Web Cam Monitor Solution: Expert Advice Needed!

I would like to remotely monitor my ailing mother in her home using
three web cams. This will allow me and my brothers to check on her
periodically throughout the day.

I really need a cost effective solution for this.

I think we need:

a. 3 web cams (for placement around the house)
b. a computer connected to a cable modem
c. a router to connect computers and web cams

Wireless would be the best bet I imagine? Can someone recommend brands
and the rest of the components we need? What software would broadcast
the images on to the web for us to access?

Simple and inexpensive would be wonderful.

Thank you!

p.s. optionally, it would be great if we could hear her or even be able
to talk to her voice but this is not a requirement.

On 26 May 2006 15:07:44 -0700, "Fitzwilliam Darcy"
wrote:

I would like to remotely monitor my ailing mother in her home using
three web cams. This will allow me and my brothers to check on her
periodically throughout the day.

I really need a cost effective solution for this.

I think we need:

a. 3 web cams (for placement around the house)
b. a computer connected to a cable modem
c. a router to connect computers and web cams

Wireless would be the best bet I imagine? Can someone recommend brands
and the rest of the components we need? What software would broadcast
the images on to the web for us to access?

Simple and inexpensive would be wonderful.

Thank you!

p.s. optionally, it would be great if we could hear her or even be able
to talk to her voice but this is not a requirement.

Your bes bet is to get a copy of the dicontinued Ivista webcam
software off ebay (search for ivista) currently going for ~$7. It
does good video and audio. You can make a simple parallel port
switcher to switch between many cams. My page below shows ho to
make one.

http://tinyurl.com/n6hv9
http://www.geocities.com/zoomkat/ppswitcher-demo.htm
http://www.geocities.com/zoomkat/ppswitcher.htm

Thank you!

I would really prefer a more 'out of the box' solution. I am not handy
at all. Though I will show my brothers the plans too.

Are there some reasonably economical solutions I can purchase?

I just meant that I didn't want to buy a lot of top end equipment.
Building any of the components is not really an option. I need to be
able to purchase replacements as they fail.

I mentioned economical because when you deal with electronics sometimes
people spend thousands for top of the line when hundreds would work
just fine.

Thank you again for your replies.

In ups.com,
Fitzwilliam Darcy dribbled from a puss filled
blister enraged mouth:
I just meant that I didn't want to buy a lot of top end equipment.
Building any of the components is not really an option. I need to be
able to purchase replacements as they fail.

I mentioned economical because when you deal with electronics
sometimes people spend thousands for top of the line when hundreds
would work just fine.

Thank you again for your replies.

ive done similar set ups but woth wireless composite cameras.....

do a search on ebay for pvr card these allow you too plug in up to 4 thru to
16 composite devices.....

the do a search for wireless camera on ebay

you can pick these little beauties up for £20 to £25 on ebay,, i have 5 of
these and they are very good quality for the price....

install the pvr card,,, hook up as many cameras as you need (up to 4 without
more cables) using the wireless receivers supplied with the cameras.

find a good location for a camera.... u only need a power supply close by as
they are wireless transmitting.

tune the camera in with the receiver.... thats one done....

same again with each camera...

then i would use remote desktop connection to connect to the pc with the pvr
card installed (leave the software on the remote pc desktop) and view it
that way.. you could use some server software so more than one person can
access it at once.

ive had this kind of set up a few times on different pcs.... it saves you
using more than one pc..only thing is pvr cards are very hungry things so
you wud need a high end pc to feed its demands..

apart from that its easy..

regards slayer....

ps... i havent got this set up just now but after explaining this to you i
think ill buy the stuff and set it up.. just for the hell of it...

fwiw
I do something similar to watch my dad whom is 91 and disabled from strokes.
Has a tendency to fall and tends to get cut up pretty good usually... trips
to ER are twice a yr and really long and booring.

