Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Joe Barr Gives ZoneMinder A Thumbs-Up

Posted by timothy on from the watching-the-non-watchmen dept.

I've been interested in the Free software home-security software called ZoneMinder for a while, but strictly as a lurker, checking out the project's site whenever I noticed it crawl down the Freshmeat home page. Joe Barr of NewsForge, though, recently had reason to install the software, which manages one or more home security cameras (which can be any Linux compatible camera -- he used some common D-Link wireless ones), watches for movement (generating alarms based on user configuration), and lets the camera output be streamed elsewhere, so a thief can't usefully just rip out the recording system. (NewsForge and Slashdot are both part of OSTG.)

110 comments

  1. Cool idea by TiggertheMad · · Score: 4, Insightful

    One thing I wonder about, though. The Screenshot in the article showed the driveway from a fairly long shot. Are the cameras good enough to read a liscence plate at that distance? And what about lighting? It might be hard to read a plate at night, although a motion detector on an external light might solve that problem.

    Getting pictures of theives is a good thing, making sure that they are good enought to ID someone is even better.

    --

    HA! I just wasted some of your bandwidth with a frivolous sig!
    1. Re:Cool idea by wifitek · · Score: 0

      ultra violet LED's they will light the erea and you would never notice them.

      --
      Sig: BEEeeeP,,Please press pound, so I can get on with my fucking life!
    2. Re:Cool idea by mikael · · Score: 3, Informative

      According to the article, the maximum resolution is 640x480. To accurately recognise a number plate, you need to recognise around 8-10 characters with at least 8x8 pixels per character. Assuming the field of view is 45 degrees, you'd need to have a number plate at least two feet away to be fully visible, and then the visible size would halve every time you doubled the distance. You'd probably be able to get 16 feet range if this were the case.

      The lighting would be up to you. These cameras are sensitive to infrared light (Some buildings actually have infrared lamps on the outside, which appear not to be working to us, but will make the scene appear illuminated to a video camera). You'd probably want to have motion activated outside lighting before you had a camera for night-time protection.

      Although, I hope the cameras also save the time and date on the display. Some courts won't accept such evidence unless it is timestamped.

      --
      Vintage computer adverts: http://www.vintageadbrowser.com/computers-and-software-ads
    3. Re:Cool idea by HermanAB · · Score: 1

      Some security cameras have infrared LEDs aranged around the lens.

      --
      Oh well, what the hell...
    4. Re:Cool idea by Genda · · Score: 1

      One could supplement the video, using a motion sensing assembly with a mirror that tracks moving object and uses a digital camera with a telephoto lense to record things like license plates.

      Another cool idea is to put infrared spots on the front of the house that stay on long after the regular spots go off, lulling would be burglars into a false sense of security. That and cameras with IR sensitivity could get clear images of people and license plates in the dark.

      It's cool to be watching video of some clown sneaking around your house, when he thinks he can't be seen. A little 911 and he's toast, that, and you have irrefutable evidence at his trial.

      Genda

      Stupid Criminal Tricks; A woman recently altered her lotto ticket in an attempt to win $20. Sadly, what she accomplished doing was destroying the fact that it was a $5,000 winning ticket, and ended up being criminally prosecuted for trying to cash an altered lotto ticket.

    5. Re:Cool idea by catch23 · · Score: 1

      Actually, I have been able to do this. What you need is a camera with zoom lens. Next, you need to position the camera such that there is a very high probability the car will drive into the field of view. I've got a camera pointed down a parking garage driveway where most people will be driving straight down the center and will very likely have their license plate in the center of the camera view.

    6. Re:Cool idea by catch23 · · Score: 2, Informative

      Although, I hope the cameras also save the time and date on the display. Some courts won't accept such evidence unless it is timestamped.

      ZoneMinder does this by default. It's also very easily user configured via their web interface.

  2. This is great! by Chocolate+Teapot · · Score: 4, Funny

    I can have it page me whenever there is movement in the shower. Ooops! Thinking aloud again.

    --
    Modest doubt is called the beacon of the wise. - William Shakespeare
    1. Re:This is great! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You know, he still lives with his mother...ewww.

    2. Re:This is great! by c4miles · · Score: 2, Funny

      Wow, that's some serious speech recognition software. Does it always post to slashdot?

    3. Re:This is great! by Flabby+Boohoo · · Score: 1

      Don't you get tired of watching your mom showering?

  3. explanation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    definately just an excuse for him to install cameras in his female friends house and see what most geeks dont.... :-P

  4. I'm going to try this.. by mbrewthx · · Score: 1

    Looks like an excellent piece of software, we've had problems with teenagers climbing on the room in our Townhouse complex. I think I might set up some cameras and use this software.......

    I for one welcome our new wireless compatible Big Brother Overlord software!!!!!!

    --
    __________ Leave me alone I'm compiling a RPG II program on my S/36...Thanks to metamucil I'm a Regular Meta Moderator
    1. Re:I'm going to try this.. by TykeClone · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I was thinking more like setting it up near the local meth house and publishing license plates to the web.

      --
      A fine is a tax you pay for doing wrong and a tax is a fine you pay for doing all right.
  5. three languages, one db, one http server... by dirvish · · Score: 3, Interesting

    ZoneMinder is a collection of Perl, PHP, and C++ modules which work together to deliver a highly functional video security package. It can handle multiple cameras, either locally attached, like a USB Webcam, or remote Internet cameras. Also required are MySQL and an HTTP server like Apache. That can mean a lot of installation time, and perhaps a few frustrations along the way, but it's worth it.

