2022-02-23
365 days uptime
One year ago, i put a Raspberry Pi camera into an upcycled Ferrero Rocher Chocolate plastic container. I have not touched it since then. It survived the weather conditions really well, because it doesn't get directly hit by the Sun. The view is still clear, and water has not found a way in. Today i can proudly read the "365 days" uptime in my health logs. I wish i would get paid enough for that, i could do this forever.
I have been shooting time-lapse photography for more than four years exclusively with Raspberry Pi cameras. My code is stable and has been tested through time. From triggering the camera, to checking the health of the system, to recovering from failure, to archiving the images, to production of the videos, and to publishing the results. My solution is complete and designed to get the job done, without breaking the wallet.
All parts fit together and are automated. This particular setup also has a website with a live view for everyone to follow. The picture there is updated every hour, since almost two years. Like with my Remote Door Opening System, this required my experience with hardware and software, to develop something that just works. With my time-lapse videos, you don't need to understand technology to acknowledge system reliability.
FYI, in my final 6 years of school, i never missed a single day in the classroom. For this achievement i was given a large bottle of champagne on my last day at the Gesamtschule in Bad Godesberg, 16 years ago. I never wanted to drink it, so my parents gave it to our landlord years later.
On another note, one of our trash cans disappeared after it was taken out for emptying by the waste collection. I will remember this trick, because those provide pretty solid shelters, compared to a camping tent. And there are many other things that can be done with them too. So i'm rather surprised that they don't get stolen more often.