Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with cam

Help me detect hidden cameras/microphones

kampken — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 06:33:12 -0800

Help me to detect hidden cams/microphones in a room. I have reason to believe that my friend's house has been bugged by her ex-husband and im looking for easy ways to find and remove these bugs. It may sound a bit paranoid, but there have already been other examples where he has tried to "track" her. First by putting a tracking program on her cellphone, and then by putting a GPS-tracker in her car. He then proceeded to follow her around and she involved the police at this point. He just got a warning and the devices were confiscated.

Now we have reason to believe he's at at it again. He's showing a eerie knowledge of what hours of the day she is home in, and information about personal matters he can't possibly know. Hence the suspicion that her home may be bugged with cameras or microphones. (i've checked her cellphone which is clean).

I've seen some detector devices on the internet, how effective are they? Example: http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/security/5a42/
And is there any other method to detect them? Im guessing the microphones are sending out low-frequency noise and the cam must be using some other wave-length emissions i can somehow detect. Also if its wireless there's bound to be some RF noise.

Thanks in advance

What's the problem with this video camera?

handee — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 07:02:57 -0800

One of our DV camcorders has started giving strange output. This is direct to disk recording, so it's not a dodgy tape. The output is pixellated and highly coloured (blue/green) as in this screenshot... Any ideas what the problem might be? Has anyone seen this behaviour before?

Studry wireless internet cam needed

zaebiz — Thu, 01 May 2008 16:13:41 -0800

I want to attach a small (and waterproof) wireless camera to my mischief-seeking dog's collar and have it send images via the internet every 30 seconds so I can keep an eye on him while at work. He is restricted to an area with a maximum distance of about 200 metres from the wireless router. Ideally I could store and review every photograph over the day. How possible is all of that?

Which digital video recorder for a helmetcam?

unSane — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 19:49:23 -0800

I am putting together a helmetcam system for mountain biking. Which digital (flash or HD based) video recorder should I use? OK, I'm going to use a camera simlar to this one with 520 line resolution.

I need something which will record the video.

I don't want a DV camera because of the pain of having to digitize everything in real time, and the likelihood of severe shocks when I fall off the bike.

So that leaves either a flash-based or HD based recorder. I think flash would be a better choice for me. The cheapest option appears to be the Aiptek MPVR which I like because it will record third-person video as well and is cheap enough not to worry about.

What other options are there for better quality in a similar form factor with or without lens? Do any other of the new HD/Flash-based camcorders offer video-in (which is the sine qua non here)? Bonus points for (a) a lens (b) toughness (c) quality (d) toughness (e) mac-friendly output format (eg .mov) (f) remote.

Obviously it must fit in a camelback and have a battery life of >1hr while recording.

Good alternative to iSight?

kirkaracha — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 09:59:15 -0800

What's a good webcam for video chatting on OS X? I'm looking for a good webcam for iChat AV on OS X.

I'd like to get an iSight, but it looks like Apple discontinued them and they're expensive on eBay.

Remote Camera

curiousleo — Mon, 12 Jun 2006 06:31:40 -0800

Question about remote CAM I need to install a some type of remote cam for a store.
I don't necessary need recording feature.
It needs to be viewable via internet.

I have hard time even trying to remote access store's system so I need something very simple.

GoToMyPC works perfectly for me. Anything VPN seems way to complicated for me.
I tried GotoMYPC to view cam but it has too slow of reflesh rate. Although I imagine manually turning on MSN messenger type thing from both ends to view CAM pictures.... but that is a bit cumbersome also.

I also need to have at least 3 cameras.

IP CAM seems o.k. but as I said anything network seems to be little too difficult for me....

It would be super if I can find something that is similar to Gotomypc for cam... (web cam viewing?)

The cams need to be viewable 24hours a day...

What is good long term reputable service that may do this at reasonable price? or Can someone suggest step by step how I can do this? I already have spare computer that can be on 24hours day... a wireless router... (possibility to have static IP address.. although it cost more)

How can I get one of these eyeball webcams without reading Japanese?

eyeballkid — Tue, 09 Dec 2003 18:08:11 -0800

For obvious reasons, I want this. The problem is that I don't read Japanese. I've tried Google, but searching "eyeball webcam" doesn't really narrow down results.

Is there a caring, Japan residing MeFite that can help me accomplish this goal?