    This project might be out of reach for folks without the technical ability of the geniuses that populate slashdot. Anyone know how much a professional installation like this would cost for comparison?

    --
    FoundNews.com - get paid to blog.,
    1. Re:three languages, one db, one http server... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      Article page 3 mentions a "live cd" of all the
      stuff by Ross Melin is available off the standard
      download page here is the direct link:
      http://www2.zoneminder.com/downloads/ZMliveCD_1.19 .5.isoZoneMinder LiveCD v1.19.5

    2. Re:three languages, one db, one http server... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      MySQL and an HTTP server like Apache.

      MySQL and Apache come pretty much preinstalled or at least with an easy GUI configurator on most mainstream distros like SuSE, etc. A person certainly does not need to be a genius to set this up.

    3. Re:three languages, one db, one http server... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "This project might be out of reach for folks without the technical ability of the geniuses that populate slashdot." Clearly.... clearly you're not from around here.

    4. Re:three languages, one db, one http server... by dirvish · · Score: 1

      Clearly you didn't sense my sarcasm. Slashdot surely has a 'diverse' crowd.

      --
      FoundNews.com - get paid to blog.,
    5. Re:three languages, one db, one http server... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Look up one of the MANY Windows out-of-box solutions for doing the same thing (sans wireless, who the hell cares when you can stream TCP/IP?!?!?)

      Buy at fry's, hook up all parts, run program, DONE!

    6. Re:three languages, one db, one http server... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      We use this company. I'd have to talk to management about their prices, but i hear it's quite reasonable. Not sure what software they are using however.

    7. Re:three languages, one db, one http server... by martinX · · Score: 1

      Buy one of these and then buy this.

      And then buy all that other stuff like cameras and routers and shit.

      --
      When they came for the communists, I said "He's next door. Take him away. Goddam commies."
  6. Can't Tell You by techsoldaten · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Cannot tell you the number of times I have thought about implementing the exact same application. The idea of wireless streaming means the storage device can be kept off-site or in a very discreet location within the premises.

    One question I have is about the detection analysis, and how the threshold for analysis is set. For instance, there are a number of trees beside my front driveway and they sway and shake a lot. How does one go about making sure Zoneminder does not record the trees continuously?

    M

    1. Re:Can't Tell You by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why don't you download the app and read the docs that come with, you lazy bar steward? Jeez, RTFM....

    2. Re:Can't Tell You by Mr+44 · · Score: 4, Informative

      IF you look at the website, you can (graphically) define exclusion zones within each camera's view.

      The software is really quite powerfull.

    3. Re:Can't Tell You by _Shorty-dammit · · Score: 3, Informative

      "Multiple Zones (Regions Of Interest) can be defined per camera. Each can have a different sensitivity or be ignored altogether." http://www.zoneminder.com/documentation.html

    4. Re:Can't Tell You by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      For instance, there are a number of trees beside my front driveway and they sway and shake a lot. How does one go about making sure Zoneminder does not record the trees continuously?

      Alarm Zones

      From the zoneminders screenshot page

      link to image refered image kinda says it all.

      This image illustrates the zone that this monitor has. The two red ones are Active zones which will also trigger an alarm once certain conditions are met, the outline in the previous image is the same colour as the zone in which it occurs. The green image is an Inclusive image meaning it will only trigger an alarm if one has already been triggered in an Active zone. So if someone is walking around they will likely be both in the lower Active zone and the Inclusive zone and will be highlighted as such. The white zone is an Inactive zone meaning it basically gets ignored. In this case it's because there's a hanging basket there and when it's a bit windy it swings around. It could have been an Inclusive zone too but it's unlikely that a genuine event I'd be interested in would occur in that bit of the image.

    5. Re:Can't Tell You by Timesprout · · Score: 1

      if you check out the config file it has the following

      <!--This section covers objects to be ignored by ZoneMind
      <ignore-section>
      <postman/>
      <neighbours dog/>
      <trees/>
      <!--Do not uncomment the following unless you want no proof your home was robbed
      <villans/>
      -->
      <neighbours kid/>
      </ignore-section>

      --
      Do not try to read the dupe, thats impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth
      What truth?
      There is no dupe
    6. Re:Can't Tell You by slashdot.org · · Score: 2, Insightful

      The idea of wireless streaming means the storage device can be kept off-site or in a very discreet location within the premises.

      Of course it also means that the edjumicated thief can easily disable your cameras while still being relatively far from the premises. Jamming 802.11 is not terribly hard. (unfortunately my phone is the ultimate proof; it destroys any 802.11 connection while it's in use, regardless of channel)

    7. Re:Can't Tell You by ylon · · Score: 1

      Quite interesting. I've seen ADT's software work before, which is quite impressive, and this is sounding remarkably similar in functionality without the huge price tag. I wonder if you can get higher resolution wireless cameras for these tasks as well that can give you facial detail for prosecution purposes if necessary?

    8. Re:Can't Tell You by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You can set a sensitivity level, it works on the percentage of the image changing from frame to frame. Depending on your landscape, there is also a feature to set zones. You can set certain parts of the image to be entirely ignored for movment although they will still be recorded if there is motion outside of that zone. I have a cam pointing at my driveway and use a zone to ignore cars passing on the street. Anyone that walks onto my driveway will be recorded along with his car on the street, but not until he is on my driveway. It also records 30 sec before the motion occured, so I can see them pull up and walk to the driveway. Again, if they dont walk on the driveway the car pulling up is ignored.

