The EnergyReadingUsingANetCam? project has fueled me with the thought of using COTS WEBCAM's and cheapass routers to do energy usage readings. Demands

• Cheap webcam's
• Cheap computing hardware with usb
• Possibility of reading multiple meters.
• Low power usage.

Cheap cams

tweakers pricewatch. Which ones will do? We need one that can transfer an image without compression with low resolution, and with as little cpu as possible.

Cheap routers

• Edimax 6104KP: 2(!) USB 2.0 ports, 5 port switch, generic linux system.

Conclusion

For 50 euro's you have a setup ( EDIMAX 6104KP with 2x Sweex Webcam) which consumes about 6W. So you will be able to count your energy pulses and count your water/gas or whatever. That's about 53kWh a year, that's about 1 euro with current prices. Oh, and you get a 5 port switch for free with that .

PROGRESS:

I've ordered:

WHAT	WHERE	price	Comments
BR-6104KP	azerty.nl	31,42	The base processor
Sweex WC001	azerty.nl	8,00	A webcam. Don't know what kind
Sitecom VP-004	www.dunnet.nl	5,95	A webcam. Some progress in reversed engineering

Tomorrow I will get my first shipment of webcams. The remainder will take a little longer I guess.