Free home utility for motion detection based video recording

January 15, 2006 7:00 AM

I need a home surveillance program. All I want is a program that has motion and audio detection and automatically begins recording from one of those cheap logitech webcams that used to come with everything. I'm looking for something free that lets me configure the codecs for video and audio as well as the recording duration.

Any additional features are a bonus. Google turns up way to many results so if anyone can personally recommend a free program, I'd appriciate it. I'll be using this with winXP. Bonus features would include things like a buffer that holds the last three seconds so if an event is detected the buffer and what follows are recorded, adjustable sensitivity on motion detection, or image filtering.

posted by Grod to computers & internet (8 comments total)

I once helped a friend set up a webcam script that just saved the past several thousand images, with a cron job to clean up; the computer got stolen. Just saying.
posted by adzm at 7:16 AM on January 15, 2006

You don't mention what platform you are using. I know of a few software apps that may do what you want, but I know of no apps that will do everything you want for free.

EvoCam for the Mac ($20 is too much for protecting your stuff?) is an excelllent application that allows one to set up sensors on the image that will trigger events including uploading images to the web or emailing them (avoiding the scenario adzm mentioned). I haven't used it enough personally to know whether it will capture video and audio and do the same, but its possible.
posted by terrapin at 7:26 AM on January 15, 2006

Creative webcams come with software that does all of that apart from buffering the last 3 sec of video.
posted by lemonfridge at 7:31 AM on January 15, 2006

You could also roll your own.
posted by signal at 8:03 AM on January 15, 2006

There are lots of software programs that take care of the motion detection and upload the evidence, which solves the problem adzm mentioned. You'll have the video of them stealing your computer. And the system will call your cell and let you know. Search Google Groups for video security, etc.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 9:37 AM on January 15, 2006

the computer got stolen. Just saying.
How hard would it be to have the script store the images on a gmail or other offsite account?
posted by Popular Ethics at 9:37 AM on January 15, 2006

I use WheresJames Webcam Publisher for Windows. It has motion detection, can upload pictures via FTP, video capabilities, generates HTML, emails pictures, and more. The best part is it's free.
posted by SteveInMaine at 10:52 AM on January 15, 2006

I bookmarked SuperVisionCam a few months ago, but I haven't tried it yet. CCTV forum seems like a good place to explore your options.
posted by roboto at 4:53 PM on January 15, 2006