    9. Re:Can't Tell You by catch23 · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Of course it also means that the edjumicated thief can easily disable your cameras while still being relatively far from the premises. Jamming 802.11 is not terribly hard. (unfortunately my phone is the ultimate proof; it destroys any 802.11 connection while it's in use, regardless of channel)

      Although the article poster used wireless cameras for their security system, by default ZoneMinder uses basic composite bttv-style cameras. At my home, I use a 4 port capture card (made by X-Guard) and small bullet CCD cameras with cables running everywhere. I've got 6 cameras running at the moment and ZoneMinder is handling the load pretty well.

  7. Security, right... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Putting cameras in a woman's house and streaming it on the Internet. "Oh, don't worry about those, there're for security."

    How kind of him. ;-)

  8. Wireless... by Supp0rtLinux · · Score: 3, Funny

    Oh how this can add to my pron world. The place next door to me is still under construction. Perhaps I can covertly install some of these in certain areas, stream them to my house, and watch them at work. Or better... I'll buy the place, rent it a bunch of college girls, then stream it into my new site called VoyeurDorm.com. ;)

    1. Re:Wireless... by Genda · · Score: 0

      Don't laugh too hard monkey boy,

      This kind of scheme has been tried by voyeuristic landlords. On the down side, these peep-happy jerks have ended up with choice coed footage. On the up side, a whole bunch of these morons get caught. After criminal and civil prosecution, these guys end up having to live down having a sex crime conviction and being listed as sex criminals.

      I don't know what the thrill is, but surely any idiot can see the cost to benefit ratio sucks.

      Genda

    2. Re:Wireless... by cayenne8 · · Score: 1

      Well, depends on what state you live in I do believe. It has only been a couple of years I think since LA passed a law making it a crime to secretly video someone. Amazingly enough, they caught this guy a few years ago...landlord had cameras in the apt...but, they had no law to prosecute him with. I believe a number of states still don't have laws they can prosecute you with over remote cameras...

      --
      Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
    3. Re:Wireless... by honestmonkey · · Score: 1
      Hey wait, I saw that movie...

      Sliver, right? Sharon Stone in the shower. Not sure who the heck else was in the movie. Maybe just Sharon Stone. No, wait, had to be someone behind the camera. Oh, well...

      --
      Everything you know is wrong, Just forget the words and sing along.
  9. Another good app.. by smclean · · Score: 4, Informative
    I've been playing around with my X10 wireless cam and Motion.

    Motion has motion detection and whatnot, and it's a pretty nice program, extremely configurable and extensible. Makes a nice webcam with java streaming .

    --

    "'Yrch!' said Legolas, falling into his own tongue."

    1. Re:Another good app.. by paranoidd · · Score: 2, Interesting

      That's true, kudos for the guys at Motion. A cool feature I like on it is that it can make use of masks to ignore motion detection on some regions of the screen. Other interesting thing I've seen on their mailing list was a hack to enable the use of the 4 entries on BTTV cards to capture video from 4 different sources simultaneously (this card is theorically capable of capturing from one source at a time only).

  10. IP address... by Supp0rtLinux · · Score: 2, Funny

    He says his *friend* has an IP from a cable modem provider. His whole plan will fall apart when the IPs change. Note to self: when implementing this in the shower at work, make sure I use an IP that won't change. ;)

    1. Re:IP address... by Supp0rtLinux · · Score: 2, Insightful

      So... kids... what have we learned today?

      A) before attempting to burgle a house, do some wardriving first and avoid any house with WEP. If there is no WEP and you can see the stream... and you're in the stream... run like hell!

      B) after some wardriving, and assuming you still want to break into a house with a WEP protected *cough* AP, first, find the external D-marc and unplug all RJ-11 and coax cables. Of course, if you're really kewl and don't care about noise while commiting your crime, just do an "albino in Die Hard" and take a circular saw to the pipes coming out of the D-marc access panel.

    2. Re:IP address... by Supp0rtLinux · · Score: 1

      Oh wait... I think we just overlooked the obvious... time to go retro and just pull a pair of pantyhose over your face. Or better, dress in drag and he'll think his friend is home and he won't bother calling the police as he watches you enter the house in realtime. And make sure you remove that front plate so the "driveway cam" can't see your plate.

    3. Re:IP address... by djdavetrouble · · Score: 2, Informative

      or use dyndns and install the client that updates it when your provider changes your ip address (like once a year for me).

      --
      music lover since 1969
    4. Re:IP address... by antifoidulus · · Score: 1

      Or you could just cut off the power and come back an hour or so later after the ups has run out......

      --
      Monstar L
    5. Re:IP address... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      no-ip.com or any other simple dns redirector.

  11. homeland security?? by hellfire · · Score: 3, Funny

    Okay admit it. How many of you read that as "free homeland security software" and were about ready to burn down sourceforge to find the programmer who created this? Fess up! I know you're out there!

    Away put your pitchforks and torches!

    --

    "All great wisdom is contained in .signature files"

    1. Re:homeland security?? by Tackhead · · Score: 1
      > Okay admit it. How many of you read that as "free homeland security software" and were about ready to burn down sourceforge to find the programmer who created this? Fess up! I know you're out there!

      I didn't read it that way... but even if I did, what's the problem?

      If my camera system records everyone coming into, or leaving, my building, and something nasty happens in my building, I can walk to the remote server, yank the drives, and take them to the nearest police station.

