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Using a Webcam as a security camera -- software suggestions?

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superboyac:
If you set up a program like OBS to just record your webcam, you can leave it running while you're gone, just doing a Replay Buffer (of, say a minute) and then hook into that (or some global hotkeys or something) from some motion detection hardware/software to tell it to start streaming when it detects motion. This will allow you to watch your home get robbed in realtime!

And if the thief shuts down your PC in the middle of the stream, the streaming site (such as Twitch.tv) will have the stream automatically archived for a few days so you can save it or download it or view it.
-Deozaan (July 15, 2015, 02:04 PM)
--- End quote ---
Well this is interesting!  I'll have to try this.
I remember OBS a couple of years ago, looks like it's better and still being developed, cool!

Josh:
Best software per the Gartner Magic Quadrant is Blue Iris: http://blueirissoftware.com/

mouser:
I ended up purchasing a dedicated wireless IP camera for this purpose, for $50 on sale; the Foscam C1:
http://www.amazon.com/Foscam-C1-Wireless-Viewing-Detection/dp/B00VN0G8GQ

The setup was extremely frustrating, but it does seem to work reasonably well, and will send emails with photos when motion is detected.  

The main key thing is that it needs NO pc running at all -- it is a self contained thing as long as it can connect to the wireless network, and as i described above, it will serve it's purpose even if it's destroyed soon after alerting -- as long as it has had a chance to send email beforehand.

So the nice part is I can just plug it in when needed and let it do it's thing, and it will send emails with photos if motion is detected.


I may still write a little piece of freeware to do the same thing using a webcam.. something with very few options and features dedicated to this task.

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