Wecam Kaput

Bad news folks. Despite having spent literally hours and hours in the cold and darkness (another 3 hours tonight), and after having burned a hole in the carpet with a soldering iron trying to get this camera working it has all been in vain. I have butchered several cables trying to get it to work by soldering but it has all been unsuccessful. I could have attempted to get a new one on guarantee as it is not even a year old but even before I had butchered it, the cables had obviously been subjected to a lot of abuse and they would have just laughed me out of the shop. I have failed to get the camera working again and am both very very fed up but more so very very very very disappointed for many reasons, mainly because I feel this to be a rather sad way for the webcam to finish and because I had plans for it too... But I have spent too much money and time on trying to get it going again after recent problems that it is affecting my health and sanity. Since the cables are so butchered it means I can try another solder job but it doesn't look good. I don't see why what I have done does not work so I cannot see how I can improve on it. Sorry folks.

sorry to hear it dan but you have done your best i hope you will get it going again but if not thanks for all you have done and good luck will miss it cheers

Is there any way the members can club together to pay for a new cam. We all enjoy the site and I for one, would be more than happy to contribute something.

Well said Jane. I too, would be happy to make a contribution. May I suggest that all those Lambwatchers who are willing to contribute towards a new webcam let it be known on here or else send Dan a message via e-mail or the contact page.

Thank you Dave, Jane and Margaret for your comments. I will be brutally honest and say that the only way for the webcam to be back online in the short term (barring a miracle) is by the way you have just described Jane and Margaret. I do not like to turn to the community but I just cannot afford a replacement, even though it is on special offer at the moment: http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=46565 It is 99.99. If people were to make contributions for a new cam (and please do not feel this is compulsory) I think it would be best to arrange it first on here or privately if you prefer before making any donations in order to minimise the charges imposed upon donations made by paypal. Cheques would be preferable as I do not get charged to process them. Without wanting to sound pushy, but it could be possible to get the camera back online today (following a trip to maplins at lunch) if I were to have some form of assurance that some people were willing to make a contribution. I would like for nothing better than to get it back online. I have brought the current webcam into work to see if Neil of hencam.co.uk can do any better job than I in the soldering but I think it really will take a miracle. Thank you everyone for being so generous and kind.

That's a very good reduction on the cost of the cam at the moment! I would love to set one up on my hedgehog house next Spring! So its 10 of us at Ã.£10 or 20 at Ã.£5. I'm happy to send you a cheque for Ã.£10 if there are only 10 of us, but Ã.£5 if more. Just need the address, payee etc to send it.

Lambwatch has brought such happiness into my life. I would gladly send a Ã.£5 cheque for a new cam. I am totally devastated at the news that Lambwatch might end.

Thank you thank you Jane and Cindy. I think I have decided in my mind that I shall get a new one today as I am excited about the coming few days and we can sort out contributions once we know who would like to contribute. I think I might sell the old webcam on ebay too in order to help contribute to the cost - i could list it under collectibles :P

That's good news Dan... my contribution is ready to be posted.

Thank you Margaret. Please can anyone wanting to contribute to the purchase of the webcam please email using the contact page at the top of this page to send me a message and I will send you my address details. Thank you all for your kind generosity.

Neil has spent his dinner time meticulously trying to do what i failed to do last night and that is to solder the two wires together. I failed last night because there was not even any power getting through after I had tried and I thought all hope was lost. But I thought I would bring it into work today to ask Neil to see if he could use his expertise in this field (he has been known to get a USB mouse cable to successfully power a previously mains powered LCD display!) to fix it or at least confirm whether or not it was kaput. After a much more professional looking job, Neil soldered the cables together, pointing out that what I thought was just insulation wire was actually likely to be a ground wire, and, miraculously, the power came on! I took it to a dark room, powered it up and on came the LEDs!!! This was a big step forward from last night and it does look a lot more promising that the current webcam can be resurrected. I cannot test it any further til I get home where I can plug it up to the video input to see if that works. I am hoping that because Neil used the same method to connect the video cable as he did the power (which now works) that it will all work and we can all be saved from spending 100! Here is a pic of Neil hard at work on the lambwatch webcam: A big thank you to Neil. If it does work tonight it will be such good news.

Thank you Neil of Hencam - we all hope that your good work pays dividends and the webcam works tonight; we have every faith in you and what a good friend you are. More power to your elbow.. :O)

Hoping for a miracle (and putting the new subject heading back) lol

I will be willing to contribute...Dan, can you please send me your address? I do not want to see the cam go for good. To many wonderful times have been had sitting and watching the farm, not to mention the wonderful people I have become acquainted with.

Dear Andrea (and Jane, Margaret and anyone else thinking about contributing to a new webcam).... I am hopeful that there will be no need for the purchase of a new webcam after Neil working his magic on the cables this lunch time... We have to wait until tonight to test to see if it is going to work but I am feeling a lot more confident than I was this morning.

keep us posted and thank you and your family for all they do for us! you and yours are a rare find...such kindness.

hey dan! Read your thread this afternoon: I wish you good luck and I will support you in every way I can. Just let me know! I think together with the community we can make it.

Dan, i have been watching from the U.S. for a while now and would be more than willing to send funds to you for the cam or maintenance or what ever. Would you want a check drawn on a U.S. bank or how would I check funds to you. Ray

Hi Dan, I sent you a message via contact and I think you already know I am more than willing to contribute to a new cam (if needed). This is the best webcam site on the net and I believe we will do anything to help keep it going. Fi