Weekend Project: Set Up a PC-Based Security System Protect your home with your PC and one or more video cameras.
By Bill O'Brien
Serious home security doesn=92t have to comprise a panic room, bodyguards with pile-driver arms, and a machine-gun emplacement on the front lawn. It=92s the peace of mind often achieved by a simple awareness of what=92s happening around you. For that, you really need nothing more than a camera=97or three. Put one at the front door to see who=92s knocking; install one in the baby=92s room to keep an eye on little Cuthbert; and, if you=92re having second thoughts about that nanny you hired, stash a secret one in the den.
If you=92re like most folks today, you have at least one PC at home, as well as a laptop you use when you=92re away. In this project, we=92ll explain how to configure your cameras so you can monitor them online, as well as when you=92re home. After all, what good is security if you can=92t take it with you?
- Consider wiring schemes (or not)
It=92s likely that your camera or cameras will need to be positioned far from your PC, so you might assume that installing a wireless camera or cameras is the only way to go. Wireless models aren=92t always the best choice, however. Wireless cams operate in the 2.5GHz band, and that=92s a very busy place, with wireless computer gear, phones, microwave ovens, garage-door openers, and quite a few other cord-free gadgets jostling each other for the same bandwidth. Things tend to get crowded and slow on 2.5GHz, and that=92s definitely not a good thing for a security camera engaged in activity as bandwidth-intensive as streaming video.
As an alternative, consider camera models that use power-line connectivity. These cams feature a receiver that plugs into an AC outlet and connects to your computer via a USB port. The camera also plugs into an AC outlet, and the camera and receiver communicate with each other over the existing power lines in your home. The advantage is that, in theory, you shouldn=92t encounter any communication dead zones between the two. They should act as if wired directly together.
- Choose your camera carefully
You can always point an indoor camera (left) to get an outdoor view, but if the camera might be subjected to the elements, a camera built for outdoor use (center) is the only way to go. A spycam (right) is a great way to add stealthy indoor views.
Several considerations apply here. Do you want an indoor camera or an outdoor model, or perhaps a stealthy one versus something that looks obvious? Beyond those choices, however, you have a further pair: What frame rate do you need the camera to be capable of, and do you want a camera that records both video and sound, or will video alone suffice?
When contemplating this project, we looked at camera systems from Logitech and Axis Communications. Logitech=92s WiLife security cameras use power-line connectivity, do not record sound, and top out at 15 frames per second (fps). The Axis Communications gear can be connected directly to your network router, but it also uses wireless 802.11g Wi- Fi as an option. It will record sound and is rated at 30fps (although in practice it =93feels=94 a couple of frames per second slower than that).
Based on those specifications, the wireless Axis 207w (indoor) and
211w (outdoor) cameras are more versatile. At $275 online for the 207w, that cam is also about $15 more expensive than the competing Logitech product, but not out of range for the extra features it offers. Unfortunately, the 207w was such a bear to set up=97even though tech support assured us (during the hour or so we spent on the phone) that it typically works out of the box=97that we opted for Logitech=92s $299.99 WiLife Video Security Master System starter kit instead. It comes with one indoor camera; additional indoor and outdoor cams cost $229.99 each. (=93Spy cams=94 are available too.) The WiLife cameras come with onboard processing hardware to boost their motion-detection abilities and image quality.- Determine optimum camera placement
Shown here connected to a single six-outlet power strip while setting up the focus, the power packs for the camera's transmitter and receiver are enormous. Take that into account when deciding on the location of the system components.
Even though the WiLife kit doesn=92t require you to string wire across your home, location is still a key issue. On the receiver side, it=92s just a matter of making sure you have a nearby wall outlet and a long- enough USB cable to reach your PC. (The receiver uses the USB connection to transmit the images sent to it by the camera.) If the supplied four-foot USB cable isn=92t long enough, feel free to purchase a longer one=97the recommended maximum is about 16 feet.
At the camera end, you need to select a location that=92s both convenient to a power receptacle and that will let you capture the view you desire. The WiLife camera and its transmitter are connected via a Cat-3 cable that=92s about six feet long. You can use a longer cable if you need the extra reach; if you can=92t find Cat-3, a Cat-5 cable can be used interchangeably.
Also, note that you don=92t necessarily need to plug the transmitter directly into the wall AC outlet. You can use a power extension cord=97 but not one with surge suppression. That=92s already built into the camera, and external surge suppressors used inline will degrade the video signal. (If you do use an extension cord and are installing an outdoor camera, make sure you use an outdoor-rated cord.)
Tip: When choosing a location for an indoor or outdoor camera, be mindful of nearby lighting. You don=92t want your camera pointing directly into the sun or at a halogen light source. Too much of either may damage the video sensor.
- Install the hardware
Like with most USB devices, you need to run the WiLife=92s installation disc first so Windows can set up the needed drivers. WiLife also installs a software application, then guides you through the initial hardware hookup.
The physical connections are simple. When you=92re instructed to do so, plug the receiver into a wall outlet near your PC, then connect it to the computer via its USB cable. Next, plug the camera into a wall outlet. The two units will begin to communicate with each other through your home=92s power lines. When all the electronic handshaking and hugging is over, what the camera sees should be sent through your AC lines, into the receiver, and then into your PC via the USB cable.
- Make final adjustments
Automatic brightness and contrast controls will work for most daytime- to-dusk video captures. If you've set up your camera in a dark area, simply adjusting the brightness and contrast will often reveal enough details (top) from an otherwise nearly indistinguishable image (bottom).
Though everything should work well at the WiLife kit=92s default settings, it leaves some room for fine-tuning. If you click the Setup button on the WiLife Control Panel, you=92ll find options called Camera, Recording, Alerts, Online, and Advanced. Some of them, to be most effective, require an upgrade to the Platinum version of the software. An extra $80 per year gets you features such as notifications via e- mail (if, for example, motion=97or lack of motion=97is detected) and the ability to store and access recorded video in an offsite storage area. That said, perhaps 98.9 percent of the things you=92ll likely want to do with your camera will work fine with the options that Logitech supplies out of the box.
The two options that matter most are Camera and Recording. The former lets you label the various cameras you have so you can tell which one you=92re looking at. It also gives you options for where those labels will appear on the video display. Also, you can make brightness and contrast adjustments within the software to compensate for the ambient lighting at the camera location. The Recording option lets you designate the directory in which recordings are saved, determines whether motion or timed recordings (or both) are used, and provides information regarding how much drive space you=92ve used.
More crucial is the ability to monitor your camera or cameras when you=92re away from home. You can monitor the view from your camera online, but only through WiLife=92s Web site, and you can only view your video stream for 3 minutes at a time. (You can register an account with the site when you set up the kit; sign-on is at online.wilife.com.) There=92s approximately a 15-second delay between what you see over the Internet and what=92s =93live.=94 Also, as we mentioned earlier, if you upgrade the software to the Platinum level, you can authorize the software to send you e-mail alerts about activity the camera detects.
If we wanted that level of security, however, we=92d probably consider something more than just a casual security arrangement such as this. We=92d also want to add at least an outdoor and, perhaps, a spy camera to make the possible viewing zones more complete. Whether you=92re viewing your WiLife system online or on your local PC, you can monitor a single camera at a time (and cycle among all those you have installed) or view all the cameras at the same time in a tiled fashion.
Tip: In most cases, your camera should be preset to maximum focus out of the box. If you need to adjust it, bring the camera into the room where the receiver and computer are. You can adjust the focus while looking at your monitor, and the camera will hold that focus when returned to its vantage point.