Wireless IP camera as baby monitor - update

Just thought I'd share my thoughts on this. Having taken some advice from group readers I decided on a Linksys WVC54g.

It comes with a "desktop" type stand and the camera itself also tilts up and down and can be turned left/right and has a manual focusing ring. Performance is quite excellent in daytime and streaming the image across the internet was no problem either, although I do have a 448k upload speed on my broadband line, maybe it might not work so well on a 256k upload. I set mine to max quality and 640x480 which is the cameras max resolution.

In low light it fares less well obviously, but I will be using a very low-power night light in the babys room and an old laptop in the living room.

The motion detection built in to the camera seems to work OK, although it takes a good deal of experimenting with the settings to make sure you don't end up with 177 video clips in your email inbox as I did once!

Anyone else thinking of going for it, I'd be pleased to answer any questions.

Reply to
Jon
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No need to use a night light which may disturb the baby, use some infra-red LEDs these will light the scene up a treat for the camera without disturbing the sleeping one :)

Hellraiser................>

Reply to
Hellraiser

where did you buy it ?

Reply to
simonsmith.uk

Um, I do hope you aren't actually monitoring your baby over the Internet at the other side of town!

Christian.

Reply to
Christian McArdle

monitoring your baby over the internet with a webcam?

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Reply to
John Stumbles

What is used to display the internet video? I've come across one of those IP cameras whereby it won't display a video in Mozilla/Firefox due to the software was only written for IE. Alas the name escapes me.

Reply to
The3rd Earl Of Derby

snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com declared for all the world to hear...

dabs.com Ordered at 7.30pm on Tuesday and it turned up at my work at 9am on Wednesday. Most impressive service.

Reply to
Jon

snipped-for-privacy@nospam.yahooxxxx.co.uk declared for all the world to hear...

Well, we don't have a baby yet, but I will be most definitely monitoring it over the internet!

The wife will be at home aswell though!

Reply to
Jon

snipped-for-privacy@h.co.uk declared for all the world to hear...

You can view it using IE, I don't have any need to try other browsers. It uses activeX or Java I think. There's a viewer utility included on the CD that it comes with, so if you don't have IE you can use this viewer utility.

I'll open it up to the internet for a while if you like. It's pointing out my front window at the moment. I'll disable this in a few hours time. It's pretty dark so the pictures not good but you can see if it works or not.

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Reply to
Jon

snipped-for-privacy@blueyonder.co.uk declared for all the world to hear...

Tell me more...

Reply to
Jon

Yep,I was right won't work in firefox,only IE must have a lot of frustrated people who have bought that cam.

Reply to
The3rd Earl Of Derby

The message from "The3rd Earl Of Derby" contains these words:

It does point you at another bit of software instead - perhaps that works.

Reply to
Guy King

snipped-for-privacy@h.co.uk declared for all the world to hear...

You can use the viewer utility that comes with it in that event. It's a very small application.

Reply to
Jon

They are making the usual unfortunate assumption that everyone uses Windows. There are several alternatives...

Reply to
Bob Eager

If someone using one of the alternatives wants to they can use the FTP function to upload pics to a web server and view that.

Why is it that these minority users always think manufacturers should waste money on doing specials for them? You choose to use the minority products so you really should work out how to get around the problems you create rather than expecting everyone to do what suits you. Its not as though you would pay for any software they did for Linux, etc. is it? It isn't going to significantly increase their sales either is it?

Reply to
dennis

Hardly the same.

They don't have to waste money - just do the job properly.

A very blinkered viewpoint. But then...

I never said I use Linux (and I don't - it's just a jumped up wannabe UNIX, and I've had 30 years of that). I'm happy to pay for software and products, but not if they're badly written and nonstandard.

Reply to
Bob Eager

It is a waste if it doesn't increase their sales and profits.

So using activeX which covers 90+% is doing it wrong. What would you suggest they used to do it correctly?

Reply to
dennis

You mean apart from the big security black hole that is Active X?

Dave

Reply to
gort

Its only a problem if you load activeX programs from untrustworthy places.. this is the same as loading any other program on any OS That is why root kits get loaded on Linux or Macs the user is by far the weakest link in the security chain.. always has been and always will be.

Reply to
dennis

A naive view. Even Microsoft ActiveX controls have had security issues before now.

Reply to
Bob Eager

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