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Thread ID: 78949 2007-05-03 05:47:00 Linux webcam - How hard is this? personthingy (1670) Press F1
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546649 2007-05-03 09:45:00 The entrance is near the street, as the street was expanded, so i have no front yard at all. The 2 nearest streetlights are either side of the doorway effectively, and they are big bright ones that are at the fencelines rather than the kerb.

It couldn't be more perfect!
We had the existing cam plugged into a TV, but no-one here has such a thing now, so therefore it's idle......
personthingy (1670)
546650 2007-05-03 10:02:00 Sounds like your lighting shouldn't be too much of a problem.
If you go for a USB web cam you would need to make sure it is weather proof or alternatively you could contact an actual company that specializes in webcam security set ups. I saw a few at recent homeshow in Auckland. I guess it depends on what your budget is.
Depending on the quality of the video footage, the best codec to use would be h.264 possibly over wireless or Firewire and either as a photo image or set as 2-4 seconds of streamed footage.
winmacguy (3367)
546651 2007-05-03 10:20:00 Sounds like your lighting shouldn't be too much of a problem. ......The point i was going to make above before i allowed myself distraction, is/was that the previous camera showed almost no loss of quality at night......

Yeah... looks like i'm going to looking out for a cheap webcam, or something.
personthingy (1670)
546652 2007-05-03 10:37:00 Yeah... looks like i'm going to looking out for a cheap webcam, or something.

All weather wireless cam over an SSL link would save you from being limited by distance or cable length. I know that these are available as i have been considering something similar myself that would only be activated when a motion sensor is triggered. Also possibly having the clip or footage sent via a secure FTP link to another server in case your on site computer was stolen is also a good idea. It might cost a wee bit to set up but it could be a lot cheaper than having to replace your stolen property later - even with insurance.
winmacguy (3367)
546653 2007-05-03 10:47:00 Actually the cam is more about seeing who is at the door so i can decide if i want to hear the knocking or not. However, a record of who is there in case someone gets through the fortification surrounding the concrete cave i live in and tries to steal stuff would be handy......

Actually, i don't think i'm much of a target for thieves, all i got here is computer junk, cheap tools, and industrial scale sound gear. Nothing that's attractive for a quick sale of non descript gear at the local pub, dealer, or pawn shop.
personthingy (1670)
546654 2007-05-03 10:51:00 Well there is always the potential annoyance of being broken into by a person with too much time on their hands. I am sure you could configure the camera just to take a snapshot of whoever is at the door.
try this link with how to instructions...
It has some suggested retailers for cams as well.
www.simplehelp.net
winmacguy (3367)
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