CCTV Camera Recording Software/Multiple Web Cams

Morpheos

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2009
Messages
550
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Location
Cape Town
I want to install some web cameras for security. 1 by the back door,1 by the sliding door in my braai room and 1 at the front door. Will 3 USB web cams work at the same time and I will need some decent software to record multiple cameras.

I already have the 1 in the braai area and record it with Nero 8, which works but isnt great(no time stamp, well not that I can find).

Could anybody help me on these matters??
 
Well, just for starters, the official spec for any USB cable is 5m long so, given that you want to see the front door, the back door and a sliding door off to the side too (one would guess) ...have you got a PC sitting somewhere in the middle of a house that is a simple box-like shape? :rolleyes: *cough*

So, really, what kind of cameras does your budget allow you to use? Then, if you want to low-ball your outlay here, have you got/can you get an old(er) PC that you can dedicate to the job ..have you got a small network going there - the kind of thing you get starting with a router for your ADSL?

Id est: insufficient data, please flesh your position/request out [-]some[/-] rather a lot more than you did there. :p
 
everything depends on your budget.

Do you have an AP at home? if so have a look at wireless IP cameras and mounts. Lets say this costs altogether R4000.

Do you mind putting in a weekend's work? if not then a 4ch dvr card, 3 dome cameras (tended to be the cheapest when i was in that industry) + plenty of coax cable can do the job for you. Roundabout R2000, excludes elbow grease:p

In either case, software is usually supplied.
 
Ok. The 5 mtr thing could be a problem, lol. Only 1 Tower, between the back door and the braai room. That could work, not to worried about the front door, looks like I was pushing my luck.

OK. So lets work on 2 Web Cameras.Not sure on the cash flow. R200 for another camera.
 
Righty, about your most effective way to exsanguinate a stone to the greatest possible degree while draining your wallet the least would be:

  • cheap-ass analog CCTV cameras (we can get back to this later)
  • pre-terminated powax cable: I know of 20m lengths, which should be more than enough for you
  • %some_old(ish)_PC% to dedicate to being your CCTV central-command
  • a capture card that with gubbins the same as something from this page
  • probably a case of beers to entice someone in your general area who knows ZoneMinder to come and help you through it.
That should be cheapest, but there *may* be a chance that Communica has something suitably cheap.
 
I reccomend Milestone Essentials. Its free and works well.
 
dot dot dot - *what* TV card? :rolleyes: Also, ZoneMinder will Borg the PC all to itself, have you got only the one?
LOL Didnt think about that.. Think its a Honisteck, or something like that. Will have to check when I'm at home. Only 1 PC at home which I use for photo editing and sometimes on the net. So I don't mind it working when Im not at home.
 
You can try putting a powered usb hub in the roof then connect the cameras to that and connect the pc to the hub.

ispy is a good open source software option.
 
ispy is a good open source software option.
iSpy, works on 'doze!
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