Client/server Webcam stream transfer (college project)

MrNobody · Member Joined: 24 Oct 2006 Location: Malaysia

Hi..
For my college project, I am doing remote control car that can be controlled through the internet.
A laptop is attached to the top of the car and it moves with the car. Because of that, i need a webcam connected to the laptop so that i can see where the car is going..

For the project, my part is to write a program to transfer the webcam stream real time from the laptop to another computer..
I need advice on what language to use to write the program. It is kind of like a client/server environment and the server send the webcam stream to the client.

There should be a box where u can enter the IP of the server (laptop).
There should also be a "ON" button where u can turn the webcam on or off.
If possible, it would be good if i can add control to the program to turn the webcam right or left (using motor and parallel port programming).

Between C++ or VB, which language is more suitable to write this client/server program..?
I am new to both of the language so, if u know where i can get the tutorials that can guide me in this project then it would be very helpful..
Thanks in advance..

MrNobody · Member Joined: 24 Oct 2006 Location: Malaysia

umm.. really sorry about this but, 24 views and yet nobody not a single reply..?
I don't want code nor want anybody to do my work for me..
All i need is some advice or tutorial to get me (a newbie) started..
hope that is not too much to ask..

JohnnyMalaria · Member Joined: 29 May 2006 Location: United States

"Controlled through the internet" can mean a couple of things:

1. You want to use a web browser
2. You want to use a different interface that doesn't require HTTP

For the first option, you probably need to have an HTTP server (with Windows XP Pro, this already exists as 'IIS'). Depending on the frame rate you need from the camera, you could simply have a webpage that serves an image and gets automatically updated every second or so. A quick Google search for webcam "source code" yielded this: http://www.webcam2000.info/source.html

For the second option, you would write a client/server system using distributed COM. e.g., http://support.microsoft.com/kb/259011/

But - if you have never programmed COM, there will be a substantial learning curve.
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MrNobody · Member Joined: 24 Oct 2006 Location: Malaysia