Web cams on websites?

Everything to do with using your own website to advertise your rental property. Design, usability, hosting, getting listed on the search engines, optimising your site, pay-per-click, etc, etc.
User avatar
Mountain Goat
Posts: 6070
Joined: Wed Apr 19, 2006 1:31 pm
Location: Leysin, Alpes Vaudoises, Switzerland
Contact:

Web cams on websites?

Post by Mountain Goat »

Has anyone tried a webcam at their property, feeding your website?

We had some success with a 60 quid eBay special, until the snow and ice hit, and the cam went into hibernation for the winter. We think we've found the right one now, all-weather etc., but a bit concerned (a) about cost and (b) how the image appears on the net, and how much to allow viewers to fiddle with it (they can pan left/right and up/down).

Why? Well, practical value (security, checking how deep the snow is, whether snow clearer is required etc., make sure the punters are behaving), attractive to potential renters (yes - you can see we've got snow) on the website, and those extra links (stacks of sites keen to show the image or link), especially ski sites.

Downside? Punters feel they're on Big Brother, or just might be a bit creepy if a geek in Shanghai wants to crank it around at 0300 in the morning.

And yes, one really has to have broadband....

Any comments appreciated.
Last edited by Mountain Goat on Tue Apr 25, 2006 9:33 am, edited 1 time in total.
mvus
Posts: 118
Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2005 8:56 am
Location: Andalucia, Spain

Post by mvus »

On webcams in general, I've yet to see one that looks any good or makes an area look appealing. Mind you, I haven't looked at many as those I've seen were very poor quality. Also, if it's bad/depressing weather, is that the message you want to give to potential clients

Obviously a different situation for you in a ski resort but if I rented a summer villa and found one overlooking the garden and pool I would be livid
User avatar
Mountain Goat
Posts: 6070
Joined: Wed Apr 19, 2006 1:31 pm
Location: Leysin, Alpes Vaudoises, Switzerland
Contact:

Post by Mountain Goat »

Weather, no problem - we're way above it...well, most of the time.

I've seen some really good cams, and some grotty ones. I'll post up a selection. The best quality images are from small IT companies whose imagination re view extends to their industrial estate car park and/or their office Coke machine, but I'll try.

I can see your point about the pool - we're sticking to the view (stunning, awesome etc.) and access, which wouldn't invade privacy etc.
Goat

Here's a good practical one, but warning - parental permission advised - hissing Madagascan cockroaches are rather a specialist taste and we couldn't get the sound to work either, or maybe they're asleep:

http://cricket.biol.sc.edu/usc-roach-cam.html
Last edited by Mountain Goat on Tue Apr 25, 2006 10:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
Martha
Posts: 2289
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 7:01 pm
Location: Chamonix

Post by Martha »

Hi mountain goat! we are in the process of buying a chalet in Chamonix, so we will be quite close to you :)
I was wondering about this too - we could put one in to show the view fairly easily - but I don't think we will, mainly because there's a good chance of it looking a bit unappealing, especially in early winter, and we can easily link to the higher ones anyway if we do want to. I'd rather show the view in its best possible light with really good photos than risk an off-putting grey day - and with webcam quality, a grey day looks worse than it is in reality....
User avatar
Mountain Goat
Posts: 6070
Joined: Wed Apr 19, 2006 1:31 pm
Location: Leysin, Alpes Vaudoises, Switzerland
Contact:

Post by Mountain Goat »

Hello, Firebug, good luck in Chamonix...

This grey day thing needs thinking about, I can see the problem. I suppose one could switch it off with a Service To be Resumed notice when weather's bad. When it's snowing, of course, one can't see much anyway.
Martha
Posts: 2289
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 7:01 pm
Location: Chamonix

Post by Martha »

I think perhaps 2 x 360 views, (summer and winter) shot on really nice days, would probably be better than a webcam...
opinions?
Martha
Posts: 2289
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 7:01 pm
Location: Chamonix

Post by Martha »

thanks!! :D
User avatar
TravelPixel
Posts: 52
Joined: Mon Apr 03, 2006 9:59 pm

Post by TravelPixel »

I would recommend using a QTVR (or similar panorama package) to show a virtual walkthrough of your property.

Make sure its looking really good and carefully prepare the 360 degree images in every room. Then using QTVR authoring studio ,or similar, link the panoramas together and provide a top down map of the property too.

