home security cameras on the web...

As I run my own network at home including a web and nfs server I've
been toying with the idea of setting up some webcams around the house
to provide "security" by

1) linking them to a web page hosted locally (password protected) so
I/We can peruse the house at any time from anywhere via a web browser,
and

2) setting up an equivalent of a vhs tape "snapshot" type security
camera setup where instead of the images being copied to tape they
instead go to disk.

How feasible is this? I am quite au fait with running a web site for
basic html stuff, but wat do I need to consider for preumably some
sort of streaming? and are there any packages out there for
"snapshotting" the "video" feedback from the web cams to disk.

Finally to avoid loads of cables everywhere, is it possible to connect
a web cam to some sort of wifi w/out having the camera connected to a
huge PC? e.g. a sort of print server for a web cam... or black box
connection for a webcam that connects to a wifi network/

just hanging a few ideas out to dry...

cheers

ian

PS no rude remarks about setting up s*x webcams please!! :-)

Ian Diddams wrote:
|| As I run my own network at home including a web and nfs server I've
|| been toying with the idea of setting up some webcams around the house
|| to provide "security" by
||
|| 1) linking them to a web page hosted locally (password protected) so
|| I/We can peruse the house at any time from anywhere via a web
|| browser, and
||
|| 2) setting up an equivalent of a vhs tape "snapshot" type security
|| camera setup where instead of the images being copied to tape they
|| instead go to disk.
||
|| How feasible is this? I am quite au fait with running a web site for
|| basic html stuff, but wat do I need to consider for preumably some
|| sort of streaming? and are there any packages out there for
|| "snapshotting" the "video" feedback from the web cams to disk.
||
|| Finally to avoid loads of cables everywhere, is it possible to
|| connect a web cam to some sort of wifi w/out having the camera
|| connected to a huge PC? e.g. a sort of print server for a web
|| cam... or black box connection for a webcam that connects to a wifi
|| network/
||
|| just hanging a few ideas out to dry...
||
|| cheers
||
|| ian
||
|| PS no rude remarks about setting up s*x webcams please!! :-)

http://www.webcamxp.com/
http://www.dlink.com/products/?model=DCS-900


--
Grouch
www.webcamz.myby.co.uk
www.webcamz.myby.co.uk/zonealarm/firewalls.html

Depends how much you want to spend.
Easy way of doing it is to use cams with built in network cards that
connect directly to your home network each with its own IP address.

Another more old fashioned way of doing it is to use analogue video
cams either hardwired cable or via wireless senders and a video capture
card in the computer. This what I have using a mixture of camera types
including a couple of cheap Micromark B&W CCD cameras with built in IR
illumination which are very good in low light conditions.
Ordinary Colour CMOS USB web cams tend not to make good security cams
because they don't work well in low light condition.

For Win software look at Coffecup http://www.coffeecup.com/webcam/
or if you fancy trying Linux Zoneminder
http://www.linuxsecurity.com/article...cle-10104.html

On 12 Nov 2004 03:46:21 -0800, (E-Mail Removed) (Ian Diddams) wrote:

>and are there any packages out there for
>"snapshotting" the "video" feedback from the web cams to disk.

software that saves images when it detects movement in the image could
be useful. Often bundled with camers - sort of thing that says hello
when you walk through the door at PC World

>Finally to avoid loads of cables everywhere, is it possible to connect
>a web cam to some sort of wifi w/out having the camera connected to a
>huge PC? e.g. a sort of print server for a web cam... or black box
>connection for a webcam that connects to a wifi network/

you can get wifi cameras with web servers built in
http://www.linksys.com/products/prod...id=38&prid=566
http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applicatio...&Sku=D700-2264

http://www.axis.com/products/cam_206w/
http://www.axis.com/products/video/camera/index.htm

from exploring this previously I recommned paying attention to low
light performance and picture quality :-)

Phil
--
spamcop.net address commissioned 18/06/04
Come on down !

Ian Diddams wrote:
> As I run my own network at home including a web and nfs server I've
> been toying with the idea of setting up some webcams around the house
> to provide "security" by
>
> 1) linking them to a web page hosted locally (password protected) so
> I/We can peruse the house at any time from anywhere via a web browser,
> and
>
> 2) setting up an equivalent of a vhs tape "snapshot" type security
> camera setup where instead of the images being copied to tape they
> instead go to disk.
>
> How feasible is this? I am quite au fait with running a web site for
> basic html stuff, but wat do I need to consider for preumably some
> sort of streaming? and are there any packages out there for
> "snapshotting" the "video" feedback from the web cams to disk.

