A live camera for ski resorts

Why the live camera is a resort's front page

In winter, driving from Tbilisi to Gudauri or Bakuriani is a decision: the road, the time, the money. Forecasts are general, and fog, wind or fresh snow on the slope can tell a completely different story. A live stream answers the question.

• Hotels and chalets in Gudauri, Bakuriani (Didveli, Kokhta) and Goderdzi: a view of the slope on your website makes the booking decision easier.
• Ski schools and rental shops: the camera brings people to a site where they can book a lesson or equipment on the same page.
• The resort operator: the queue at the lower lift station, visibility at the top, the depth of fresh snow. Viewers decide for themselves whether it is worth going up this morning.
• Mountain restaurants and bars on the slope: for them too, a live view is advertising people check daily.

Where to point the cameras

• A wide view of the slope, showing snow cover and visibility. This is the camera guests check the weather on — in Hatsvali, Tetnuldi or Goderdzi alike.
• The lower lift station, to show the queue. From high up and far away: the length of the queue should be visible, faces should not.
• The top station or summit: visibility and wind. This is the hardest point for internet and power.
• The road to the resort, for example the resort entrance or the road outside your hotel: guests can see whether it has been cleared.

Cameras in frost

• Temperature: choose a camera whose operating range goes down to −30 °C or lower. Check the datasheet for whether it needs a heater or extra power at low temperatures.
• Ice and snow on the lens: fit a sun shield, tilt the camera slightly down and away from the prevailing wind. A heated housing reduces fogging and icing.
• Snow glare: turn on WDR and set exposure for the snow, or a sunny day turns the picture into a white blur. See camera settings.
• Protection: IP66/IP67, a metal housing, lightning protection and proper grounding — on a mountain mast these are not optional.
• PoE and cable: one PoE run reaches up to 100 metres. Beyond that you need fibre or a point-to-point wireless bridge.

Power and internet at altitude

Our server connects to the camera over the internet, so the camera or recorder must be reachable from outside: a public IP and a forwarded RTSP port. See port forwarding.

• The station's internet. If the lift station has fibre, connect the camera there — it is the most stable option.
• A wireless bridge. Two antennas in line of sight from the summit to a building below are often more reliable than mobile internet.
• Mobile internet is unstable in the mountains and usually comes without a public IP. Ask for a static public IP, or call us.
• Bandwidth: 1080p needs 3–4 Mbit/s of upload per camera, 720p needs 1–2 Mbit/s. On a weak link, lower resolution with a steady picture is better.
• Power: a UPS for the camera and router. At some points power is only on while the lift runs — plan for it.
• Security: a separate view-only user, a changed default password, updated firmware; only the RTSP port open to the internet.

Queues, faces and the law

There are people in the lift queue and on the slope. Mount the camera high and far enough away to show the length of the queue, not faces. Put up warning signs at the stations. More detail: CCTV law in Georgia.

Features that fit

• Logo editor: the resort, hotel or school logo and a caption such as "Didveli, top station". One template for every camera.
• Ad link: clicking the camera name opens your booking, lift pass or rental page.
• Live switch and schedules: pause the stream at the end of the season, or at night when the slope is dark.
• Logo switch: hide the logo temporarily when you share the picture with the media.
• Allowed domains: the embed code works only on your website. See protecting a stream.
• H.265: on a narrow mountain link H.265 uses less upload, and the system converts it for browsers itself. See H.265 in the browser.

How to start

1. Create an account.
2. Add a camera or a recorder channel. See Hikvision, Dahua, Axis or NVR/DVR recorders.
3. Run the connection test; if it reports a timeout, check the link and the port first.
4. Embed the cameras on a "slope conditions" page: embedding on a website.

Mountain installation is a job of its own: mast, cable, bridge, power. NEWTECH comes on site, installs the equipment and starts the stream. Phone: +995 577 79 53 77.