webcam anti-thief software

JosepZ · 04-11-2005, 08:58 AM

I want to make that my webcam spyes any movement in my car, while pc is in suspend mode.

If a movement is detected, then the cam can record or shot, or play any sirend sound....or call me by phone

Anyones knows something like that?
My genius LooK webcam have a soft, but works with pc and windows on.

xBrady · 04-11-2005, 09:14 AM

Since software doesn't run while your computer is off, it would have to be the webcam that did all the work of detecting and turning on your computer, and then have your computer alert you, or have the webcam alert you without turning on the computer.

SnyperBob · 04-11-2005, 09:27 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by JosepZ

I want to make that my webcam spyes any movement in my car, while pc is in suspend mode.

If a movement is detected, then the cam can record or shot, or play any sirend sound....or call me by phone

Anyones knows something like that?
My genius LooK webcam have a soft, but works with pc and windows on.

Hey,
Check out Active Web Cam. There's a review for it with link for download over at www.mobile-effects.com
link to review -> Mobile-Effects Review

xBrady · 04-11-2005, 09:33 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by SnyperBob

Hey,
Check out Active Web Cam. There's a review for it with link for download over at www.mobile-effects.com
link to review -> Mobile-Effects Review

Only problem with that, is the computer has to be on.

electron · 04-11-2005, 09:57 AM

Most IP cameras have motion detection built in, so I guess you would have to find a small one which doesn't require much power. The D-Link 2100 series I played with also has an alarm output (I am sure others do as well), so you could hook it up to the serial port or something to turn on your computer (as long as your Bios supports being woken up by that certain port), which in turn can run something like Active Webcam to record the current videofeed (since it supports IP cameras).

lastberserker · 04-11-2005, 12:04 PM

Just put a few camera mockups around your car with blinking LEDs and little "smile for the camera" signs

MDLarson · 04-11-2005, 12:07 PM

You would probably want to make sure the theif / intruder doesn't trash your computer system and any trace of their face caught on camera. Make the computer really hard to get to or have it upload images via FTP or something to a remote sight.

You gotta work out the real-life details before just throwing a camera in there. I heard about this guy who robbed a gun store, and had the clerk show him the CCTV hub so he could rip that off too. All evidence captured on camera was useless.

MDLarson · 04-11-2005, 12:11 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by lastberserker

Just put a few camera mockups around your car with blinking LEDs and little "smile for the camera" signs

That could work too.

I've also toyed around with this idea where the in-dash screen would flash red with the words "YOUR PICTURE HAS BEEN SENT TO THE POLICE. YOU WOULD BE WISE TO VACATE THE VEHICLE ASAP!", and have a pre-recorded voice say the same thing or something.

Of course, it would rock if that actually happened, but if your setup looks sophisticated enough, it might work for the average theif.

MDLarson · 04-11-2005, 12:15 PM

Another note: most motion-detection cameras allow you to draw on the screen where you want to detect motion (like a door in a room, for instance). That might be a helpful feature with detecting motion in your car (like to block out the window, for instance).

Mcnovy · 04-11-2005, 12:29 PM

i've thought of something the same way..!
the best way i figured it out, is to put a sensor in the car..

IR Diode, and a photo diode, at the door, (like the one that rings the bell, when entering a store) when someone enters the door, the computer starts up, and records the movement..!

ofcourse there would have to be a thing to turn the sensor of.
etc, when the door is opened with your key.

the reason for using a diode, instead of the camera's builtin movement funktion (for those camera's that got that) is the power consumption is a bit more acceptable for you batterie.
a 1 amp camera will drain you batt in approx. one day

Mcnovy · 04-11-2005, 12:32 PM

MDLarson:

that would also need the pc to be on.
unless its hardware based, but i dont think it is..!

mindscream · 04-11-2005, 02:25 PM

Personally I'd love a setup that took a picture of the guy and sprayed cat urine all over someone if they tried to steal my car.

Fusion-One · 04-11-2005, 03:30 PM

I'd rather one that took their picture AFTER they were sprayed with the cat ****.

pate60 · 04-11-2005, 04:27 PM

You need to mount a microwave sense into your roof lining, and set the inner field low, so it only detects movement within the car. Use the output from the sense and wire it to your wake on lan header on your motherboad. You will have to drop the voltage and maybe polirity coming off the sense as its probably +12v and not the required +5v. This will bring your computer out of stand by when movment is detected in the car.

From here, it depends how fast your computer can come out of stand by, and start recording.

Hope this makes sense or email me at naresh@corporatecam.co.nz

see u

RPI Geek · 04-11-2005, 04:44 PM

I've said it before, but what I'd love to do is put 2 flashbulbs next to each other: a regular one and about .5 seconds later a REALLY bright one: what do you do when you see a flash just outside your vision? you look.
To make it even worse, set off a 140dB air horn to alert the neighborhood that the car's being stolen (the neighbors won't ignore THAT alarm!), and deafen the robber in the process.
I read on slashdot about a guy who put air horns under his dash, and he said that all he found of the robber was a patch of blood and hair under the dash among the wires that he had ripped out and a few tools that he was in too much of ahurry to take with him.
Car thieves deserve such mistreatment.