Remote Web Cam, tech advice needed

[User]

 

[slowmotion]

[QUOTE 4143648, member: 9609"]Don't even know where to start with this. I would like to put a web cam in a house that is not used, would like the camera to maybe take a picture every 10 minutes of the sea view and upload it to my web space. I can leave a router switched on but don't want to leave a computer running 24/7.

Is this even possible ?[/QUOTE]
My pal on the other side of the road has a very expensive BMW bike that has nearly been nicked twice in the last six months. The same crew. He installed a couple of very small cameras to look at his bit of the street. I asked him what he did with the real-time images. He said "It goes and gets sent to The Cloud and I can look at any of it if I want". I'll try and find out a bit more of the process when I next see him.

 

[fossyant]

I use a Flir camera at my mother in laws. It's set to record when a certain zone is triggered (we had a cash theft problem). I don't know one that does record every set amount of minutes but some must do. The Flir one has a built in memory card and stores 2 days recordings on the cloud or you can have more for a fee.

The picture quality is great.

 

[fossyant]

PS all the camera needs is a router. You access the recordings via an app or Web site. You can save recordings to your phone and loads of other options. There is also a rather clever time lapse setting but if you want to use that a lot then you pay a subscription. We stick to the basic free option.

 

[PeteXXX]

Have you looked at one of these?
The free setup sends an email, with photo, when motion triggered, the paid subscription sends a pic or video to the Cloud.
Good night vision as well.

 

[Turdus philomelos]

The latest programme of Click http://bbc.in/18lupSa has a piece on home surveillance.

 

[marknotgeorge]

Instead of a full-sized computer, you could use something like a Raspberry Pi. Or save yourself the hassle, and see if there's a public webcam in the area.

 

[fossyant]

These cams just need a wifi router or some can be wired. You can log into them live, or indeed review 'motion' or sound triggers. Dead easy to control from the included apps. on a smart phone. No computer needed where the camera is.

 

[mybike]

Have you looked at one of these?
The free setup sends an email, with photo, when motion triggered, the paid subscription sends a pic or video to the Cloud.
Good night vision as well.

From a security pov it might be better to run this, like other Internet Of Things units from a separate wifi connected through your router. Of course, if it is the only thing connected to the wifi it doesn't matter.

 

[PeteXXX]

From a security pov it might be better to run this, like other Internet Of Things units from a separate wifi connected through your router. Of course, if it is the only thing connected to the wifi it doesn't matter.

Only just had the opportunity to reply. Why is that?
Would there be a hacking issue with one of these cams?

 

[mybike]

Only just had the opportunity to reply. Why is that?
Would there be a hacking issue with one of these cams?

It's the words 'easy setup' that worry me. And there have been reports of such kit calling home. I've got a Chinese one that I became very wary of when I realised it connected to an external server somewhere unspecified.

 

[fossyant]

Stick with a known make if unsure about security. I picked up the Flir cam from Maplin with £50 off, so was £100.

The only issue I've had is with BT Hub 5 - they are a mare with cameras and cloud servers - the port forwarding doesn't work.

I couldn't get the Flir to work with our Hub 5, but it worked with no configuration with my mother-in-laws Hub 3.

 

[PeteXXX]

It's the words 'easy setup' that worry me. And there have been reports of such kit calling home. I've got a Chinese one that I became very wary of when I realised it connected to an external server somewhere unspecified.

Cheers. A Belkin should be safe enough, I reckon (hope)