setting up a security/whatever pc

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groo

groo

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Feb 3, 2008
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I thinking of setting up a home security PC with one of those 4 camera PCI cards.

I figure have it enclosed in the celing rafters in the basement, and run up a video cable, audio line and a USB hub to the livingroom TV. I figure it will be easy to run the various cables to in the basement and less likely to be found (and a pain to get to if found)
My DVD player would be a USB DVD drive, My keyboard and mouse would be bluetooth.

My understanding is the PCI servalance cards can be set to only record when something changes (like a person walking by) and can be set to overwrite the oldest files when space fills up. I imagine that should leave plenty of excess power to word process, surf the net, mild gaming, torrents, folding.....

Does all this sound resonable to everyone so far?

I plan on caring over my 7900gs to the new desktop (till more funds come availiable) and using the 6150 OBG.

I have 2 procesors (I upgraded once) AM2 semperon 2800+ and a Brisbane core 3600+

My initial though is to get a AM2/AM2+ mobo and caryover the Brisbane, but its probably all of a $50 CPU.

Do you guys think its worth staying with AMD just to reuse a bottom end CPU? if I get a new one, It'll be $100 or less (another bottom end CPU).

coments?
suggestions?


 
bump, nobody has any thoughts on this?

my latest thought is get a MSI fuzzy 690t for the hidden PC, and leave my desktop asis (minus the HDD with XP)
 
What PCI card and cameras would you be using for this? Sounds interesting. I have a server running idle 99.9% of the time, this would make good use of it. What software does this run off of? I think you can use the computer for other things, just try to keep the disk usage down in case the video needs to start recording.
 
slobogob
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813121326

Take a look at this.
Click to expand...

definatly more budget friendly than the 690t, but probably couldn't play HD movies. I do like that its all passively cooled.


gwolfman
What PCI card and cameras would you be using for this? Sounds interesting. I have a server running idle 99.9% of the time, this would make good use of it. What software does this run off of? I think you can use the computer for other things, just try to keep the disk usage down in case the video needs to start recording.
Click to expand...

I haven't looked real far into it, I saw Sam's has a card and 4 camera kit for about $400. I've seen other online too. I'm leaning toward cameras w/o iluminators. I want it all hidden. 1 camera I'll definatly get is a peephole camera. they fit right in a standard peephole, and look pretty much the same too. I imagine the software is pretty basic and comes with the kit
 
Interesting application, makes me want to research mini-itx boards. If you want to do other things with this machine, even including "mild gaming," however, I think you'll need something more substantial. Perhaps limiting this machine to the security job only, a little Celeron can handle it. Build another machine to do everything else, including any additional processing you want to do on saved video.
 


This is totally beside the point of the post…But is your wife cheating or something?
 

He doesn't know yet, but he'll find out soon. Lol, j/k
 


I doubt it.

Thier are some jackoffs who think they are more deserving of my stuff than I am. If it happens again, I want good face shots if I cant be there to break bones.
 
I'm in the middle of doing the same sort of thing lol, waiting on the camera card.

I have 9 security cameras installed originally connected to a dedicated, LAN-connected security DVR that cost over $5k seven years ago (Dedicated Micro Digital Sprite Lite lol - imagine what the HEAVY one would have cost lol). When the unit failed I discovered a replacement unit would cost the same, so I figured I'd "waste" $1k trying to do one myself. If it didn't work, I'd have a PC I could give the grandkids lol.



Because of the distances involved for me, I did not consider this approach. Instead, I will rely on wired LAN access , and I installed XP Pro so i could access the Security PC via Remote Desktop . . . in case the software that comes with the card isn't really "networked" lol. Note that XP was required for my card anyhow - not supported under Vista. If you haven't tried remote desktop, you might want to preserve your option to do so by using XP Pro or Vista Ultimate if your card is supported.



Re Recording: True. However, I don't know how far "technology" has advanced here in seven years, and I don't know what your card/software - or mine lol - is truly capable of.

But I can tell you this . . . on my old dedicated system changes in the intensity of light . . . a light turned on, a cloud passing by the sun, etc . . . caused an "event" and preserved recording. The dedicated machine was pretty clever in that when it sensed an "event", it would keep the 1 minute of video that preceeded it as well as at least one minute following every "event".

