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Using Webcams as Remote Security?

Posted by Cliff on from the I-spy-over-the-internet-with-my-little-eye dept.

The_Mama_Cass_Ostrea asks: "Does anyone have experience using a webcam and a cellphone for remote security? I am raising shellfish in a hatchery / nursery on a 51 foot pontoon boat, anchored offshore in Chesepeake Bay. Recently the boat and it's contents were damaged by vandals. Since my day job writing software won't permit me to guard the boat 24/7, I want to set up some sort of webcam / cellphone security monitoring system that would be effective day and night. And since I am doing this on a small scale, without the money for a professional security firm, an inexpensive, open source solution would be preferred. Any suggestions would be appreciated, as would the experieces of anyone who has done anything similar." Cool idea! Has anyone tried this in practice and can pass along a few hints? I was thinking about installing webcams in the home sometime this summer, but the remote security aspect never occured to me.

An anonymous submitted this related tidbit: "I want to have a couple of video cameras and a storage array to capture and store a couple of days worth of both internal and external activity. What (Linux application) software and hardware is available? How does one overlay a running-clock with the video signal? Also would be nice to be able to login via the web and look at live signals and review stored data." This is a bit more complex than setting up a few webcams, but the ideas in here are interesting enough. Would some of these things be possible with consumer grade equipment? The time overlay is a useful idea, however I don't know if many webcams support such features.

6 of 264 comments (clear)

  1. Webcam may not be your answer by rho · · Score: 4

    First, I like what you're doing -- aquaculture is seriously cool. Keep it up.

    Second, your problem here is not to identify the vandals after they've come and gone. Sure, you might be able to put them in jail (if you're lucky). I wouldn't count on them being able to financially reimburse you.

    You don't want anything like this to happen again. The way to ensure that is to move your boat to a better marina. Find a marina with a resident harbormaster -- if he lives there, he'll make damn sure that it's secure.

    Those kinds of marina slips are expensive, so maybe you can use the info on webcams that people are giving here to barter with the harbormaster -- in return for a discounted slip, you provide a remote camera system for the other tenents. Not much for security, but it makes boat people feel better if they can check on their boat whenever they want. Especially if they're a 40' Hatteras boat person...
    "Beware by whom you are called sane."

    --
    Potato chips are a by-yourself food.
  2. Re:Sometimes it doesn't work out too well.... by Jeffrey+Baker · · Score: 5

    The ironic shot of the guy about to steal the webcam out of jwz's club.

  3. Sometimes it doesn't work out too well.... by CormacJ · · Score: 5

    jwz has a 24/7 webcam running in his nightclub that is being reconstructed. So far people have stolen:

    o The webcam
    o Two amplifiers
    o The controller for the emulator lights

    All he managed to get was a few blurry shots of the guy that stole the webcam.

  4. Its too bad you want a Linux solution. by mr · · Score: 4

    Because its been done in FreeBSD. Using the Matrox capture card. One that went out of production back in 1999 and cost $600 Using the kernel code from 1995 by Jim Lowe and Mark Tinguely. And once using a $49 card that the interlace is busted (the odd line is in the even slot, and the even is odd), as a time-lapse security camera system. (it just goes with 1/2 a page.) Given the one system is now 5 years old, and was last rebooted 500 days ago (a server move), FreeBSD is a known, working solution.

    At 2 TV stations. Every minute it does a rbg24 and pipes the ppm through ImageMagick.

    To add the date gfont.
    Like gfont -r 640x45 "`date '+Time:%l:%M:%S%p Date:%m-%d-%Y'`"

    Take that result and do the append via ImageMagick.

    Make them animated gifs or a .avi for that time-lapse movie effect.

    A keyboard USB chip is the input from the security sensors, and USB switches which camera is the live feed into the capture card. (Ya have to shield it because USB and 900 mhz phones don't play nice) As a benefit, the security testing is simple keystroke simulations. :-)

    --
    If it was said on slashdot, it MUST be true!
  5. Web cams are a stop-gap solution. by Gorobei · · Score: 5

    Add a couple of these. These have much better multi-spectrum detection and reaction.

  6. Invest wisely by Dancin_Santa · · Score: 4

    Buy the best stuff so that when the vandals come by they can pick up some nice hardware at cheap prices.

    Dancin Santa