This is something on my “to do” list too.Would love to know if somebody figures out a good online monitoring system.
Regards,
Yaj.
on a lighter note … it was wrong to ask techies this questions 
can we have some low cost low end equipment s please, i do not think our farmer clients will not be able to even meet your req. spec.
Hi All,
one of my friends run a small IT Company, he do work on IP Cams and help college students for projects.
Let me check with him any cheaper and feasible solution . It was on my mind for quiet long.
Thanks & regards,
Prashant
Here’s a company based out of Bangalore that’s working on farm automation, monitoring and control systems
Hi Prashanth,
did you get a chance to talk to your friend. please keep us posted.it would help many immensely
Regards,
we have an IP camera setup with motion detectors setup for our office in mumbai. the provider is zicom. this is connected to our network and a recording device and also has infra red, the whole setup cost around 1.5 lacs about a year ago and gives me the option to connect to the office network via vpn and view the camera and the captures that were done using the motion sensors in the night. it also gives an option to monitor online
so all in all this is quiet cheap comparitively (we got around 2-3 infra red cameras and a around 3-4 normal cameras)
you can possibly get something cost effective to monitor the farm as long as you can provide power and network
regards,
Brijesh
My guess is we should be able to assemble a simple system ourselves in about 10-15% of that cost.
Hi Chandra, thats am trying to check . Solution should be economic since it will be used by our farmer friends . I will keep updating forum on any positive developments .
Thanks,
Prashant
Hi,
For wifi camera have a look at this.
thumbdrive.com/aiball/intro.html
Costs around 3.8k.
At sightly higher costs, you have a number of PTZ wifi cameras, where remotely you can pan, tilt or zoom your farm areas coupled with hooters and alarms.
Regards
Murali KG
This thread is now getting very interesting.
Murali, can you please help with the address from where the camera can be bought from in Bangalore?
The thumbrive camera runs on CR2 batteries, these are not easily available and are expensive. Rechargeable CR batteries can be found, but I doubt if these can power a wi-fi camera for more than a few hours at a time.
To remove the challenge of providing wiring to remote corners of a farm for power, It would perhaps help if each camera location is powered by a solar panel. This drives the cost up, but is a one-time solution that can also be used as a street light. The camera can be concealed in the street light mast.
Something like this, fully self contained:
Hi all,
I ebayed a found a camera with wifi + IP + pan tilt, night vision etc for around 5k. but the only thing is we need to have an internet/wifi connection near the farm which is not feasible. net net looks like this solution may cost around
One time cost:
Camera = 5k
computer /router/internet connection = 10k (Assuming a second hand one, but computer can be used for various other things during future automation)
UPS/Solar panel = 5k
Total 20k
Recurring cost:
Internet charges = 800-1000 per month
do we have any other better alternative.
Agri_lover
Based on a few reviews I read on Amazon, most cheap wi-fi cameras have trouble with colour reproduction and adjusting to too much ambient light. Here’s an example:
[quote]All of these cameras seem to have the same “flashing” problem. It isn’t clear if it is the “IR Cut” filter or some other problem. They also might as well be black-and-white given how terrible the color is. If something happened and video from this camera needed to be submitted to authorities- it would be next to impossible to actually identify anyone in it.
The “flashing” problem seems to occur at a particular light level (much too bright for the “IR Cut” filter if it is working normally), so at least twice a day (or more often in changing weather conditions) the cameras brightness rapidly changes between light and dark for 30 minutes or more. This triggers both the camera’s internal “motion detector”, as well as the motion detection algorithms in security DVR software like Blue Iris or iSpy. In other words- your mailbox, FTP server, or DVR will fill up with completely useless images, very quickly.
[/quote]
Hi CSP
You can find it in India times shopping online. Keep an eye on Times of India ads.
More you can find in x10.com/homepage.htm
PTZ cameras with Hooter or Alarms must be ok for Remote Controlling farms.
Yes this tread is getting interesting.
Regards
Murali KG
I dont know if this is relevant, but saw this Kisan Raja site of Mahindras that talks of automated irrigation, sensing of soil dryness, etc
Alrighty - I wanted to check with the fellow would-be/wanna-be/already-farmers about finding practical solutions to the challenges that we all probably will face at some point of time. This thread kinda started of well, but feel got stuck. Remote Monitoring farms probably will be one of the first basic requirement that we would hit trying to switch to farming. While some of the hardcore enthusiasts have already relocated to farm themselves, few of us would be managing both, propbably relying on some workforce who may/may not be reliable and entirely tuned into actual requirements.
Having said all this, i wanted to check if this forum would be apt in trying to Bring in a requirement to find a Practical Workable methods and then extend it through further funding to further improve/extend the solution.
Posting my requirement - Willing to fund (Upto 10K INR - Just the perfect idea. Not the actual implementation cost.) The brackets for implementation cost would be 1 Lakh INR slightly streachable.
- Farm (Plantation) Monitoring 24/7 - 5/6 Cameras (Entry and Exit Points - Gates)
- Should be equiped to monitor night as well (night vision).
- To be monitored from Bangalore.
Limitations: Power (Unreliable due to heavy rains). In Rainy seasons a tree fall (coffee plantations with huge timber trees like silver oak and also other jungle woods), which is very very frequent may mess up Power for days together (4-5 days).
Solar panels - Not sure about the cost and also during the rainy seasons, when its required most.
UPS - Not sure if some thing can sustain 4 days of power interruption within the cost factors involved.
Wind mills - Not sure about the cost factors again.
Diesel Generators - Cost Factor.
Internet connections - Power dependent and also local exchange dependent. Local Exchange also is dependent on the power. They would just terminate the phones untill power is back. GSM’s are 2G. …
The challenges last for around 4 months in a year. But frequent power interruptions are routine even other wise.
Any update on this?..
Chandra/Murali, do you have hands on experience on the products that you mentioned. I think its good to start with this ip cams if the range is good enough. I am thinking 200$ would be good to try… what say?.
regards,
gg
Hi Hegde,
Only desk research so far, but plan to try my hand it in a few weeks time.
Chandra
We started working in the same. We are looking into automatic fertigation and other electronic methods for providing hi-tech farming. We are testing our products in Farm/Green House Automation.
In case any one needs any help in this area please contact : theteamavani@gmail.com
Any update on this?