PDA

View Full Version : Rugged mini computer to conquer raccoons?



Mr. Picklesworth
October 23rd, 2008, 09:14 PM
Yes, I've gone crazy with a death-wish for racoons. I must have vengeance on them, and a little motion-activated water sprinkler isn't doing it. It must be a motion-tracking fountain of FEAR!

The thing is, any commercial solutions are stupidly expensive. There is software out there to take a video input and follow the most significant point of movement and it is not too much to ask for a webcam to see infrared clearly. (The really cheap ones do particularly well at that, conveniently).

So I want to set up a little Linux box outside to power the various devices that operate out there. I looked at Linutop, but it is obviously not meant to be used outside. At least not by default. I would have to come up with some kind of box for it.

I would love having Linux running on here so I could just throw in some generic computer parts and get something working. Maybe wifi so it could be controlled from afar, for extra points.

Anyone know of some nicely priced mini PCs, maybe some that are meant for sitting outside?

cariboo
October 23rd, 2008, 10:43 PM
With the amount of rain you get down there, it would be pretty hard to find anything that will wotk outside :)

Jim

bwhite82
October 23rd, 2008, 11:32 PM
I used to have problems with raccoons here. Putting a stop to their food source (my trash bin) by placing a cinder block on top, eventually drove them away after about a week.

In short, find out how they are sustaining themselves and eliminate that source. Problem solved. Of course, If you wish to fiddle with gizmos and sprinklers and the like, then do continue along your current path. As they say, sometimes its the "thrill of the hunt".

-Cheers!

myusername
October 23rd, 2008, 11:40 PM
why settle with a sprinkler when you can just use land mines and a flame thrower?

Mr. Picklesworth
October 24th, 2008, 12:10 AM
In short, find out how they are sustaining themselves and eliminate that source. Problem solved. Of course, If you wish to fiddle with gizmos and sprinklers and the like, then do continue along your current path. As they say, sometimes its the "thrill of the hunt".

Well yes, their source is my pond :P

I suppose a raccoon-friendly pond could be an interesting spectacle, if I give up entirely. Or a pond full of land mines. Whichever edge of sanity I fall off of first.

bwhite82
October 24th, 2008, 12:14 AM
Ah, a pond you say....well you can't very well eliminate that source (unless you want to bull-doze some dirt into it). I say rat poison. Though this solution is a might less humane and could harm other creatures to include domestic pets. Quite the quandary...quite the quandary...