Bottom line #1: My machine was always recording, just like a TIVO tuned to a given channel is always recording. Dunno how the new stuff will work lol.

Bottom Line #2: There were LOTS of events, wherever a room's lighting could change (ie, window). Maybe these can now be "tuned out". Dunno. Disk space is ALWAYS an issue lol.



I don't know how much cpu will truly be required - the board I got is spec'd for a pretty weak processor, and a call to the manufacturer confirmed the spec. However, I built my machine so that it would have a place to go if all this didn't work . . . the grandkids can use it as is, and add a Vid Card if their mom lets them play "real" PC games lol.

If you are at home, I don't suppose there'd be an issue using the PC for other functions at that time, particularly if all of your cameras are inside the house.

I did find disk space was an issue. For me, recording at only a couple of frames per second continuous and at low res was necessary to keep 30 days worth of recordings. That was 9 B&W cameras, low res, 3FPS, with recording up-ticcing a few FPS when an "event" was detected. Now I will go with "only" 8 cameras, and at least one very large hard drive.

So, if you can put enough disk in the case, other uses including NAS and Media server are possible as well.

=======================

As for why do this? If you're trying to catch your wife cheating, you are going to use a different, less obvious approach lol.

If you have used alarm systems, you realize that none are perfect, and the cost of getting 1% more protection becomes increasingly prohibitve - and annoying to live with - as you proceed.

While you may post a warning "CCTV active at all times", some crooks won't understand what that means lol, and others will just put on the ski mask. So at some point you decide to just try and catch the b@$t@rd$ after the fact. Particularly vandals who usually act without much thought.

Its also useful if you ever need to leave your house while allowing others to come in. Babysitters, plumbers, UPS delivery folks (did they really leave the package?) . . . vacation homes, whether rented or not, etc.

The ideal system would detect the difference between light change and true motion (perhaps "missing object" detection will work - in which case, leave a $50 on a table :) ), and upload the video FTP before the crook gets to and disables or steals your "security" system lol.

=============================

In any case, its a new technology for me to play with. Good luck with yours, and stay in touch here lol.

Configuration:
Case: Antec NSK6580
PSU: Antec 430W (included)
CPU: Intel E8400
MB: Gigabyte G31M-S2L (2 PCI slots for Camera Cards)
Memory: Kingston 2x512
Cooler: Arctic Freezer 7 Pro (was dying to try one - they are TERRIFIC!)
HD: WD 750G
DVD: LiteOn 20x (For $35, I couldn't be bothered pulling it out)
Keyboard/Mouse/Monitor: All old stuff that had no other use except "donation".
OS: XP Pro SP-2 OEM
Camera board: EZWatchPro EZKIT-PR
http://www.ezwatchstore.com/shop/4-Channel-Video-Security-DVR-Kit-Professional-Grade-p-16226.html

Edited to add CPU spec
 
Sorry but I'm not going to be very helpful here lol.

The cameras were installed during construction 7 years ago and - since I didn't know much about cameras - that was a detail I left to the contractor. All I can tell you is they are all fixed-focus, B&W, bullet cameras, home-run wired/powered to/from the basement. I do not know their resolution. They are installed both in-wall (behind flush faceplates) and free-standing on small adjustable brackets to suit on the location.

The cameras are wired into modulators so each gets its own TV "channel". Those signals are merged with other channels modulated from DirectTV receivers, DVD players, etc, and routed throughout the house so that all the signals (ie channels) are available on all TVs. The security camera base video signals are also passed through from the modulators to the PC-DVR for recording.

These B&W images are totally adequate for me in this application. The fixed focal length is also fine, with one caveat. While I would have little to no day-to-day use for variable focal length, it would have been helpful to be able to set the focal length for best coverage during installation. Were I to do it over, I might use one variable focal length camera to choose the optimal fixed focal length for each location.

As for my PC-DVR . . . its up and running. I'm very satisfied with the performance of the system itself. But I am having problems maintaining remote access capability. I got it working once, ie, accessable over my home network AND remotely via the internet. But at some point something changed, and I lost both capabilities. Since the system is recording, troubleshooting remote access has gotten low priority.

OK, OK, I just haven't gotten around to it lol.

So I don't know whether its my router not port-forwarding any more or an unfortunate Windows-update or two that screwed me over. I'll try to get back and post some more details in June . . . when I think I'll have time to get back to the problem.
 
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