goes out to Chris and David Currie from Damar Security and their partners and supporters at Sony Security Systems, Peter at the Etobicoke Sun life centre, Kevin at Sky Reach Window Cleaning, Matt MacGillivray the CPF web master and all of the CPF staff and volunteers who stuck with us and helped make this all happen!
The man hours put in alone (aside of the preparation, equipment and supplies involved) is enough to make most people’s head spin.
Lastly, but certainly not least, to a very special supporter, Donna and Mel at Harlequin who were instrumental with the introductions that got the ball rolling for us with this revised project in the first place, and to Marion, Tracy, Bruce and Kathy and Kathy, Baylie, Dianna and Big Frank who have forever been very active behind the scenes all year long(before, during and after keeping a very close watchful eye monitoring the Etobicoke birds and keeping us all updated and informed as to the birds activities while we have been blind without a camera. Hundreds of additional man hours both off season over the past couple of years.
The second part of the story starts back in September of 2012 when we met some great folks from Damar Security Systems based out of Sarnia Ontario.
More of the story to come and some interesting photos you need to see.
Stay tuned…
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