Surfcam conspiracy theories

thermalben's picture
thermalben started the topic in Thursday, 3 Apr 2014 at 12:01pm

We regularly receive all kinds of email feedback when our surfcams go offline (unfortunately, they do go down from time to time - that's just one of the inherent problems when you've got computer equipment in harsh marine environments).

But with the Scarbs surfcam down for the last week or so, I've received some beauties:

e wrote:

It appears everytime the surf life saving nationals are in perth the scarb cam goes off line ..... whats the reason for this ???

.. followed by this today:

e wrote:

I believe the scarborough camera was shut down so no one can view any of the aussie races.. we would appreciate it up in next 24 hours so we can watch the races!

Hilarious! To think that we'd switch off the surfcam for a couple of weeks just to spite the clubbies...

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Thursday, 3 Apr 2014 at 12:52pm

But just to clarify what's happening at Scarbs - we did a brand new install a few weeks ago, with brand new equipment - but we don't know why it went down (hardware problems have been eliminated, as have ISP problems). 

Preliminary investigations suggest that a third party contractor undertaking some kind of maintenance at the same building last week may have inadvertently reassigned our telephone line (which supplies the camera with ADSL), but this is yet to be confirmed (hopefully today). Our electrician doesn't live in Perth, so we're trying to solve this remotely without requiring a site visit - but if it goes on much longer we will have to arrange another trip to check it out in person.

lazydog124's picture
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lazydog124 Friday, 4 Apr 2014 at 11:34am

I'd like u to go today so I can see the surf that my kids are competing in in the surf boat races.

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Friday, 4 Apr 2014 at 11:35am

We're still waiting to fix the problem, LD.

lazydog124's picture
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lazydog124 Friday, 4 Apr 2014 at 1:11pm

Waiting until when? After the Aussies?

thermalben's picture
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thermalben Friday, 4 Apr 2014 at 1:15pm

I'm waiting to hear back from my electrician. 

Why the conspiracy theories? Why would we be not wanting to broadcast the Aussies? It's a missed opportunity for us - we could be reaching even more people if the camera was operational.

I just can't fathom why so many people seem to think that we've purposefully turned the camera off! They are insanely expensive to purchase, install, stream and maintain - so I need to get as much traffic to each camera as posisble to justify the expense.

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Wednesday, 9 Apr 2014 at 1:57pm

Scarborough is back up and running. 

thermalben's picture
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thermalben Wednesday, 16 Apr 2014 at 4:37pm

Not quite a conspiracy theory, but I thought this recent feedback about our Scarbs cam was worth reprinting:

e wrote:

Trigg point is full of grom kooks, poms learning to surf and losers trying to hang on to their youth. It is the worst wave in perth and you guys showing it on your webcam makes me want to climb the carpark and smash it. Please show what your site says you are going to show or rename it trigg surfcam so I can delete your site

There’s a reason the surfcam is focused on Trigg. Despite the camera being brand new, we have observed some major hardware problems that affect the camera’s panning function (we have been granted a replacement camera, but now have to - again - book in an electrician to swap it over.. anyone ever tried to find a sparky at short notice around Easter time?).

In the interim, we’ve locked off the camera to Trigg (the most popular view, judging by the overwhelming positive feedback we've received) until it’s fixed. Hopefully Mr Angry Pants won't smash the camera while we wait for the changeover.

caml's picture
caml's picture
caml Thursday, 17 Apr 2014 at 12:26am

Actually its perths most famous wave & possibly best . Far from perths worst wave which is

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caml Thursday, 17 Apr 2014 at 12:28am

Perth

woohcs's picture
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woohcs Friday, 18 Apr 2014 at 10:08am

conspiracy theory #7 Margies surfcam...today... theres guys towing in...and, just as they're about to whip in, the camera pans away!...every time!