Colorado Webcam January 2021.
From the Owner Developer Tom Started 2002, full time on this project since 2018:
Despite the pandemic, I was able to grow the webcam network in both viewers and cameras. My goal for 2020 was to reach 100 webcams deployed, and I did reach that goal. I installed three high quality Pan Tilt Zoom PTZ 30X cams in Chaffee County with laser zoom vs digital image zoom, and a PTZ motor that can see above and below the horizon. I worked closely with Chaffee County, and Colorado Central Telecom to expand out the Buena Vista, Poncha Springs, and Salida area. I also expanded into Grand Lake and Lake Granby in 2020. I lost some good sites too in crested butte, and Idaho Springs, host sites can change ownership and lose interest in supporting the project that is the nature of the business, it is built on relationships. I was able to find a new site in Idaho Springs that is working out good, and I will get back into Crested Butte when I find a host site.
A second goal for 2020 was a new website with some new design features. I wanted to have an ad free paid user option. I wanted to add my COLORADOTV prototype into the website, which is a development I have working that plays a TV channel of live Colorado Webcams. I wanted to allow users to pick their own webcam list and webcam order. A new better organized, deeper content, and newer look, this was the goal. The new site is well on the way and getting close to publishing, should be live 2021.
Goals for 2021.
Fine tune the new web production it is just at the starting line. I want to develop an automatic smart email engine to send webcam snapshots to viewers who want them a key times of the day, sunrise, sunset, night, afternoon. I have to focus more on sales and relationships with regional tourism leaders and host sites, not my favorite thing to do, sales, but everything falls on your developer make this work. Increase daily visits & work on raising revenue for operations.
Moving forward with the project.
ColoradoWebCam is a great project, I knew this back in 2002 with my first webcam in Snowmass. I have personally built it and paid for it to bring it to a 100 webcam network, and it is at a point that it can support itself. But, there is no way around the fact that this project is costly and must be monetized in order to grow and support itself. It grew because I worked for free and I bought all the webcams and did not ask the host site to pay for the deployment, even though they benefited from the advertising. It worked because of Web Servers, and Web Development and Programing. It worked because I paid for the monthly streams, at 100 webcams the bill is $1000 month for that. Moving forward I will have to increase the site earnings. Fundraising, Working with State and County and City tourism, Premium Paid Users, Adsence Revenue, Webcam Branding & Watermarks, and ColoradoTV Digital Signage are going to support the growth of the project.