Using office computers as security cameras
March 30, 2012 5:30 PM Subscribe
I have an open-plan office full of computers, about 75% Macs. We're considering putting in security cameras with a DVR. It seems to me that with all these computers (and a bunch of spares, at that) we could do this with what we have instead of paying a security company for dedicated hardware. What can I use to coordinate multiple webcams and do security-DVR-type stuff with them?
Response by poster: I know how to get security cameras installed, we've even got quotes from the vendors of our burglar alarm and access control system.
What I want to know is how to make a bunch of computers, ideally Macs, work like one -- not if it's a good idea, but how, because it seems like a neat thing to do.
posted by mendel at 5:51 PM on March 30, 2012
What I want to know is how to make a bunch of computers, ideally Macs, work like one -- not if it's a good idea, but how, because it seems like a neat thing to do.
posted by mendel at 5:51 PM on March 30, 2012
Best answer: Just have to put EvoCam on all of them and have it running all the time. EvoCam has the ability to capture either photos or video, either on a timer or configurable motion sensor. It can either save them locally, email them, or upload them to various kinds of servers.
posted by supercres at 5:59 PM on March 30, 2012
posted by supercres at 5:59 PM on March 30, 2012
Keep in mind that if these are iSight cameras, a green light will turn on next to said cameras when in operation, thus informing the bad guy or guys that they are in use. It's easy enough to put a bit of electrical tape over the lenses, in that case.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 6:01 PM on March 30, 2012
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 6:01 PM on March 30, 2012
You generally want the bad guys to know that cameras are active, don't you? Hence the proliferation of fake cameras that are just a blinky LED in a vaguely cameralike case.
Anyway, mendel, check out ZoneMinder, Motion, GSpy, and I think there's an openCV one that does face recognition and tracking.
posted by hattifattener at 6:41 PM on March 30, 2012
Anyway, mendel, check out ZoneMinder, Motion, GSpy, and I think there's an openCV one that does face recognition and tracking.
posted by hattifattener at 6:41 PM on March 30, 2012
@mendel
Some states and localities require video be "tamper-proof"; i.e., exist on a non-PC type devices (even though we both know this doesn't stop even a pseudo-saavy user). The DVRs we sold could download clips to a computer using special software (it really was just a proprietary MPEG container). Some law enforcement agencies I was tasked with supporting refused to take the downloaded clips as evidence and required taking the DVR in or recording it from the DVR with their own device. I guess they're worried about the possibility of someone changing timestamps.
That alone would really negate the price-saving or neatness of using a bunch of machines with webcams.
Additionally, how would you accurately sync up the video from each if needed? You really want to make this as idiot-proof as possible if you were to have a break-in and need the video.
I applaud your curiosity (and am interested to see how this would work), I just wouldn't want you to rely on a system that would prove useless in the case of an actual incident.
posted by chrisfromthelc at 6:52 PM on March 30, 2012 [1 favorite]
Some states and localities require video be "tamper-proof"; i.e., exist on a non-PC type devices (even though we both know this doesn't stop even a pseudo-saavy user). The DVRs we sold could download clips to a computer using special software (it really was just a proprietary MPEG container). Some law enforcement agencies I was tasked with supporting refused to take the downloaded clips as evidence and required taking the DVR in or recording it from the DVR with their own device. I guess they're worried about the possibility of someone changing timestamps.
That alone would really negate the price-saving or neatness of using a bunch of machines with webcams.
Additionally, how would you accurately sync up the video from each if needed? You really want to make this as idiot-proof as possible if you were to have a break-in and need the video.
I applaud your curiosity (and am interested to see how this would work), I just wouldn't want you to rely on a system that would prove useless in the case of an actual incident.
posted by chrisfromthelc at 6:52 PM on March 30, 2012 [1 favorite]
An intermediate option might be to run a dedicated server yourself. A Qnap NAS can do that for example, as can a Synology one. Neither are hugely expensive, and they're fire and forget sort of solutions without an outside contractor.
posted by bonehead at 6:49 AM on April 3, 2012
posted by bonehead at 6:49 AM on April 3, 2012
Response by poster: So we ended up getting a DVR and cameras from our alarm system provider. But I was able to use your advice to set up a littercam at home to figure out which of our cats had, uh, digestive issues. Win-win!
posted by mendel at 9:23 AM on January 20, 2013
posted by mendel at 9:23 AM on January 20, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
As far as I know, you can't. Any 'security cam' programs out there made to work with webcams will not suffice for the purpose of investigations.
You'd probably be cheaper hardware-wise to actually get a real camera system installed. You can do 8 or so channels with cameras (assuming you install yourself) for a couple of thousand at most. Likely cheaper if you spend any time looking. Installation is simple as hooking up a VCR, honestly. I wouldn't pay someone to do it unless you just really don't have the time to do so yourself.
posted by chrisfromthelc at 5:46 PM on March 30, 2012