Re: Home surveillance

On 03/01/12 22:39, Shannon Skinner wrote:
> Due to some recent burglaries in our area, I've started doing some research
> on home surveillance. Does anyone have any recommendations on software,
> hardware or suppliers? I'm open to anything at this stage: Linux, Windows,
> off-the-shelf hardware, etc.
In a similar situation to you, have gone as far as installing an IP 
Camera, a Foscam FI8905W purchased from Andrew of Guardtech Security:

http://www.guardtech.co.nz/wireless-ip-network-cameras

They are $205. And you can get dummy ones for $65 or there about, these 
can have some interesting applications as they are externally identical 
including battery powered flashing LED so they appear no different from 
a real one.  They are wireless (or ethernet) and just another IP device 
on your network, configure in your browser and view live video.

Take a look at zoneminder - as I understand it there is a plug-in for 
MythTV (which I run on my home network).  I am short on details for you 
as I am only just beginning to research myself.  A brief viewing of the 
wiki mentions the list of supported cameras is not exhaustive, it is not 
does mention that particular camera as supported though a somewhat 
similar one (with additional pan, tilt, zoom) is.

http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/MythZoneMinder

I have seen the windows programme ispy http://www.ispyconnect.com/ 
functioning well at a demo in the neighbourhood (also following 
burglaries) and it worked very well in that location.  I have it running 
in a VM, it's a major CPU hog with various motion detection options 
turned on, made somewhat somewhat more challenging due to a long 
driveway, large distance to garage (where the camera is mounted), 
numerous trees obscuring key views and also moving on windy days which 
mucks up the automatic recording.  However once I solve that, a car 
arriving (for example) will trigger the recording of an avi file using 
the camera buffer, so you see the car come into view, come up the drive, 
and burglars/visitors get out of the car.  The avi file is converted to 
mp4 and optionally uploaded to your youtube account.  This is all pretty 
cool.

However I want to do it in linux.  I'll be checking out Zone Minder once 
I have time and will be very interested to see what other experiences 
there are.

Happy new year to you all,
Roger


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