Design I wanted:
When motion is detected at my front door, have skype place a
video call to me automatically, via the skype App on my iphone. Showing me my webcam feed.
Also have it where i can place a video call with the computer..which is obliviously running skype, so i can view the webcam at my front door whenever i like.
(this can be done with more expensive setup i.e vera and add-ons, but I wanted to test this with little money as possible at the moment)
Money spent: $12 (logitech c170 webcam from wallmart)
32 foot ext USB cable: (already had this, but it was roughly 15-20bucks, amazon, or monoprice.com, i think its cheaper there)
Software:
VC
Skype
Skype Mobileicam (from
http://skjm.com/icam/ -Free software used for motion detection. i liked this one as i was able to make grids of where i wanted motion to only be detected at)
manycam.com (Free software- This was required to work 100% all the time , so i can make a virtual webcam driver, to use with icam and skype at the same time. I tried without this, trust me using send keys to stop and start icam before skype started wasnt working out very well)
VAC (virtual Audio Cable, using this to get the sound from the webcam feed back into Skype video call!)
Event Ghost (This was needed to monitor a directory using directory watcher, where snap shots from my webcam was taken during when motion detected via iCam software, this triggered an event, which was passed to VC which then setup the video call to my phone)
Here is my cheap front door home monitor, I know there are better setup ideas out there. But it does great for what i'm testing out right now.
So I am planning later to get veralite, but didnt have the money at the money to toss toward it and get the camera I wanted and motion sensors.
All it cost me was a 12 buck USB webcam. (i already had a 32foot USB cable which i was using for the kinetic extension)
I placed this cheap camera in the corner ceiling of my front porch, i'm very surprised i told my wife i don't think it will last the night. so far its lasted about a week, in temperatures of single digits at night, with snow on the ground at the moment..(its not water proof, so we'll see how long it really does last)
Plugged in the webcam to my 32 foot cable, ran it through the attic back to my computer.
Setup all software, much testing and tweaking, and now works every time! - So far!
I can see my webcam whenever i want via skype on my cell phone no matter where i'm at. as Skype works from skype user to skype user for free.
I can hear my audio from my webcam feed from skype also.
I have the motion grid setup so I only detect parts which wont cause false positives. I.e tree or bush moving etc.
I can share my xml's and configurations with anyone if you're curious. i just didnt want to at the moment if no one was intesrted. and I would have wasted my time.
-Future improvement if this works well.
:Outdoor weather proof rated camera, which is IR capable.
:Replace setup with Vera? Maybe.. depends on if this doesn't go smooth later on..so far its working great!