      Imagine if every street corner had this. Because there's no aggregation and cross-linking, and because control over what happens to the information remains with the person operating the ZoneMinder (because the ZoneMinder runs on your hardware), there's no way that your weekly runs to the grocery store for a case of beer are going to make it to your insurance company.

      But all of a sudden, the odds of the neighborhood car theft or home invasion gang getting caught go from one in a thousand to one in ten. Even if it's not your home that got hit, your camera might have the winning lottery ticket on it.

  12. Cool applications by pdx_joe · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I wonder what other applications this could be used for. Maybe I'm wrong, but alot of people do NOT need this intense of security. They may want it, but a deadbolt would be sufficient. If someone does break into my apartment, the most the can take are a couple of computers, the cost of setting up this system would be as much as what I'd be securing. Perhaps it could be low-cost/opensource security solution for school computer labs. With that said, what else could this be used for? Besides the normal childish pron/watching your babysitters jokes. How about Environmental monitoring?

    1. Re:Cool applications by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Maybe, maybe not. I was just realizing the other day that my collections of various things are growing in value to the point where I really do need more security. This could be part of the solution.

      No, not my computers. Besides no thief could carry a sun 3 outside even if they were worth something.

      I'm not gonna tell you what they are though. I'm also posting anonymously. Security though obscurity isn't much, but it is a layer when you have other things.

    2. Re:Cool applications by Ramses0 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Bzzt. Try again. I did not RTFA, but I've had a BT848 Hauppauge WinTV card in my linux box for 5+ years now. Works great, compatible with anything that goes to composite video in (old video cameras, cheezeball "spy" cameras, CCD's, etc), or get yourself a $19.99 webcam that's linux compatible.

      Go here: http://www.compgeeks.com/products.asp?cat=VID for all the equipment you'd need to set something like this up, for under $50. I played with motion (motion.sf.net) about 2-3 years ago. Didn't ever do anything useful with it, but it was fun to play with, I can only imagine that it (and others) have gotten better in the 3+ years since I've used it.

      If you already have a PC running linux and a compatible webcam (esp. in a shared / dorm environment) there's no reason not to have something like this set up. *That's* the beauty of it. Of course it's possible, but now it's *cheap* and possible, plus you can hack the source to make it do what you want, or script on top of it. :^)

      --Robert

    3. Re:Cool applications by fiddlesticks · · Score: 1

      > With that said, what else could this be used for?

      monitoring places where there's more to steal than a 'couple of computers' maybe?

      --
      http://milkshake.dexy.org
    4. Re:Cool applications by lachlan76 · · Score: 1

      What happens when they steal the computer with the attached webcam?

    5. Re:Cool applications by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wildlife researchers use motion activated cameras to "watch" for their quarry, without spooking them.

  13. Wireless Security Cameras: Bug your own home by VidEdit · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I think it is important to remember that even if the web access is secure anyone can intercept RF link warless cameras. Rather than supplying extra security, you may be letting thieves case your home or business. They'll be able to see what you have, if you are home, and where your security cameras are pointed.

    Plus, the privacy implications are also bad, you are letting anyone with a receiver to spy on you 24 hours a day.

    --
    1. Re:Wireless Security Cameras: Bug your own home by arh9623 · · Score: 0

      too true. the chain is only as weak.. and things of that nature. I'm thinking that due to the fact that they are cheap, the X10 wireless cams are more or less modular. Would it be conceavble to intercept the video and quick encript it on its way to what I'm assuming is a standard RF transmitter module?
      sorry about the spelling, my treo 300 won't help me...

    2. Re:Wireless Security Cameras: Bug your own home by VidEdit · · Score: 1

      Remember that the X-10s are transmitting an analog signal so trying to encrypt the signal would probably be too much of a hack.

      --
  14. What about stream security? by ibi · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Looking at the tutorial for the camera, it doesn't appear that there's anything to stop anyone in wifi range from intercepting the video stream. Seems to be an odd oversight in something intended to provide security.

    I guess that might be acceptable if the cameras only looked outside, but your neighbors might have other ideas...

    1. Re:What about stream security? by losycompresion · · Score: 2, Insightful

      The link you provided shows that the camera is wep enabled not sure about wpa..but its a start. I mean when people drive around its alot less time to just drive to the next house and peek around their wide open wireless network than break the wep plus mac filtering on a geeks network. (note: don't say it, mac filtering doesn't do to much for intercepting the stream, and wep is not unbreakable)

      --
      Linux Works
  15. Re:What, me worry? by wolf- · · Score: 1

    You work for Microsoft, don't you?
    Your "Security through obscurity" gave it all away.

    --
    ----- LoboSoft specializes in Digital Language Lab
  16. Errr... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Don't you mean infrared? Or are you trying to cripple persistent burglars with skin cancer?

  17. Mind your own business by nurb432 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Not your job to play vigilante..

    Be sure to post your address too so they can burn your house down for sticking your nose into other peoples affairs.

    --
    ---- Booth was a patriot ----
    1. Re:Mind your own business by mbrewthx · · Score: 1

      When it's in your neighborhood it's your affair...We had a Meth house busted around the block from us. I spoke to one of the Deputy Sheriffs and he told me that there could have been an explosion that would have leveled the block.

      --
      __________ Leave me alone I'm compiling a RPG II program on my S/36...Thanks to metamucil I'm a Regular Meta Moderator
    2. Re:Mind your own business by nurb432 · · Score: 1

      If its not on your lot, its not your business.

      "could have" "might have" are not good excuses to step outside the boundries.

