Issue 11.14
Being a “techie”, I have been interested for years in security camera systems. I have installed and serviced them for large companies and always thought that it was wonderful that you could have multiple cameras keeping track of activity around and in your home or business. Most of these systems have recording capability, but you need a dedicated computer and connections to link all of the cameras in order to do so. The cost was prohibitive for most home owners and even small businesses, running into thousands of dollars as well as monthly monitoring and service fees.
In the last year or so, a new option has surfaced that is maturing to the point that the bugs are pretty much worked out and the pricing is well within the range of most people. These consist of wired or wireless network cameras that have microphones installed. With these you can monitor the baby’s crib, your pets while you are at work, dinner or shopping, your business while you are not there, your yard, etc. The list is long. All you need is a power connection and a wireless or wired network in easy reach of the camera location. Most of the cameras in this price range are not designed for outdoor use but you can aim them through a window or install them in a weather protected box to monitor the yard or parking area.
There are many others, but I have personally tested three options so I could give you a rundown. All three have motion and sound sensors that, when activated can notify you through your computer or smart phone and either option allows you to view the feed from the camera(s) live. The lowest price is the D-Link which runs between $60 and $150 depending on which model and options you choose. I tried the least expensive to see what it can do. The video monitoring and sound work well. I have had a little trouble getting the notifications to my cell phone to work decently. It seems fairly intermittent so if you are looking for immediate notifications, it might be better to go to a more expensive option. Two options that don’t seem to work terribly well are the range extender (to improve your wireless network) and the automatic recording option. Auto record takes a short video when either the sound or motion detect activates and will upload it to your FTP site. For most people this is not a great option because they don’t have an FTP site and don’t have the expertise to set one up (it is fairly complicated). For basic monitoring though, this is a good choice
The most expensive of the three is the new Piper. In addition to motion and sound detection, it has a fish eye camera that scans 180 degrees and the view is not distorted significantly. It also monitors and tracks temperature, light and can sense humidity. It has an alarm siren and pairs with Z-Wave devices to monitor doors and windows or turn on and off lights, appliances, etc. It is feature rich and works well for $239.
Finally, I have been enjoying testing the Samsung SmartCam I picked up at Costco. It monitors and alerts me to sound or motion as the others do and you can easily set it to record 30 second videos with sound when the sensor is tripped, to your YouTube user file as well as monitoring live with your smart phone or computer. A feature I particularly like is the included speaker. When I am monitoring on my smart phone, I can click the microphone icon and talk to the people in the room I am watching. Price is about $150-$190 for two units.
As with all of these you can view at least four separate cameras on your computer or phone so enjoy, and remember to always back up anything on your computer that is important to you.
Shaun McCausland has worked in the computer industry for over 32 years, 23 years of it locally with Bits ‘N’ Bytes and Musicomp and currently does in-home and on-site computer consultation, service, training and repair. If you have questions you can reach him at 435-668-7118 or shaun@musicomp.net.