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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.

3 of 264 comments (clear)

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.