      For the record, drugs are stupid. But if some moron wants to fry his brain. Fine.. Just stay off my property.

      --
      ---- Booth was a patriot ----
    3. Re:Mind your own business by renehollan · · Score: 2, Insightful
      "could have" "might have" are not good excuses to step outside the boundries

      So, you'd be O.K. with someone having 1000 lbs. of flash powder on the lot beside yours, stored halphazarly?

      M'k.

      --
      You could've hired me.
    4. Re:Mind your own business by TykeClone · · Score: 1

      We wouldn't have a meth house in town if I was playing vigilante.

      --
      A fine is a tax you pay for doing wrong and a tax is a fine you pay for doing all right.
  18. Windows solution... by ImaLamer · · Score: 1

    I've used this application for years from Windows machines: HomeWatcher

    Pretty nice. Shows what has changed in an image, scheduled uploads, snapshot timers, all kinds of stuff. Puts the images right to a page with thumbnails and even includes a link to the motion lapse video. Everything is uploaded so a burglar can't just smash the PC and be done with it, allows you to tilt & swivel your camera if supported... so forth.

    Bad news, and good news: Homewatcher is for sale. Don't expect them to provide support or software updates. Good news is that the source code is for sale if anyone wanted to make the application GPL, *hint, hint, please, please*.

    I know that it's Windows software, but it works really well. I've had days worth of living room activity recorded in a one minute AVI (which was opened under Linux, no problem). Pretty cool to use just as webcam software, does all the work for you.

    --
    Get your Unix fortune now!
  19. I got this great picture of you by bluGill · · Score: 1

    Good idea. Then I will get a nice picture of you with a wire cutters in your hand, heading to my telephone line enterance. (and since my net connection is wireless I'll have pictures of you walking all over my house.

  20. Re: offtopic your sig by xlv · · Score: 1
    [If you think you're getting a 17" LCD or iPod for free, your an idiot.]

    Before calling somebody an idiot, at least make sure to check your sentence for grammatical error, otherwise it may give the impression that you are the idiot. To your credit, you got it right once...

    As far as the free ipod is concerned, it doesn't really cost anything to do it except maybe some more spam but that's what disposable email addresses are for.

  21. OT: OSTG by Trejkaz · · Score: 1

    When did this name change happen? I didn't see any news on Slashdot about this. :-)

    --
    Karma: It's all a bunch of tree-huggin' hippy crap!
    1. Re:OT: OSTG by timothy · · Score: 1

      In late July is when the name change took effect. Maybe early August. It doesn't really affect Slashdot except in remembering that the letters of the All-knowing Keiretsu have changed, and I don't recall an official announcement about it on Slashdot itself ... there's an announcement which appeared on the OSDN --> OSTG site at the time of the change, I'm sure archived somewhere, in which Jeff Bates (hemos) gives an explanation.

      Upshot: the change reflects a focus broader than only "developers" -- there are lots of interested parties in the technology world, some of whom code, some fund, some just use it for fun or as part of their business life.

      timothy

      --
      jrnl: http://tinyurl.com/c2l8yr / foes: http://tinyurl.com/ckjno5
  22. Potential for mischief by bcore · · Score: 2, Interesting

    The cameras use Wifi to transmit their images.. Think of the fun you could have if you cracked the WEP key or whatever they use, and transmitted your own footage.

  23. Hmmm, 'security' huh? by lakeland · · Score: 2, Funny

    From the article:

    I installed it at the house of my 'friend' Susan...
    The camera is at her house, but the program is running at mine...
    It is for her security, in case she is burgled again.

    Yeah, Right.

  24. Cameras? For wimps! by deacon · · Score: 1
    Using the police and courts to outsource your violence just puts more of a load on an already overburdened public service system.

    All responsible citizens equip their home with a trap gun , saving time and money, although admittedly needing to use the wet-dry vac when you return home. As the description of this fine item states, trap guns were developed by the English to deal with pesky poachers and grave robbers.

  25. Nerds are Creepy. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I've been interested in the Free software home-security software called ZoneMinder for a while, but strictly as a lurker...

    Uhh....

  26. Im not a hypocrite by nurb432 · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    "Like" no, but "accept", yes.. as if I started sticking my nose in others businesses, then I couldn't complain when they returned the favor with out being a hypocrite.

    What my neighbors do on their side of the fence is none of my business.

    Nor is my business theirs ( like the fact I just happen to have 200 pounds of gunpowder for 'reloading', though its safely stored, or several gallons of gas for a tractor.. .. )

    Nor is it my business that the guy down the street makes his own distilled alcohol for his car... Or likes to dress funny ( not that I know this.. just an example )

    Perhaps if the drug was legal the 'meth house' wouldn't even need to exist.. increasing the safety of your neighborhood.

    --
    ---- Booth was a patriot ----
    1. Re:Im not a hypocrite by renehollan · · Score: 1
      I would think that if the risk to you increased in a statistically significant manner (what about gallons of glyceryl trinitrate, or an armed nuke, for a hypothetical situation?), it would be fair that it was your business, though I would also grant that it would be your burden to prove that the risk to you was likely, and real.

      The problem isn't that your neighbour has explosives -- the problem is that, given what can be observed, they are in serious danger of going off, with little in the way to prevent the explosion from staing in "his yard".

      Note: I didn't say "gunpowder". I said "flashpowder", visibly stored unsafely. You know the difference.

