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Home > How to Turn Thirty Dollar Web Camera into Home Surveillance System
October 21, 2005
By: John Deprice
Web cameras are really inexpensive these days. With no
technical knowledge, you can hook up one or several cameras
to your PC and create your own home surveillance system,
much like CCTV (closed circuit television). But you'll need
the right tools first.
Active WebCam
Active WebCam captures images up to 30 frames per second
from any video device including USB and Analog cameras,
TV-boards, Camcorders and Network IP cameras. The program
broadcasts captured content or from your computer or uploads
it to an FTP server. Broadcasting can be viewed using any
Internet browser; no plug-ins or downloads required. The
program performs simultaneous recording and broadcasting
from unlimited number of cameras. Your camera / cameras can
be used as a surveillance system. When the program detects
motion in the monitored area, it sounds alarm, e-mails you
captured images, starts broadcasting, or records video. Live
broadcasting as well as recording can be password protected
that all video and audio information are scrambled and
cannot be viewed without valid password. The program has
features to place image overlays and date/time stamp on each
video frame, and adjust picture size / quality.
Free Download: http://www.deprice.com/activewebcam.htm
Blue Iris
Blue Iris is professional-grade software utilizing the
latest video software technologies, including MPEG and
Windows Media webcasting. Watch your home, cars, and
valuables. Watch your pets. Watch your kids. Watch your
nanny, babysitter, or your friends. Use up to 12 cameras,
the $20 kind, or your digital camcorders. Use motion
detection, audio detection, or capture continuously. Overlay
text and graphics. Use the built-in web server, or post to a
website. Receive alerts via loudspeaker, e-mail, instant
messaging, or phone. Updates and support included.
Video Security:
- Use motion or audio sensing to trigger recording, or
record continuously or periodically.
- Images may be captured as either JPEG images, MPEG
movies or Windows Media movies (full version).
- Receive alerts via loudspeaker, email, instant
message, voice phone call, or external program/script.
Friendly Interface:
- The initial view shows live views on the left, and a
list of clips on the right.
- When you size the window, the main image sizes with
you.
- Click on a camera view or clip to open it.
- Click on the image to zoom in or out.
- A status bar at the bottom lets you know what Blue
Iris is doing, and provides help when you pass the cursor
over windows and controls.
Powerful Clip Viewer:
- There are controls for playback and stepping frame by
frame. A position slider allows random access to any point
in the video.
- Zoom and Pan functionality.
- Control the speed of playback (audio as well as video)
and the audio volume.
- Automatically archive and retire images.
WebCam Features:
- Built-in multithreaded web server, supports
authentication.
- Post images to a remote web server.
- Broadcast MPEG, a JPEG image stream to a Java client
applet.
- Perform "true" webcasting using leading-edge Windows
Media Technologies such as variable and multiple-bitrate
encoding (full version).
- Detailed stats.
Free Download: http://www.deprice.com/blueiris.htm
John Deprice owns and operates Deprice.Com. For the
latest tools, gadgets and software, visit
http://www.deprice.com/utilities.htm.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
Also See:
[ Live traffic
cameras -- helping or hindering driver safety? ]
[ CCTV surveillance
systems used as a crime fighting and prevention tool ]
[ Home security
cameras & home surveillance equipment usage on the rise ]
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