Security Camera question

[maradcliff]

Does anyone know how those security cameras work that they have in stores, banks, etc? I know they record to a common video tape, but apparently they take a shot every minute or something like that, because otherwise a person would have to change tapes every 6 hours.

I am asking because I live on a farm, and have some idiot leaving my livestock out of their pens when I am away. I suspect one of several bratty local kids, or an adult weirdo that has been causing problems in our area.

I dont want to spend a ton of money on a professional security system. But I do want to put a camera on the barn, like under the eaves or something. I do have a camcorder and vcr, but I am often gone for more than 6 hours at a time. Does anyone know of a way to make a video camera take still shots, like one every 10 seconds or something.

Anyone got any ideas?

Thanks for all help.

Mark

[m Ransley]

Super circuits, Radio Shack and others sell a variety of equipment cheap. Cameras for under 100 $ US , motion activated cameras, etc. At Menards you can get a motion activated caners for 100 and a switcher that it will control any Vcr and turn it on and off for a few minutes. Menards Zenith system is limited to only a few minutes on time when activated. For 180$ you can get Vcrs that record 33 days 1280 hrs from Super Circuits. You have allot of options . First use your Video recorder with the longest tape set to longest time, Or connect camera to Vcr if it can record longer. You have cheap options, if what you have doesn't go long enough research what it sold. Prices are very cheap these days for video surveillance

[wayne]

check your camcorder most have what they call "time lapse" mode which involves turning the camera on and off at intervals. That said a regular camera system would be a good idea. They do make powerline cameras that look like a regular outdoor bulb and they transmit the signal back to a plug in unit you attach to your VCR you can get extended play T-160 tapes or to your PC if you have a line in on it!

They have lots of stuff you can use. A gate and fence at the end of the driveway will also do wonders for keeping people out. I purchased a solar powered gate opener and it worked great for me along with a couple of dogs!

Wayne

[SQLit]

locks on the gates?

I grew up on a farm and know what this means, but if you use combo locks the problem might be fixed by itself. Once you know who it is you will have to confront them and the parents. That could be dangerous

[bill allemann]

there's used timelapse recorders on ebay pretty often for about $50 bill

[Travis Jordan]

Modern vidoo surveillance is done on digital video recorders that capture a frame every fraction of a second. It isn't unusual to record

30 days of video on the recorder's internal hard disk.

For your application I'd suggest a wireless IP-based (internet) video camera. Assuming you have line-of-sight from the camera transmitter to it's receiver it is a snap to install. You'll be able to watch and also record the video frames on your PC.

I like Axis and D-Link cameras. Good quality and reasonably priced.

HTH.

[chillermfg]

They tape on 24,36,48,72 hour tapes. The imagery frame rate is a little slower so the image is not high res, but the tapes do not need changed very often. The cameras are relatively inexpensive, but the recorder will cost you. ReRe

I am asking because I live on a farm, and have some idiot leaving my livestock out of their pens when I am away. I suspect one of several bratty local kids, or an adult weirdo that has been causing problems in our area.

I dont want to spend a ton of money on a professional security system. But I do want to put a camera on the barn, like under the eaves or something. I do have a camcorder and vcr, but I am often gone for more than 6 hours at a time. Does anyone know of a way to make a video camera take still shots, like one every 10 seconds or something.

Anyone got any ideas?

Thanks for all help.

Mark

[Suzie-Q]

-> Does anyone know how those security cameras work that they have in

-> stores, banks, etc? I know they record to a common video tape, but

-> apparently they take a shot every minute or something like that,

-> because otherwise a person would have to change tapes every 6 hours.

->

-> I am asking because I live on a farm, and have some idiot leaving my

-> livestock out of their pens when I am away. I suspect one of several

-> bratty local kids, or an adult weirdo that has been causing problems

-> in our area.

->

-> I dont want to spend a ton of money on a professional security system.

-> But I do want to put a camera on the barn, like under the eaves or

-> something. I do have a camcorder and vcr, but I am often gone for

-> more than 6 hours at a time. Does anyone know of a way to make a

-> video camera take still shots, like one every 10 seconds or something.

