Author Topic: The Zev thread (was "Anybody want a kitten?") (Read 110078 times)

TimO · « **Reply #500 on:** 04 January, 2012, 01:22:53 pm »

He's using an Ethernet Shield with a bog standard Arduino board (probably), and you'd be better off using a Arduino Ethernet, which has the Ethernet integrated into the controller board.

Personally that looks a bit old hat, I'd use a Teensy with an XBee adapter and WiFi Module, so with the addition of a battery it could be entirely wire free.

I do have some RFID readers, which I'll probably wire up, so I can tell whether Zev and Kai are in or out, and it's relatively easy to Tweet that. Libraries exist to do the hard work for you, so the code you need to write is only a handful of lines.

TimO · « **Reply #501 on:** 04 January, 2012, 05:53:33 pm »

Amusingly, I've got the video feed from the camera going directly into VLC now, and it includes the audio from the microphone, so I've been able to listen to the sound of Zev digging away at the litter tray, and the clunk of Kai going through the cat flap!

I've yet to find any mechanism for sending audio to the speaker, so I can't make meow sounds at them, or play back recordings of bird sounds (which I used to do with the laptop and the old cameras!). It looks suspiciously like the only way to do this is to reverse engineer the ocx file, but I'm not sure I've got the time, knowledge, or inclination to undertake this. I've found reference to a number of functions; waveOutClose, waveOutUnprepareHeader, waveOutWrite, waveOutReset, waveOutPrepareHeader, waveOutSetVolume, waveOutGetVolume, waveOutOpen, StopAudio, PlayAudio and many other, which look plausibly useful, but I haven't got a clue about using them, or even trying to work out what parameters each should take.

Andrij · « **Reply #502 on:** 04 January, 2012, 08:44:25 pm »

Paging Kim. Will Kim come to the white courtesy terminal window, please.

TimO · « **Reply #503 on:** 06 January, 2012, 02:38:13 pm »

I've reinstated a job to grab images from the newer IR PTZ camera, and place them onto the CatCam webpage, so if you're very lucky you may see Kai wandering in and out, and Zev following him, as far as the catflap, and then looking confused. $:-\$

You may also see Zev using the loo, but she's more likely to use the upstairs litter tray.

The colour is a bit washed out at the moment, but I think that's because very little natural light is getting in through the window (it's a bit dull out), and the IR illuminator won't provide any colour.

TimO · « **Reply #504 on:** 06 January, 2012, 03:25:27 pm »

I saw a black and white furry face peering in the cat flap earlier on, and wondered why Kai didn't come in, but I've since realised, that there are a couple of fairly big black and white cats in the road opposite, and it could have been one of them speculatively having a look see.

Next time I shall have to check out the face more carefully.

Adam · « **Reply #505 on:** 06 January, 2012, 07:54:16 pm »

You'll have to install face recognition cameras.

TimO · « **Reply #506 on:** 06 January, 2012, 09:37:30 pm »

Didn't the facial recognition element of Apple's photography software under OSX (I forget the name) turn out to work as well with cats as it did with humans?

Edit: Ah yes, it was (is?) iPhoto 09.

Kim · « **Reply #507 on:** 06 January, 2012, 10:47:03 pm »

Just watched Kai followed by Zev on the catcam. She obviously hasn't got the hang of the catflap yet.

Kai looks really good in IR, for some reason.

TimO · « **Reply #508 on:** 07 January, 2012, 09:12:01 am »

Even today, with the cat flap wide open, she's not using. Then again, neither is Kai!

She has been up to it several time, and sat down and looked through and thought about it, but in the end decided not to risk the great outdoors, yet.

Eccentrica Gallumbits · « **Reply #509 on:** 07 January, 2012, 10:17:04 am »

Ooooh! Oooooh! She's either just gone out of the catflap or she's learned how to dematerialise!

rower40 · « **Reply #510 on:** 07 January, 2012, 10:23:34 am »

Quote from: Kirst on 07 January, 2012, 10:17:04 am

Ooooh! Oooooh! She's either just gone out of the catflap or she's learned how to dematerialise!

In the 15 seconds between frames, she might have decided to turn round and just walk out of view of the camera, IN to the room.
She's sitting and contemplating the catflap at the mo. Something will click eventually.

PeteB99 · « **Reply #511 on:** 07 January, 2012, 11:40:14 am »

Zev's trying to work it out now on catcam

TimO · « **Reply #512 on:** 07 January, 2012, 11:55:27 am »

So far, she's sat by the catflap trying to decide whether to go out, or not, at least six times without actually going!

She's currently doing it for the seventh time, and may yet decide to go out!

If she doesn't this time, I'll leave a trail of munchies out through the cat flap. Following (and eating!) those, and just stepping out into daylight may be enough to give her the confidence to stay out.