You could also do the same for the surrounding areas, or places that may be of interest to holidaymakers who wish to stay in your property.

Do bear in mind QTVR panoramas can be quite bandwidth intensive so offer them in a seperate page away from the main content.

Dave
User avatar
Mountain Goat
Posts: 6070
Joined: Wed Apr 19, 2006 1:31 pm
Location: Leysin, Alpes Vaudoises, Switzerland
Contact:

Post by Mountain Goat »

QTVR
Dave
I'm only allowed one new toy a year, and this may bust the budget - the all weather webcam was hovering around the £350 mark ++ if you pay import taxes from the States (less if I can get 2 or 3 orders together - they're keen to have some of their kit up and running in Europe).

Can one hire a QTVR and/or the operator to go with it? Doesn't sound the sort of kit which is too user-friendly. I did see a company offering a package once, but it seemed expensive, and somehow I felt it a bit too flash for our potential guests.

Goat
Last edited by Mountain Goat on Tue Apr 25, 2006 2:20 pm, edited 3 times in total.
User avatar
Mountain Goat
Posts: 6070
Joined: Wed Apr 19, 2006 1:31 pm
Location: Leysin, Alpes Vaudoises, Switzerland
Contact:

Post by Mountain Goat »

2 x 360 views
Firebug, my economy drive continues. Is the software/hardware for this sort of image production standard digital kit?

Goat
User avatar
Mountain Goat
Posts: 6070
Joined: Wed Apr 19, 2006 1:31 pm
Location: Leysin, Alpes Vaudoises, Switzerland
Contact:

Post by Mountain Goat »

A few webcam links, although this is a sad hobby:

Some good Italian webcams:
http://www.slowtrav.com/blog/webcams.htm

Some US cams, all powered by NetCam, which looks the best bet for middle range weather-proof hardware (around $750):
http://www.stardot-tech.com/live/netcam-live.html

Ultra-nerd cams for fans of untidy desks and not much happening (at least until they get into the office):
http://www.stardot-tech.com/live/netcam.php3

Mainly Swiss - around 700 of them (good for mountains and ski resorts, superb for traffic cams - it can be soothing watching a lone truck cruising on the Zurich bypass) - sort of hardware that resorts purchase, so up-market prices (rather spoiled by incessant Goodle ads from 20,000 Interhome rentals):
http://www.swisswebcams.ch/english/kategorien.php
Last edited by Mountain Goat on Tue Apr 25, 2006 2:30 pm, edited 5 times in total.
mvus
Posts: 118
Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2005 8:56 am
Location: Andalucia, Spain

Post by mvus »

QTVR's were all the rage a few years ago but people, timed starved and on information overload are increasingly looking for quick accessible information, jumping from one site to another.

I know one guy who had around 50 nice high quality virtual tours on about 12 properties for their small rental site who find from site stats that a very small percentage of visitors click on the room tours and virtually nobody goes past the first room tour per property

They can good for a nice location shot on sites like the worldwide panorama project where people like to see areas but it's not a deal clincher as far as renting a house is concerned and very few are done well without warped walls and curved ceilings
Martha
Posts: 2289
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 7:01 pm
Location: Chamonix

Post by Martha »

There was a good thread about producing them, on here I think...I'll see if I can find it.

I was also considering the more cheapskate option of taking the photos and stitching them together myself (this isn't hard if you know what you're doing in photoshop, and there are some programs that do it for you very well if you don't ) and then showing a small version, linking to a big one.

Or making the panorama myself in Flash - this may or may not be something you can do.

Your views look beautiful even on those small photos, so a panorama of any kind would be lovely to see :)
Martha
Posts: 2289
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 7:01 pm
Location: Chamonix

Post by Martha »

Martha
Posts: 2289
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 7:01 pm
Location: Chamonix

Post by Martha »

(disclaimer - I'm a complete beginner at the rental game - we don't even have our keys yet! so I'm speaking from my own experience of renting a place here...)

I agree that quick info is more important than qtvrs...but when you've narrowed your choice down to a few properties, a good quality panorama can be a very nice extra...

Mostly because I've always liked the abilty to see right around a property - it reassures me that it's not right next to any eyesores and can really show off the setting.
Post Reply