->

-> Anyone got any ideas?

->

-> Thanks for all help.

It might be effective if you buy one of those fake cameras and set it up overlooking the pens. Then put a big sign on the pen saying, "This area protected by video surveillance," or something like that. Of course, this is only effective if you want to stop the activity. If you want to bring charges, you'll have to go for the real thing.

Just a thought.

[Chip]

I had a problem with misguided bratty kids at one time too. Instead of a tape system, I purchased a camera system that connects to the USB ports on my computer. It records compressed realtime video to the hard drive only when motion is sensed. No tapes to change. I have several months of recorded video on my garage computer at any one time. It was fairly inexpensive too, especially if you already have a computer.

The system I bought comes with 2 minature black and white, bullet cameras. You can buy systems with more cameras but I only wanted two. I think the whole thing (less the computer) was around $300. I've rcorded things like the gas man checking the meter (he didn't even see the camera), lightning strikes in the sky (really cool), and the time of day that all people come and go. I have one camera on my driveway and another on my front door. When the doorbell rings, I can look at the image without moving away from my computer, just to see if I want to answer the door.

Chip

[Greg]

I am just starting to play with my E-guard card but I am already getting great raccoon pictures. The motion detector is an "event" that triggers a shot

[Chuck]

Do you have a web link or brand name? Chuck

[tweaked]

Chuck wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Wireless camera witha wireless card on your computer, motion detector software just like the other suggestions. Up to 300' they claim. No wires to run is key. You can use it later to watch for animal birthings, etc. I used DLink, they have great customer support too.

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[Curly Sue]

There are wireless, but not cordless? I.e., they still need an electrical outlet?

Sue(tm) Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

[Pop Rivet]

Actually, video cameras are pretty cheap security devices these days, esp if you look at Radio Shack etc. for price comparisons. Check out Google; uise: "security camera" +VHS -gov and you should get quite a few hits. Cut and paste that line, including the quotes if you wish. Yes, they take pictures at predetermined intervals and a long-play VHS will do 12 or 24 hours, depending on the support it has. There are also those that will save to a computer disk if you have that ability - can get a LOT of time recorded that way. I would also suggest motion detectors along with the camera surveillance - lights up the subject for a great shot! And he will know it. You need to make the camera unobtrusive though and not easy to spot if your culprit has more than two brain cells. A couple of phonies might give him something to break if he notices them, and still get himself caught. It's a little more expensive, but there are also cameras that have motion detectors; nothing recorded unless there is movement. Of course, you will record the occasional bird, dog, critters, etc. with them, but ... they'll use a lot less tape and require fewer change-outs.

Pop

they have in

video tape, but

like that,

every 6 hours.

idiot leaving my

one of several

causing problems

security system.

the eaves or

often gone for

to make a

seconds or something.

and

pen

something

to stop

go for

[chuck yerkes]

Slower than your VCR. Like 72 hr VCRs. Frys carries them, I noticed last week.

Chip wrote:

is a project that takes camera input (however it gets there, I'd use a regular camera and a video IN card on teh computer). based on what's in the frame it figures out if somethings changed. And takes a picture.

All taht said, a $200 firewire drive with 200GB can hold a LOT of video in. I dunno if computer recording programs in general will take a snap every 2-3 seconds and turn it intoa movie. I might close and open a new movie every hour. But you're going to look at it if the livestock are out, find the movie that shows them IN and zip through taht until you find them OUT.

So a specialized slow VCR or into a computer.

Hmmm, would a TIVO work for this? Just record channel 3 all the time...

[Chip]

Dont stop looking at this one either, search the internet and compare. This is where I went. I was satisfied with the product alright. It's their customer service that I didn't care for.

Chip

[Rein]

the only downside is that they do NOT work at night.. They're minimum light requirement is pretty high last time I researched it. Anyone know if there are any infrared wireless IP camera's out there ?

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[Jim Yanik]

Rein wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Note that black/white cameras are more sensitive than color cameras. Color cameras have filters to block IR and UV,and their sensor elements are filtered for each of the three primary colors,RGB.