Very feasible.

I've had a simple version running using a cheap security camera and TV
card on a machine running FreeBSD (you could use linux) and a natty bit
of s/w called 'motion' - which can be set to only capture when the scene
changes. It also serves as a webcam.

>
> Finally to avoid loads of cables everywhere, is it possible to connect
> a web cam to some sort of wifi w/out having the camera connected to a
> huge PC? e.g. a sort of print server for a web cam... or black box
> connection for a webcam that connects to a wifi network/

You can buy network cameras, wired and wireless; but they're quite
expensive ('motion' will recognise these too, I believe).

IIRC there are also prepackaged systems around - but be prepared to pay
££££££ for these.

Try Googling.....

"Ian Diddams" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) om...

>
> 2) setting up an equivalent of a vhs tape "snapshot" type security
> camera setup where instead of the images being copied to tape they
> instead go to disk.
>

If you are going to use it for this then you must also consider things like
the location of the machine, is it backed up remotely, can it easily be
stolen.

No good having all the evidence on disk if the computer has also been
stolen.

Ian Diddams wrote:
> As I run my own network at home including a web and nfs server I've
> been toying with the idea of setting up some webcams around the house
> to provide "security" by
>
> 1) linking them to a web page hosted locally (password protected) so
> I/We can peruse the house at any time from anywhere via a web browser,
> and
>
> 2) setting up an equivalent of a vhs tape "snapshot" type security
> camera setup where instead of the images being copied to tape they
> instead go to disk.
>
> How feasible is this? I am quite au fait with running a web site for
> basic html stuff, but wat do I need to consider for preumably some
> sort of streaming? and are there any packages out there for
> "snapshotting" the "video" feedback from the web cams to disk.
>
> Finally to avoid loads of cables everywhere, is it possible to connect
> a web cam to some sort of wifi w/out having the camera connected to a
> huge PC? e.g. a sort of print server for a web cam... or black box
> connection for a webcam that connects to a wifi network/
>
> just hanging a few ideas out to dry...
>
> cheers
>
> ian

For the software side have a look at this:

http://www.supervisioncam.com

David

On 12/11/2004 Ian Diddams wrote:

> As I run my own network at home including a web and nfs server I've
> been toying with the idea of setting up some webcams around the house
> to provide "security" by

[snipped]

If you do go ahead I wonder if you could get one of the computer mags
to follow you through and do an article?

I'd certainly be interested in reading it.

--
Jeff Gaines Damerham Hampshire UK
Posted with XanaNews 1.16.4.6

In article <(E-Mail Removed) >, Ian
Diddams says...
> As I run my own network at home including a web and nfs server I've
> been toying with the idea of setting up some webcams around the house
> to provide "security" by
>
> 1) linking them to a web page hosted locally (password protected) so
> I/We can peruse the house at any time from anywhere via a web browser,
> and
>
> 2) setting up an equivalent of a vhs tape "snapshot" type security
> camera setup where instead of the images being copied to tape they
> instead go to disk.
>
> How feasible is this? I am quite au fait with running a web site for
> basic html stuff, but wat do I need to consider for preumably some
> sort of streaming? and are there any packages out there for
> "snapshotting" the "video" feedback from the web cams to disk.
>
Mate of mine has spent the last month installing systems that work
exactly the same as you describe except that they have a dedicated
server box that the cameras plug into and this is connected to DSL and
the cameras are simply accessed by sticking the IP address in a
browser.

£10,000 a pop though...

--
Conor

Opinions personal, facts suspect.

"Conor" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed). ..

> Mate of mine has spent the last month installing systems that work
> exactly the same as you describe except that they have a dedicated
> server box that the cameras plug into and this is connected to DSL and
> the cameras are simply accessed by sticking the IP address in a
> browser.
>
> £10,000 a pop though...

That seems a bit OTT. The ones I put in allow me to steer them in any
direction, zoom them or focus them. They can see in almost total darkness
and send me an email if they spot anything untoward. Less than a quarter of
that price.
--
Malcolm