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About this project
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The SEGfL Bird box project is providing schools with an opportunity to share video and data streams collected from nesting boxes fitted with video cameras and other data gathering equipment. Schools throughout the region will be able to view nest box activity and share in interactive events. Details are to be found on the website which will be added to daily.
The following advice is for schools wishing to broadcast. There is no preferred equipment but sources are listed below. To be able to broadcast or recorded video, small cameras are fitted either in the top of a nesting box or to the side. Boxes come ready fitted and tested. Camera kits (Ecowatch) can be fitted to existing boxes. Analogue sometimes know as composite TV with sound signals can usually be displayed by plugging phono plugs direct into sockets on a suitable TV or video-recorder. These are typically 7mm round single holed sockets coloured yellow red or black. A small piece of equipment called an analogue to digital converter needs to be added to allow pictures to be displayed on a PC or broadcast over broadband. (This equipment changes TV pictures from the camera into digital signals that can be displayed on a PC and/or networked within school or streamed onto the internet.)
We have tested several A/D converters and the recommended option compatible with the online software is the Terratec Grabster AV250 MkII (£49.59). This is available from Microdirect and other sources. www.microdirect.co.uk
Pictures and sound can be shared between a PC and a TV by using a phono stacking lead (splitter), available from electronics outlets such as Maplins (£5.99).
www.maplin.co.uk or from West Sussex LA. (See article on building your own birdbox on this site.)
Once live pictures are broadcast to the SEGfL, they can be viewed by other PCs on the internet. One minute long web cam reports or nestbox sequences can also be recorded and added to the website. This gives opportunities for pupils to prepare their own daily newscasts. Schools wishing to join the project should first test their equipment using the ‘Test Setup’ guidance below then register for their own web page by contacting Chris Davison 01252 81 11 81 or bird.box@segfl.org.uk
No registration is necessary if you simply wish to watch or join in the Ask an Expert days.
These companies sell camera kits that are suitable for use inside a nest box:
Video cameras suitable for birdboxes: There are two versions available, Colour or Black and White. The Colour version also often has infrared for night time display.
The video will be a composite output (phono type) and will need to plug into an analogue to digital converter in order to display the picture on a PC.
We recommend: Terratec Grabster AV250 Mk II External analogue to digital video converter this requires a USB 2.0 Port on the PC (PC should be fairly new, last 2 years, to fulfil this requirement).
Terratec Grabster AV250 MkII. This is available from Microdirect and other sources. www.microdirect.co.uk
Test Setup
To allow testing of the birdbox broadcasts you will need a bird box cam or a standard webcam connected to your pc. We have created a test site:
Access details for the test site are available from the project officer bird.box@segfl.org.uk
You require a video source connected to a USB port on your computer. The computer must be connected to the internet and must be left running whilst broadcasting. It is possible to use it for other tasks. You must also check that you have downloaded and installed the Adobe Flash player.
www.adobe.com
This takes less than a minute to download.
An Adobe test page is available to check whether your school equipment is allowed to broadcast live streams is at : http://www.adobe.com/go/tn_16466
At least one of the tests must report positive if your equipment is going to broadcast successfully.
April 08 Update
The birdbox project is currently expanding to include camera feeds throughout the year from natural habitats such as nature reserves with foxes, badgers etc. A new website is being built which will provide any school joining the project with their own online publishing area. This will include the ability to stream several camera feeds, publish children's written and recorded observations. Digital video presentations may be uploaded and shared with others.
NatureCam
The new BirdBox project was expected to launch early in 2008 as NatureCam with links to the national WeatherWatch project run by the London Grid for learning (LGfL). As the new site has not been completed on time and birds are nesting, we will continue to use this site throughout the 2008 season.
Link to NatureCam...
Link to LGfL WeatherWatch...
Contact name: Christopher Davison
Email: bird.box@segfl.org.uk
Contact Telephone: +44 (0)1252 81 11 81
Address:
South East Grid for Learning Project Office
Easthampstead Park
Wokingham
UK
RG40 3DF
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