Web-cams for your desktop
This probably won’t work on your network, I asked, but was told no way, it’s too subversive to change your desk top! 
But some of you may use stand-alone laptops.
Basically, you can have static; but periodically updated web-cam images on your desktop. Some excellent images can be found at Global Desktop, I particularly like the Tokyo one.
Thanks to Terry Jones for the technique, it was new for me.
Instructions for Xp.
- Right click on the desktop and choose properties.
- Choose desktop and customise desktop.
- In the dialogue box, make sure that Internet Explorer is checked.
- Click web and then new.
- In the dialogue box, paste the url of the web-cam page or image that you want to display on your desktop
- Click OK, a new dialogue box will appear asking you if you wish the page to be viewable offline, click OK.
- Click OK on the desktop dialogue box.
- In the display properties box, click apply, and then ok.
- The webcam will appear on your desktop as a window.
- If you move the cursor to the top of the window a menu will appear, click on the arrow symbol and the menu will descend, choose cover desktop or split desktop with icons.
Bob’s your uncle…
April 6th, 2007 at 11:51 pm
You could also make your own webpage and just save it on your local computer with different pictures from static cameras on it and use a java script auto refresh. Then link to it using the active desktop.
This way you could format the pictures from the cam to a specific size and put more than one image on each page.
Through a google search I found this auto refresh java script:
http://www.javascriptkit.com/script/script2/autofresh.shtml
It seems to be working for one picture right now. I need to test it out some more to see about the formating and putting in more than one picture.
April 7th, 2007 at 1:14 am
The Monterey Bay Aquarium has windows media webcams.
http://www.mbayaq.org/efc/cam_menu.asp
April 7th, 2007 at 10:12 am
Thanks very much, some great ideas, which I’ll investigate further. I like the Monterey Bay Aquarium cams
April 15th, 2007 at 9:50 pm
I have a template if you want it to add your own static images. I have one that updates every 30 seconds, but you can easily change that. You could add the webcam images using html or pull the template into Frontpage or Dreamweaver (or your editor of choice) to change the layout and add more pictures.
Also, the Smithsonian National Zoo has a bunch of live windows media streaming cams: http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/WebCams/
April 15th, 2007 at 9:57 pm
That sounds great, I’d love a look at it. Thanks for the link, just watching the Gorilla cam