View Full Version : Live Webcams: House Surveillance
Mike Landi
March 23rd, 2006, 01:24 PM
Does anyone know any software that would allow me to broadcast from a webcam so that I could check what is going on at my house when I'm out?
I assume some webspace will be required. Anyone know or have experience with this stuff?
Judy G. Russell
March 23rd, 2006, 02:12 PM
I've never done it myself (I don't think anyone would be interested in watching my cats sleep) but this site (http://www.msagentsoftware.com/easyfreewebcam/) seems to have some good info, including a tutorial.
Mike Landi
March 23rd, 2006, 02:14 PM
Thanks.
davidh
March 23rd, 2006, 02:38 PM
Does anyone know any software that would allow me to broadcast from a webcam so that I could check what is going on at my house when I'm out?
I assume some webspace will be required. Anyone know or have experience with this stuff? My wife used the free version of Homewatcher a few years ago to monitor her herbal medicine store at night. It has software based motion detection, so the upload of pictures to the web site can be controlled to limit traffic to stay within your monthly allotment of bandwidth. Usually we'd get a couple of spurious pictures some nights caused by auto headlights of passing vehicles or such coming thru the window. I could also monitor the web site to make sure that she had arrived safely at premises in the morning, without having to bother her with a phone call.
I think we downloaded it from tucows.com or perhaps from c/net's download.com ?
Of course, wireless might be more hardened against physical attack/disconnect because one would have to disrupt AC power AND UPS battery backup. With dialup, DSL, or cable, an attacker only need cut the wires.
It might still be installed on one of her computers at home now. Maybe I'll fire it up again, just so she can monitor the bad old man at home now.
David H.
Gary Maltzen
March 23rd, 2006, 04:57 PM
Does anyone know any software that would allow me to broadcast from a webcam so that I could check what is going on at my house when I'm out?I'm actually in the process of building such a system not unlike the ELSAMS (http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/user/kwyu/) project.
I expect to use the (free and highly-rated) ZoneMinder (http://www.zoneminder.com/) solution which works with IP-based webcams and USB-based cams (among others); requires LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) environment.
A friend's cabin has a Windows-based solution that (ugh!) forces you to switch your screen to 256-color when you run the client app. I'm attempting to demonstrate a more sophisticated (i.e., web browser) solution.
Mike Landi
March 23rd, 2006, 09:19 PM
I got EasyWebCam and it works beautifully. The free trial had all of the features, just some ads thrown in. For $20, the ads go away.
I like it! (Thanks, Judy.)
Mike Landi
March 23rd, 2006, 09:19 PM
Cool!
Judy G. Russell
March 23rd, 2006, 10:31 PM
Excellent. Once you have it up and running, you can tell us where we can watch YOUR cats sleep!
Mike Landi
March 24th, 2006, 12:07 PM
Right now, I have it aiming at my refridgerator (from the dining room). Absolutley no value, except that it does work.
If you want to see a 'fridge covered with kid artwork, a kitchen floor, and maybe if you are lucky, a tabby or two, click this (http://home.nycap.rr.com/landihome/webcam/easywebcam.html) .
Judy G. Russell
March 24th, 2006, 01:10 PM
Aha! I should do one of those, and point it right at the cats' food dishes!
Mike Landi
March 24th, 2006, 02:19 PM
I think I'm going to find out how far I can stretch a USB cable. <g>
Since I'll be in Florida soon, I'd like to be able to peek at the house. For $20, this was a decent (and fun) investment.
Judy G. Russell
March 24th, 2006, 02:47 PM
I think I'm going to find out how far I can stretch a USB cable. <g>ROFL!!! Not far enough, most likely! Can you get a wireless model?
Since I'll be in Florida soon, I'd like to be able to peek at the house. For $20, this was a decent (and fun) investment.Not to be a party-pooper or anything, but what will you do if you log in and the website isn't showing anything? Assume that the house has burned down?
Mike Landi
March 24th, 2006, 09:09 PM
ROFL!!! Not far enough, most likely! Can you get a wireless model?
Sure, but that is another reason to spend more $!
Not to be a party-pooper or anything, but what will you do if you log in and the website isn't showing anything? Assume that the house has burned down?
I guess...
I guess I'd try calling the answering machine and see if it picks up.
Judy G. Russell
March 24th, 2006, 09:37 PM
I guess I'd try calling the answering machine and see if it picks up.More better you should call a neighbor and see if he picks up. That way you won't panic if the power went out at your house!
Mike Landi
March 25th, 2006, 09:00 PM
More better you should call a neighbor and see if he picks up. That way you won't panic if the power went out at your house!
I actually did that once when I was in Maine. The phone at my house was constantly busy. I knew that was wrong. I called the phone company and they said there was trouble on the line.
I called a neighbor and asked, timidly, Is my house still there? He laughed and said yes. Turned out we had a power outage and a cordless phone in the house had gotten "stuck". Once I unplugged it, the phone line cleared.
Judy G. Russell
March 25th, 2006, 09:25 PM
I called a neighbor and asked, timidly, Is my house still there?If I'd made a call like that, I wouldn't have been timid! Hyperventilating and panicking, yes. Timid, no.
Mike Landi
March 25th, 2006, 09:31 PM
If I'd made a call like that, I wouldn't have been timid! Hyperventilating and panicking, yes. Timid, no.
I'm a guy.....
...which means I headed to the bar very soon after hanging up the phone! (and the laundry <g>)
Judy G. Russell
March 25th, 2006, 10:52 PM
(and the laundry <g>)ROFL!!!! Okay, I'll give you that one.
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