      --
      You could've hired me.
  27. Best thing by jav1231 · · Score: 2, Informative

    As someone who worked in security (and no, not as an 'officer') he would help himself immensely by creating some kind of sign and stickers saying "This house protected by webcams" or something. The real goal should be to deter, not catch, because cacthing a crook like this is a long shot. This sort of thing isn't really conducive to catching John Doe, local professional thief, it is good, however, for catching Timmy, the neighbor's kid.

  28. motion by HighBit · · Score: 1

    I don't have much experience with ZoneMinder, but I did set up a similar software package called motion which not only has the ability to define zones, but also has built in noise reduction technology, and several other nifty features, including only triggering after a certain minimum number of frames and massive change filtering (such as when your AGC keeps drastically changing the image).

    I have motion set up to watch my front yard, and I am very pleased with it's lack of false detections *without* having to set up zones.

    1. Re:motion by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I am very pleased with it's lack of false detections

      "its".

  29. Ah... by fizban · · Score: 0, Redundant

    The cameras are installed at a friend's house, and the application runs at mine.

    camera at "friend's" house...

    ...

    application at his.

    *ahem*

    *cough cough*

    ...

    Yes, I see now...

    --

    +1 Insightful, -1 Troll. What can I say, I'm an Insightful Troll.

  30. Re:Wireless... too late by trentfoley · · Score: 1

    Registrant:
    Entertainment Network (VOYEURDORM-DOM)
    412 East Madison Street
    Suite 1000
    Tampa, FL 33602
    US

    Domain Name: VOYEURDORM.COM

    Administrative Contact, Technical Contact:
    Marshlack, David G (37284117P) dns@mailtpa.com
    412 East Madison
    Suite 1000
    Tampa, FL 33602
    US
    813-223-3224

    Record expires on 24-Aug-2009.
    Record created on 25-Aug-1998.
    Database last updated on 14-Oct-2004 21:40:19 EDT.

    Domain servers in listed order:

    DNS1.ENTERTAINMENTNETWORK.COM 64.159.68.131
    DNS2.ENTERTAINMENTNETWORK.COM 64.159.68.132

  31. mobile security by Doc+Ruby · · Score: 1

    I want this in my car. With GPS. And a cyanide nozzle on a solenoid, though that's probably harder to explain if searched by a police officer at a random drunkdriving checkpoint ;). If the server is a notebook, and a few extra deepcycle batteries are added, could this system work everywhere? And if it plugged into my smartphone, couldn't it report when parked anywhere, even away from my home WiFi (or other hotspots) over the CDMA network?

    --

    --
    make install -not war

  32. ZoneMinder not ready for prime time by Redchrome · · Score: 2, Informative

    I recently tried installing ZoneMinder to test it as a security system for my company.

    I downloaded the most recent version (1.19.5), and tried installing it on a Debian box with a USB webcam attached. Being that there isn't a Debian package for it yet, I tried installing it from source. I installed it to /usr/local/zoneminder (after a couple of false starts, figuring out the directives that needed to be passed to the configure script); and then tried to run the setup script.

    I found that I needed to hack the setup script in order for it to find certain things (which Debian puts in a different place than Redhat, and were hard-coded in); and even when I did so, the setup script bombed out near the end with a perl error (even after turning off 'use strict', which helped me past a couple of coding errors). I discovered that Redhat-ish values (user and group to run as) had been hard-coded into some autogenerated config files.

    Even after straightening that out, I found that the init script was Redhat-specific (and not outrageously well-written at that). So as a quick-and-dirty measure, I just started the daemons by hand, the old Unix way. (If I cared to, I can write init scripts with equal aplomb for both Redhat and Debian; but I just wanted to try this program out).

    Got the daemons up & running. Looked at the config page through a web browser. Tried setting up a camera. Got no output. Got no useful debugging information in the logs. I knew very well that the camera was working (got output via xawtv and camstream); but zoneminder wouldn't produce output. After reading the FAQ, troubleshooting docs, and Googling a bit, I figured out how to invoke some of the programs from the command line, and saw that Zoneminder's tools could scan for video devices and get information about them; but couldn't figure out any more than "something's not right with this daemon, it exits directly after being invoked".

    At this point I decided that the quality of this tool was highly suspect, and not appropriate for our use. Definitely not appropriate for a post-1.0 release; since even just the installer bombed out with a perl coding error.

    It looks like a nifty program, which is why I stuck with the frustrating install & troubleshooting process for 4 hours or so. I wish the developers the best; but I humbly and honestly suggest they develop some regression and install tests.

    Note: I am anything but new to Linux. I've been admin'ing Redhat and Debian systems for 6 years now, and using it as my exclusive desktop since about 2000. I am not a perl hacker nor a C programmer by trade (tho I'm not unfamiliar with such things); and I really don't feel like becoming one in order to just try out a post-v1.0 program.

    1. Re:ZoneMinder not ready for prime time by catch23 · · Score: 2, Informative

      Oh please.... Maybe you're not a good enough Redhat/Debian admin then. I'm only a casual user of Linux (even though I am a software developer by trade) and I have been able to install ZoneMinder on my Debian system without any issues. There were some brief problems that I experienced when ZM wasn't outputting any video, but the FAQ on the zoneminder site fixed it up.

      Also, it does not take 4 hours to install. If you spend time following their comprehensive instructions on their website, you can easily install it under 30 minutes.

      Finally, I've never used Redhat and I don't think their software has been tweaked for Redhat since I had absolutely no problems setting everything up. I've only used Debian casually for the last 4 years. I am definitely not a linux hacker by any means.

