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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Two points:<br>
<br>
1) You don't have to drill a hole to couple power through the
window, using an inductive power coupler (essentially a specially
made transformer you wind yourself). I read an article a couple
of months back in Elektor Magazine on how to do it (though the
author was making his own spinning object that he needed to couple
power to). There were pointers to how to calculate the size of
core, wire size, number of turns, and the dielectric attributes of
several materials.<br>
<br>
I also have done work for companies in the "smart energy"
realm, and have some circuits on how to parasitically capture up
to 150mA of waste energy from power lines (legally), again through
inductive means and using a buck circuit.<br>
<br>
2) You might consider proofing your project using a Pi, but use a
different BOM (board on module) for the same chip and specs that
will run the same embedded OS distro, but give you a hibernate and
sleep modes that will save various levels of power and solve the
Pi's power consumption problems and some other design
idiosyncrasies. You can still do it all for under $100.<br>
<br>
On 04/30/2014 06:29 PM, Ted Pudlik wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote
cite="mid:CAOD95JhfdDoC7f6=1hRVBRQUsDzM7vc+U91T=WqaFsPJDQwWhA@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
<div dir="ltr">Thank you all for your suggestions! A lot of
options to look into.
<div><br>
</div>
<div>I should clarify that although the camera is currently
indoors, I would eventually like to move it outside the
window, as Paul suggested. This would both give me a better
perspective on the feeder and remove the pane from between the
camera and its subject. But it is also why power consumption
is a concern: short of drilling a hole in the wall or window,
I can't get a cord out there.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Rodney, what solar panel do you use? My impression was
that even a 45 W panel <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=31859">will
not be enough</a> most of the year. (If I could keep the
Pi, the RPi camera is a natural choice; the sensor seems to be
of high quality, and I could always try to custom-mount a
better lens <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.instructables.com/id/The-SnapPiCam-A-Raspberry-Pi-Camera/">one
way</a> or <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/Raspberry-Pi-Camera-Board-w-CS-mount-Lens-fully-compatible-with-official-module-/281212355128">another</a>.)</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Best wishes,</div>
<div>Ted</div>
<br>
</div>
</blockquote>
<br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="80">--
Scott G. Hall
Raleigh, NC, USA
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:ScottGHall1@GMail.Com">ScottGHall1@GMail.Com</a>
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