Webcam as active cctv 1

[davidgreen]

Hi

I want to setup a webcam that will be permanently linked to a pc to be used to monitor people going in and out of a doorway. I want the webcam to start recording via a door switch. The webcam should record for about 10 seconds and then be saved to the computer hard disk.

We can then simply watch a series of 10 second clips to se who's going in and out of our labs and stealing stuff.

I would be really grateful for any tips on setting it up and especially the coding and what programme to do it in. If it is possible to do it in simple programmes like VB or delphi etc that would be best.

Thanks

David

 

[IRstuff]

You can buy specially configured security camera video recorders for less than $700. I think you'll be hardpressed to get materials and labor under that.

TTFN

 

[davidgreen]

I want to do this myself on the cheap, with a simple contact switch in a pc, a bit of code in VB or whatever and then a signal out to a webcam connected to the pc

David

 

[IRstuff]

Oh, I spazzed the price, the normal security camera recorders run around $300.

I guess cheap is dependent on how you price your time.

At a wrapped labor rate of $50/hr, we're talking 6 hours of labor. Someone who is well-versed in programming to the webcam interface just might be able to pull it off in 6 hrs, but it would be a stretch, and you'd probably wind up with un-maintainable code.

TTFN

 

[stefandk]

i have seen webacam "pinecam z100", which have software
to detect movement and (maybe starts store onto disk).
It is cheap.

 

[Heydave]

I have seen web cams for as little as $10. They also feature a switch to freeze a picture. My guess is you could use the included software and rig a jack on the camera paralling this switch. You could probably find a magnetic alarm switch making the mechanical connection easy as well. When you find out it is your supervisor or his cronies, what are you going to do? When they find out you "did this to them" what are they going to do? Don't forget to turn off the monitor and power save mode.