    2. Re:ZoneMinder not ready for prime time by Cylix · · Score: 1

      Yeah,

      No way did my ZM install take 4 hours. I also ran into a small problem, but it ended up being missing libjpg.

      If your needs are very relaxed like mine, you can easily get by with a lot of the default configs.

      --
      "You should always go to other people's funerals; otherwise, they won't come to yours." -- Yogi Berra
    3. Re:ZoneMinder not ready for prime time by Redchrome · · Score: 1
      Finally, I've never used Redhat and I don't think their software has been tweaked for Redhat since I had absolutely no problems setting everything up.

      Which version of zoneminder did you use?

      What did you use for an init script? I don't remember seeing a debian-specific one or a generic one; and the Redhat one depended on a number of files (the "functions" init 'library' for one) that don't exist on debian. I certainly could have hacked a working one; but after poking at the whole thing for some time, I decided I didn't think the quality of the code justified the work.

      It's entirely possible that I just had a cascading set of failures because I chose a non-default installation location. (Didn't feel like letting a non-packaged program spew files all over my filesystem, so I tried to constrain it all to /usr/local/zoneminder.) The perl errors I got while trying to set it up looked like coding problems to me though; and a mature program shouldn't be nearly this touchy about it's setup in any case.

  33. If you knew Suzie like he knows Suzie ... by danwiz · · Score: 1

    "my friend Susan's home was broken into while she was away on vacation ... So I started thinking in terms of security cameras ... With the system fully set up, I'm free to monitor the cameras or not, as I choose ... I spent less than $500 total on the project ... That's a lot of money to me, but I can't imagine spending it for a better cause."

    Rrrrright buddy. Uh huh.

    Does anyone else find it strange that the article doesn't mention what Susan's response was to having her house wired and monitored remotely? Seriously?

  34. A better solution by skiball · · Score: 2, Informative

    After trying and sending back the X10 crap (CMOS is not the way to go) I found an inexpensive solution that I've been using for over a year now. Geovision makes an excellent system that comes bundled with a DVR card for the PC (*nix too). I'm running 2 - 3/4" weather-proof wired bullet cams (Sony 1/3 CCD's high res, low lux) connected to a 2 port card (up to 16 port avail). The software is solid and has wayyyy more features than I need. 24x7x365 monitoring, MPEG's captured to an HD on motion detect, remote access, playback, web, security, 30 day retention of files (configurable), alarms, PTZ support, audio, yada, yada, yada. Amazing what goes on in my hood when I'm at work! :) Cams, card, and software was under $300 USD. Just add PC and away you go! Tin foil hat and side arm not included.

    1. Re:A better solution by catch23 · · Score: 2, Informative

      Perhaps you should give ZoneMinder a second try? For $99 you can buy a 4 port capture card from X-Guard. Then all you need are some high res CCD cameras that can be had for roughly $60 a pop from ebay stores. (This price includes shipping) The cheaper ones come from Hong Kong, but are still extremely high quality... look for Sony manufactured CCD cameras. And the software is.... well free.

      So for $280, you can have a 4 port capture card, 3 Sony color CCD cameras, and all the software you're gonna need for a full-fledged security system!

      ZoneMinder does have all the features you just mentioned, plus infinite day retention of files, but can user configured of course. And their web interface is ultra-slick.

  35. IP Video is a Very effective means of security by JohnnyGTO · · Score: 1

    We converted a large number of the classic CCTV systems over the last five years. IP based cameras have really evolved and the available software, while expensive real kicks ass over a vcr and in many instances DVR. Yhe benefits of course is long term, cheap storage, no forgotten tapes and easy access to live video and recorded alarms over the net from anywhere. One of are more recent clients even caught a bank robbery on our Milestone package!!

    --
    Si vis pacem, para bellum! For evil to succeed good men need only do nothing!
  36. Is this really the right way to go? by bedessen · · Score: 1

    So, I commend the author for wanting to help his friend, but is this really the best way of going about it?

    First of all, as other posters have mentioned it seems unlikely that a regular 640x480 camera is going to have sufficient resolution to be able to read a license plate. In order to cover all possible positions that a car might park in, you have to keep a pretty wide angle, which means you lose the ability to zoom in on details. Judiging from the screen shots it just didn't seem very realistic that you'd be able to get useful license plate info. I wonder if he even lives in a state that has both front and rear-facing plates. Not all states do, it seems to be the minority.

    On top of that, most burglaries happen in the darkness I would think, and he didn't mention anything about infrared lighting. Plus, I would imagine most half-decent burglars would conceal their identity to some degree, like wearing a hat or a mask of some kind. Plus, he only covered the front door -- surely there are other windows and doors that the crook might use.

    I think the article would have been a lot better if he'd actually tested these theories in some nontrivial way. For example, drive up in a car at night, and pretend to force the (unlocked) door open, wearing a baseball hat or skimask. Then sit down and look at the images. Zoom in on them, enhance them, whatever. See if you can read the plates, and see if you can discern any physical details other than "young male, medium build" such as facial features. The whole theory here is that by doing this he would have useful evidence to turn over to the police should it ever happen again, so it would seem that such a simple test would have been useful.

    That aside -- what was this article supposed to be? A software review? A how-to for this specific software? The bulk of it was spent going over mundane installation details of Apache and PHP. Surely there are better places to look (like the documentation and forums that he lauded) if you're actually trying to install this thing. There was too little review of it functionality for it to be a useful "review" piece, and too little technical detail for it to be a comprehensive document of how to install the thing. I just didn't think it was very well thought-out. A review-type piece where he summarized his experience would have been a lot easier to read and more enjoyable. I mean, I don't really care what config switches he needed to use, that's all covered in the product's manual if I'm actually going to install it myself.