Rescued him not long ago - fell out of his wheelchair trying to pick up
something he dropped. Cut his head.. lots of blood, think it was 17
staples. Anyhow I heard the hollering my name over & over from one cam
that surprisingly hears long range. DSC 2000 dlink. I use it as an
ethernet wired cam with one way audio - probably cost me around $100 off
ebay. Turn it on when I'm within reach of a computer and turn the sound
down. I have another dlink without sound that covers the main part of the
house - didn't put one in his bedrooom nor bath .. figured give him some
privacy. If he really knew and understood that the one cam listens,,, he
would drive me nuts with 'I Need something.

Family does look in occasionally. One brother used to always watch and
listen but kicked the bucket, cancer. He enjoyed the cams while he was
homebound in another state with his illness.

Dlink makes several cams with and without wireless and with and without
sound both one way and two way. You might want to check out their site and
prices off ebay or amazon,, wherever. Network IP Cams, little self
contained camera/web-server. Simple with a router and yes you will want
some kind of broadband with at least a minimum of probably 500kbps upload
speed. You connect to the cam directly or if one of you are html web
page aware , make your own webpage(s) for you own hard drive to pull the
video/sound direct from the cams.

I have a mix of network cams around... haven't found one yet that actually
sucks. Pay attention to light levels, a 2fc cam needs good lighting.
Most any wired ethernet cam can be made wireless with the addition of an
access point that does client mode.


"Fitzwilliam Darcy" wrote in message
ps.com...
I would like to remotely monitor my ailing mother in her home using
three web cams. This will allow me and my brothers to check on her
periodically throughout the day.

I really need a cost effective solution for this.

I think we need:

a. 3 web cams (for placement around the house)
b. a computer connected to a cable modem
c. a router to connect computers and web cams

Wireless would be the best bet I imagine? Can someone recommend brands
and the rest of the components we need? What software would broadcast
the images on to the web for us to access?

Simple and inexpensive would be wonderful.

Thank you!

p.s. optionally, it would be great if we could hear her or even be able
to talk to her voice but this is not a requirement.

Thank you all for the replies. I really appreciate your expertise. We
want to make sure we get this right.

Let me ask you if the following solution is possible:

1. We purchase three self contained (web server) cameras with 2-way
audio (Like D-Link DSC 3220?)
2. We purchase a powered speaker for each cam
3. We plug each cam into a router
3. We plug a cable modem into the router

Am I correct in saying that after the above is configured we would have
a solution where we can monitor her or speak with her from anywhere
with access to the Internet?

1. We purchase three self contained (web server) cameras with 2-way
audio (Like D-Link DSC 3220?)
2. We purchase a powered speaker for each cam
3. We plug each cam into a router
3. We plug a cable modem into the router

Am I correct in saying that after the above is configured we would have
a solution where we can monitor her or speak with her from anywhere
with access to the Internet?

Yep. There are some network configurations which aren't overly difficult.
Port forward or virtual server settings in the router... and setting the
ports in the cams. After you do it once its a piece of cake.
Why not start buy buying yourself one and see what you think., you'll learn
a lot once you have one to play with.

Thank you.

Amazing that all of that broadcasts on the Internet without needing a
computer (except to configure, I imagine).

1. Which router would you all suggest for this solution?

And I wonder what kind of client you need on your internet computer to
speak voice to one of those cameras?

for the sound the cams generally will serve up an activeX control and with
the connection so the client computer needs a microphone to use that feature
and probably Internet Explorer with current activeX - or know the secrets of
using activeX in Firefox or whatever.

I'd buy a wireless router and turn off wireless. ISP might give you one.
If you buy dlink camera;s, might as well buy dlink router so you'll have
one stop support should you get a problem. DI-624 is pretty easy to
configure. But would imagine what ever you might be familiar with might be
better.

The emulator for that dcs 3220 cam,
http://support.dlink.com/emulators/dcs3220/ shows it using 3 ports. So you
will need a router capable of handling 3 ports x the number of cams with
port forward or virtual server settings. 3 cams = 9 ports. I have seen
some people speak of their routers with a cheezy 5 rule maximum.



"Fitzwilliam Darcy" wrote in message
oups.com...
Thank you.

Amazing that all of that broadcasts on the Internet without needing a
computer (except to configure, I imagine).

1. Which router would you all suggest for this solution?

And I wonder what kind of client you need on your internet computer to
speak voice to one of those cameras?