Kai hasn't been out today. I was kind of hoping he would, and she would follow him, because I've seen her do that in the past, but then get confused by the flap itself.

TimO · « **Reply #513 on:** 07 January, 2012, 12:14:36 pm »

Quote from: TimO on 07 January, 2012, 11:55:27 am

... I'll leave a trail of munchies out through the cat flap. Following (and eating!) those, and just stepping out into daylight may be enough to give her the confidence to stay out. ...

Right, that didn't quite work as I expected, all I managed to do was tempt Kai back in, eating them in reverse order!

I did shove him towards the door a couple of times, but she didn't take the hint. He's gone out of his own accord now, but she's still not quite got the nerve up to go out.

I wouldn't mind, but I'm avoiding the kitchen, so I don't distract her, and give her an excuse to not go out in favour of trying to get some food out of me!

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #514 on:** 07 January, 2012, 12:26:42 pm »

She appears to be on the outside, looking in!

TimO · « **Reply #515 on:** 07 January, 2012, 12:51:44 pm »

Indeed, she was briefly. She only stayed outside for a minute or two, before hammering back in!

Regulator · « **Reply #516 on:** 08 January, 2012, 11:20:09 am »

Quote from: TimO on 07 January, 2012, 12:51:44 pm

"How the hell does he expect me to get back in when he blocks the flap with the fabric softener bottle, eh? Tchah!! Hoomans..."

PeteB99 · « **Reply #517 on:** 10 January, 2012, 11:13:18 pm »

Zev or Kai seems to be channeling my old cat.

Kitty litter kicked all over the floor

TimO · « **Reply #518 on:** 10 January, 2012, 11:57:57 pm »

Quote from: Regulator on 08 January, 2012, 11:20:09 am

"How the hell does he expect me to get back in when he blocks the flap with the fabric softener bottle, eh? Tchah!! Hoomans..."

The reason the bottle is there, is because that's what's keeping the flap open! Zev has yet to work out that she has to push it open to go through, so just looks confused when Kai uses that to go in or out. When it's propped open, she'll wander in and out, but during the week, when I'm mostly at work, or asleep, I'm afraid she's yet to work out how to get out (or in).

The cat litter kicked all over the place is Zev. Kai has reverted to the normal cat approach of using my next door neighbours gardens.

Kim · « **Reply #519 on:** 11 January, 2012, 12:39:30 am »

I watched Zev attempting to barricade the catflap with the softener bottle a little while ago.

TimO · « **Reply #520 on:** 11 January, 2012, 09:03:39 am »

Yes, I noticed it had been knocked over, but hadn't noticed anyone doing it.

I forgot to clear it away, but it hasn't stopped Kai at any point!

TimO · « **Reply #521 on:** 14 January, 2012, 11:17:08 am »

We're doing CF-101 again. The cat flap is propped open, and both of them are wandering in and out. Kai has, predictably, confidentially wandered off and back a few times. Zev went out for five to ten minutes, which was surprising considering it is a bit brisk out there. My thermometer says 3°C, and Biggin Hill says 2.3°C. Some of the weeds in the back garden are still white with frost, where the sun hasn't hit yet.

She's come back in to check I was still here, and is now sitting by the cat flap, I think trying to get up the nerve to go out again!

Kim · « **Reply #522 on:** 14 January, 2012, 10:03:39 pm »

Tim, if your script archives images, look for one of what appears to be a fox peering through the catflap at 22:01ish! The page relaoded before I could save it...

TimO · « **Reply #523 on:** 14 January, 2012, 11:41:33 pm »

Wow, good catch!

I do archive them, but currently just into one directory, so not easy to browse! I need to rehack the code slightly.

This does justify me closing the cat flap after dark, mainly so Zev doesn't wander around when she could have problems with cars, but I wondered about foxes, although assumed they'd avoid getting close to the house because I was around. I would have either been in the kitchen or living room when that happened.

Zev's asleep behind me on one of the teetering piles of crap, and Kai's asleep upstairs on the bed. I suspect either of them would have had something to say about that visitor!

I've heard foxes yowling outside for the last couple of nights, which is common this time of year, although I heard it more when I lived in Streatham than I do in Croydon. I know there are foxes around, I've seen them in the back garden occasionally, and when there's snow down, there are clear fox tracks up the side return and through the back garden (when most domestic cats are staying indoors!)

PaulF · « **Reply #524 on:** 15 January, 2012, 08:24:03 am »

Urban foxes are pretty confident around here (Wimbledon) when are security light comes on they just carry on with maybe a brief glance to say "thanks that makes it easier to see" and quite often they wander around in daytime quietly going about their business.