DIY security camera?

[Rigmaster]

I'm looking at setting up some sort of security camera for my shop. I was looking at some of the cheap all in one systems, but I was wondering if anyone had any DIY advice for something like this.

I have an old 8mm video camera with RCA outputs, I was thinking I could use that as my camera, and run the outputs to some sort of DVR-type device to capture the video. I figure I could maybe use an old PC with a DVR card and some sort of video capture software (???).


I searched around instructables.com and they had a couple of camera hacks, but not really what I was looking for.


Motion activated would be good, but not necessary if I could store 8-10 hours of video on an SD card or harddrive.


Ideas anyone?

 

[Jack Olsen]

If you've got a spare computer (or one in the shop), this can all be really simple with a USB camera and $30 worth of software. When my wife had to go to work after having our baby, I set up three little cameras (I guess they're designed for an Xbox or the like) and she was able to check in on the kid from any computer with an internet link.

You can do motion sensitive recording, have it record and hold stuff for a set amount of time, record one picture a second, or a minute, or whatever you'd like. It can even email you when there's movement, which is handy if your phone gets your email.

I use a Mac, but I'd bet there are probably free programs out there for the Windows platform.

 

[Gary S]

Check out Bluecherry. http://store.bluecherry.net/

They sell just about every kind of security hardware and software available anywhere. If you buy some of the hardware from them, they will throw in free a live CD with Zoneminder software that will do everything you could want from security software.

All you need is a worn out PC to convert.

I did mine using a free 1ghz Celeron computer. I added a 4 channel video capture card from Bluecherry for $50, a cheap 4 camera system I bought at Sams Club for $60. Bluecherry supplied the operating system and software for free with the $50 card. I added another $50 for a large hard drive for the old computer.
Now I have a system that runs 24/7 capturing video from 4 cameras anytime it sees motion and recording it to my hard drive. Because it has motion detection and records only when there is motion, I can store 6-8 months of video on the drive. The Zoneminder software also has the capability to run an Internet server so I can view my cameras from any internet connected computer anywhere in the world.

 

[Vinko]

I was recently told that Costco has a pretty good system for cheap, but I haven't seen it.

I had a system of cheapo Panasonic cameras that burned out. And some crappy monitors. I'm bought a few good Sony cameras now. And hope to get my system up and running soon.

 

[Torque1st]

This place has a lot of security equipment:
http://www.brickhousesecurity.com/info.html

 

[Jaguar Fan]

I was recently told that Costco has a pretty good system for cheap, but I haven't seen it.

I had a system of cheapo Panasonic cameras that burned out. And some crappy monitors. I'm bought a few good Sony cameras now. And hope to get my system up and running soon.

I put one like this up about 5 months ago. You can see all activity from the past rolling 7 days. It works pretty well. It isn't cheap, but costco's website has other configurations that cost less.

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11477904&whse=BC&Ne=4000000&eCat=BC|79&N=4001405&Mo=13&No=4&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&cat=4802&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C&topnav=

 

[brownbagg]

lynksys has a camera that hooks to your router, wireless, you can eye ball your garage from the internet. Its like $50. I saw it at office depot

 

[CraigFL]

Consider that a person known to me had a security setup in his store with multiple cameras recording to a PC. When he came in one morning, thieves had broken in and stolen a lot of his valuable products including the security cameras and the PC used -- hide it well.

Also consider a way to get a picture of the getaway vehicle which might be the easiest way to catch them because the inside pictures may be blurry and not clear enough unless you get high def video.

 

[Hapis]

www.northernvideo.com This is one of many. If I find some others I will update. There are lots of good sources out on the web. the prices have been falling and the quality of the picture has been going up. Now they have cameras that run of of a Cat5e cable and are all digital.