  37. Don't even give people the idea. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You know how many idiots think they can use lethal force to protect property?

  38. A Great Application by Blarfy_Snarflepoop · · Score: 1

    We're using it at my school for a rather high security lab and it works wonderfully. It captures footage every time someone walks in or out of the lab, as well as any time they drift over to the server/switch cabinet. If an incident were to happen, we would know who was in the room at any given moment in time.

    And hey, it makes for fun work breaks to watch the students get frustrated from the comfort of my own office.

    --
    No sig for you.
  39. MOD PARENT UP! I disagree but it isn't flamebait!! by renehollan · · Score: 1

    subject says it all.

    --
    You could've hired me.
  40. Re: offtopic your sig by slashdot.org · · Score: 1

    Before calling somebody an idiot, at least make sure to check your sentence for grammatical error, otherwise it may give the impression that you are the idiot.

    Or perhaps not a native English speaker? ;) But thanks for the hint, will update ASAP.

    For some reason I somehow doubt that you will get a free iPod in exchange for just an email address. Think I'll leave the rest of the message intact.

  41. Why the disclaimer? by carcosa30 · · Score: 1

    Re "(NewsForge and Slashdot are both part of OSTG.)"

    Yeah, we know that. But what's the matter with plugging free software? If you had to pay for it it might be different but you're not getting anything out of it. That's why I always get a chuckle out of the super-punctilious disclaimers that always appear for some kind of journalistic integrity.

    Slashdot and Newsforge are also part of the Open Source movement, and there's not a disclaimer whenever someone says something in favor of open source. Same difference. Don't worry about it.

    --
    Intolerance for ambiguity is the mark of the authoritarian personality.
  42. bollocks by RMH101 · · Score: 1

    my first digital camera was a 640x480 one and at 5x7" size it didn't look too dissimilar to a cheap 35mm camera picture. you can *definitely* read number plates.

  43. Motorola released a home security kit recently by DARKFORCE123 · · Score: 0

    Motorola has release a home security kit recently. It now looks like that you can try to have some kind of security system for a couple hundred bucks. The Moto system also has water and temperature sensors available too. If we have open source software that will work with those kind of sensors, how hard would it be to actually build sensors ? Personally I want my house to have more than just a couple cameras.

  44. I give zoneminder a thumbs-down, use motion. by harr2969 · · Score: 1

    Between the difficulties with getting MySQL installed/working, and getting all the package dependancies to compile/install this it was many hours. Then once it was "running" I couldn't get input from the camara, as another poster had indicated also happened to him. This product looks like it has a lot of functionality, probably more than you need. For my needs, "motion" worked great and was far more simple.

  45. Useless if ISP prohibits servers by James_Lavin · · Score: 1

    This is a useful tool, but I can't use it. Like many ISPs, mine (Cablevision / Optimum Online) prohibits servers. We cannot "Run any type of server on the system. This includes but is not limited to FTP, IRC, SMTP, POP, HTTP, SOCKS, SQUID, DNS or any multi-user forums." Cablevision blocks ports commonly used by servers, including 25 and 80. Cablevision even started blocking connections to remote mail servers without any warning. I used to run a mail server on a remote (non-OptimumOnline) webhost. After my outgoing email suddenly started failing, I wasted a day diagnosing the problem: Cablevision had shut off outbound port 25 without bothering to notify anyone! (www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,11121551, www.hardwaregeeks.com/comments.php?shownews=2284) With more and more useful broadband apps like this one, policies banning servers are completely out-of-touch and archaic. Maybe it's time to move to Korea. Bush brags about bringing "freedom" to Iraq but blocks competition in telecom that would force companies to adopt reasonable policies and treat customers with respect.

    1. Re:Useless if ISP prohibits servers by exhilaration · · Score: 2, Insightful
      I ran an FTP server on the standard port (21) for years on OptimumOnline, as well as a web server on a non-standard port (actually, I used SSL, so https://myhome.dyndns.org -> port 443) and it worked perfectly. SSH worked perfectly too, so did Windows Terminal Server. Sure they "prohibit" servers and block some ports, but they don't enforce the rule for low-bandwidth home users.

      I moved a few months ago.

    2. Re:Useless if ISP prohibits servers by cayenne8 · · Score: 1
      Look into getting a business acct. I just did recently with Cox cable. I got a static IP, can run all the servers I want, no ports blocked, great tech support...

      And it is only about $7 a month more than what Earthlink DSL was for a consumer line with static IP. Plus the cable modem is much faster..about 3Mbit down...and I think they've boosted that up. They don't ask you for any kind of proof for a business acct. either...

      --
      Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
  46. Re: offtopic your sig by Fred_A · · Score: 1

    Not to mention that there are no 17" iPods.

    --

    May contain traces of nut.
    Made from the freshest electrons.
  47. Re: offtopic your sig by xlv · · Score: 1

    Or perhaps not a native English speaker? ;)

    As a non native English speaker myself, from my experience in the US, it looks to me that English speakers are more likely to make the mistake, maybe because most non native speakers had to deal with their own grammar that is more complicated than the English one and have a better command of the logic behing the rules...

  48. Re:Camera in use warning stickers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    These guys sell warning stickers and signs, as well as some other rather creepy stuff.

    Spy Headquarters

    No, I don't work there. We needed some security camera warning signs and they were the cheapest I found.