video surveilance over the web - help?
 

i recently purchased a computer store and would like to be able to see whats going on when im not there. i know its possible to setup webcams and things and have them on a private web site for me to look at from my office, but is there a better solution? has anyone tried those x10 cams? even with those annoying ads, they seem to have a good product... i just hate their site so much i cant figure out what i have to buy to do what i want..

any suggestions welcome. post links to software/hardware if you have it...

btw, once we get a lot of changes made at the store, ill be offering some near-cost deals for my fellow GFY'ers... :)

If you just bought a computer store you guys dont sell these types of things there? Maybe you should sell these things?

Also, man if you bought a computer store why are you fucking around with x10, get to the real shit. A webcam isnt what you want.

For VIDEO surveilance of your store I would suggest:

http://www.smarthome.com/75041.html

We have not tried this product as we use a different product for our security needs, but as it is for Europe only its of no use to you. (Assuming you are from the United States).

The X10 stuff is cheap, nasty, buggy and just plain fucking awful. There's quite a few PC based solutions (DVR's) that can work better than conventional stuff but you still need to spend the money.
If you spend $100 on X10 stuff you get just what you paid for - ie $100 of security.

Exactly, my webcam cost more than 100 bucks, this isnt security, its toys.

I bought some of the X10 stuff just to see what it was all about. I liked the idea of controlling almost every aspect of the house from a PC. (HVAC, lights, security, etc.)

In about a month I unplugged everything and threw it in a drawer. Fucking garbage.

We used wireless x10's with webcam32 software on my cam site and they worked just fine. You just have to have decent software to run them. (Tried an x10 with some other sw and it s*cked) but the wc32 was nice. Sharp and well defined on the streaming mode. Also its reasonable and alot of other great things. www.webcam32.com to look at all they have on it there.

Also if you have the vidcard with the connectors... tv capable, you can use your vcr to record everything when you want. :)

thanx for the comments. ive heard x10 sux, but it looked good.

o well, i havent decided if i want streaming video or just snapshots on 30 second intervals. i could do either i suppose.

*shrug*

personally, I'd recomend you buying a normal security/surveillance system....it should lower your insurance rates too...you can always patch the cameras into an intranet and login as needed for remote monitoring...go to a local SCORE or SBA meeting and you'll usually find a security salesman or two...SCORE could also provide advice with such things...

Use streaming Dawgy... less BW used so less cost. I was told that wasn't true (had been using pics every 10-30 secs) and then went streaming for a month and never went back. Seems the streaming uses the BW differently but I can't remember the exact details. I DO know the BW bill went down by 75% give or take. :thumbsup

Doesn't sound as if you need a huge setup to do what you want. And ANY form of vid survel will cut down the insurance rates. Don't spend 5k to get what 2oo bucks will do for you. Try it since it isn't expensive and then upgrade if you don't like it. Running out and throwing buckets of money at something is senseless. More cash doesn't always mean more flash. :winkwink:

theres an article in the new pc magazine (april 23, 2002) on page 54 about electronic surveillance you might want to check out. i would scan it for you if my scanner wasnt such a peice of shit.