OT - Surveillance Camera, A few break-ins in the neighborhood - want to catch them Options

[Carlitos Way]

My complex has had a few mishaps and breakins. Just last weekend they broke into my truck and stole my work laptop (thank god it wasn't my own).

Anyway... few weeks ago, my neighbor had his ATV stolen from his front yard (gated, locked - they cut the gate to remove it).

I'm looking for a wireless, battery operated camera that I can set up and monitor on weekend evenings to see if I can identify any "suspicious" characters.

What are the legalities involved? Is this enough to convict someone? how to save the "live" feed on the computer?

[bd1308]

ive heard bear traps work really well.

also booby traps and big cages with ATV bait seems to work well too

[Midtowner]

IMHO, it's okay if you have the camera facing your home - something that I am thinking given the five home break ins in the past two weeks. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

[John]

I just hope they don't steal the CAMERA! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

I hate theft. (Especially thieves at the Post Office that steal HUBS).

I think there was a company that sold those pretty cheap (X10?).

Good luck with that.

[effutuo101]

I have lived in some shady areas. One is called the square in Pheonix. I used to chain my Bronco to a tree. I think all you have to do to cover yourself is post that the property is being monitored by remote camera's. For my Birthday my sisters got me a 15 million candle power flashlight.... Yes, I can light up planes on approach to SEATAC 40 miles south of where I live. It is so bright, that I can shut off street lights a half a block away. It will also fully light up somebody for the camera to take a picture of. Theifs piss me off.

[Mueller]

My complex has had a few mishaps and breakins. Just last weekend they broke into my truck and stole my work laptop (thank god it wasn't my own).

Anyway... few weeks ago, my neighbor had his ATV stolen from his front yard (gated, locked - they cut the gate to remove it).

I'm looking for a wireless, battery operated camera that I can set up and monitor on weekend evenings to see if I can identify any "suspicious" characters.

What are the legalities involved? Is this enough to convict someone? how to save the "live" feed on the computer?

we will soon be getting cameras for our house....my mother-in-law has a survallance system that has pretty much paid for itself with the apprehension of some dumb kids that broke a few of her windows throwing rocks....

[racerx7]

I don't think a camera is worth much unless you hook it to one of those huge
disk drive recorder things (pvr, vtr, I don't know what there are called).

You not going to sit there and watch it all day. You need to be able to
look at monday 3am, etc...

Maybe somebody here can shed some tech on a good security video recorder.

[rick 918-S]

My son bought one of those motion cameras at Gander Mountain. He put it up in a tree at the cabin and laid out some corn. He got a really good photo of 4 deer feeding at night. it was a very clear photo and the cameras are ment to be outside in all types of weather. I would try one of those types of cameras.

[Dr. Roger]

one excellent software program is called "Gotcha". I have it and it senses motion so you don't have to go over hours of video. they'll even let you demo it. ebay for the wirelwss color cam. low lux... cheap and can run on batts or AC.

[Hammy]

To view the feed on your computer screen and/or save the video feed you'd need a capture card or something similar like a USB or firewire video capture device.

I have one in my computer (PCI card) I use to capture my Hi-8 home videos to digital on the computer. Along with that you'd need software for viewing and capturing the video. Lots of free stuff in that category.


They also have cards/computer hardware specifically made for surveillance monitoring, I'm sure of it. They probably come with software bundled with it.

That Gotcha program sounds great. No wasted space.

[EdwardBlume]

I like the house / grounds / alarm / network system. You can use twisted pair to connect cameras if the lines aren't too long and you have the right equipment, and its very important to feed signal out of the location, or protect the recorder from being taken.

As far as catching someone with video??? we had other ideas ways back home (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ar15.gif)

[blitZ]

You can use a PC webcam, some of them are wireless and software to create a survalence camera. This software has an adjustible motion sensor, so it only records when there is activity. I've used this to see what's going on at home when I'm not there works pretty well. The quality has a lot to do with the quality of your webcam so don't scimp there.

Digi Watcher

[Tom]

Here is an inexpensive way I used several years ago when being bothered by the kids tearing things up around my property.
Take a dual flood lamp motion sensor light fixture and take out one flood lamp. Screw in one of those fixtures that allow something to be plugged in and plug in some type of noise maker. Now put it somewhere it can monitor the activity and run a switched power source to it. When you go to bed , turn it on. If some one comes around the flood light comes on and the noise maker goes off.
Had it go off about 3 times in one week and the kids never came back again. Since we have moved , it isn't necessary , but I still have it just in case.
Tom

[race914]

Here is an inexpensive way I used several years ago when being bothered by the kids tearing things up around my property.
Take a dual flood lamp motion sensor light fixture and take out one flood lamp. Screw in one of those fixtures that allow something to be plugged in and plug in some type of noise maker. Now put it somewhere it can monitor the activity and run a switched power source to it. When you go to bed , turn it on. If some one comes around the flood light comes on and the noise maker goes off.
Had it go off about 3 times in one week and the kids never came back again. Since we have moved , it isn't necessary , but I still have it just in case.
Tom

I had 'something' robbing dog food from my garage and did the same setup with a security light except the 'noisemaker' was a radio in the bedroom (long extension cord!) One night, the radio came on and I got out to the garage to find a racoon!

Here is another motion activated device to hook up along with the noisemaker that might help runoff unwelcome visitors. Or it might just really piss'em off!

I setup 4 of these in the front yard on halloween and they paid for themselves with the money saved not buying candy. JUST KIDDING

[Marlow]

http://www.brickhousesecurity.com/ic91128.html

MicroEye hidden camera, runs off 4 AA batteries or AC adapter. Not cheap but a coworker has one and was pretty impressed with it. Can be setup for motion-activation or time lapse. 640x480 or 320x240. Playback on TV.

[mskala]

For my Birthday my sisters got me a 15 million candle power flashlight....

With a decent lens I bet you could burn the theives just like ants in the sun (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[drew365]

I have a video security system at my house. I have two hardwired cameras and a dedicated computer with a capture board that will accept four cameras. I have a 180gig hard drive. The cameras are set on motion detection, I usually record two to three months worth of files before I delete a month, defrag the HD and reset the computer. If you are going to do a system like this you have to have a dedicated security computer because the software takes all the system resourses. You also have to buy the capture card and software together or you'll have compatability problems.

[racerx7]

I have a video security system at my house. I have two hardwired cameras and a dedicated computer with a capture board that will accept four cameras. I have a 180gig hard drive. The cameras are set on motion detection, I usually record two to three months worth of files before I delete a month, defrag the HD and reset the computer. If you are going to do a system like this you have to have a dedicated security computer because the software takes all the system resourses. You also have to buy the capture card and software together or you'll have compatability problems.

Thats what I want. Do you like yours? How much, where did you buy it, etc...????

How hard is it for you to go say go to Dec 3 at 3am?

[cooltimes]

Sam's Club has what you are asking about. $228 includes 4 cameras and monitor. See link.
Records to standard VHS so that gives you 6 hours. VHS tapes are cheap. Keep several. Breakin tells you when to view. Otherwise rewind and record again.

http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate....mp;pCatg=5867#A

MikeCool

[highways]

A very cheap option... harbor freight dummy security camera. $8.99 If they think they're being recorded they may have second thoughts... been told it works well. It has a motion sensor and starts moving if they trip it.
fake camera

Also, infrared cameras that use infrared LED lights to illuminate the area are pretty sneaky stuff. Not sure the harbor freights ones would be all that good- spy shops have better stuff. Sometimes bright lights are a better deterent.