[NTLUG:Discuss] surveillance camera

[fredjame]

Tom Tumelty wrote:

>>There are a few network based cameras that use Linux
>>under the hood.
>>
>>Not sure what exactly you are wanting to accomplish,
>>so....
>>
>>    
>>
>
>I am looking for a cheap and reliable way to monitor
>what happens when i am not home. I live in a fairly
>remote location and have seen signs of suspicious
>activity.
>
>
>Thanks,
>Tom
>  
>
I cannot add anything specific, but I can add a generality or two.  The question of "what exactly you are wanting to accomplish" is very significant in the "surveillance world" - while it may be one thing to hook up a number of camera feeds, it is another to record them.  And you will have to decide how and how much you want to record.  Just wide open, constant recording is a lot of data - operative word being "a lot."  Some security systems I have seen use timed exposure (i.e., one frame every x seconds), and others use motion detection, or even sound, to trigger image capture.  In any case there will still be a significant amount of data generated.  In the case of multiple cameras, will they write to separate files or tapes, or will they inter leaf?  And etc. on the technical side.

Then there is the eventual "what will you do with the data if you find something interesting"?  If you expect it to be admissible in court, for example, I am sure there are some issue to be concerned with up front there too.

Hope this helps, although I am afraid I have not offered any answers, nor shall I be able to.

-- 
...your have to be the change...