Wireless webcam, not really boaty.

longjohnsilver

longjohnsilver

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We want to set up a webcam in our Spanish apartment, or more accurately on the terrace in a covered section not exposed to sun or rain, so we can look at the view over the bay when we're back home and on the boat.

I am hopeless with anything technical involving computers, is there an easy way of doing this.? We do have a wireless router in the apartmemt so presumably we can connect via this? And does anyone have a recommendation for a decent webcam, either fixed or one that can be remotely controlled. Above all it has to be easy to install!
TIA.
 
 
Hi, I have a number of webcams between my business and my holiday home in Scotland.

My experience for ease of use are ones from Trendnet, using the trendnet cloud.

They make some motorised ones, but I have 3 of these cheap ones set up in the holiday house:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TRENDnet-T...id=1464527535&sr=8-7&keywords=trendnet+webcam

They are cheap and cheerful and can be viewed anywhere on the net, either on your pc/mac or via the app on android and/or itunes.

You can view whatever they are seeing at anytime...but you can also set them up so they pick up motion and email you a 10 sec clip of whatever triggered them. It's easy to point them at a door or hallway and if you get an intruder...it emails you the clip of them coming in. You can also talk back to the via the built in speaker...which might not do you much good, but it's fun scaring the cr@p out of my friends.
 
To save bandwidth I don't have the quality set very high, but this gives you an idea, this is in my bedroom pointing out over the Clyde

http://82393899.cam.trendnetcloud.com/

username user password user

Just one thing, they don't like google chrome...so don't use that browser.
 
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longjohnsilver said:
We want to set up a webcam in our Spanish apartment, or more accurately on the terrace in a covered section not exposed to sun or rain, so we can look at the view over the bay when we're back home and on the boat.

I am hopeless with anything technical involving computers, is there an easy way of doing this.? We do have a wireless router in the apartment so presumably we can connect via this? And does anyone have a recommendation for a decent webcam, either fixed or one that can be remotely controlled. Above all it has to be easy to install!
TIA.
Click to expand...

I have done the same thing to look at my garden but used an old Android smartphone as the camera. I used an old windscreen sucker mount but of course you need to have it plugged permanently into a charger. You then use an app called "Alfred" (yes, I know, a silly name for an app) which you download onto the old phone that is now your webcam, and also your current smatphone. It is extremely easy to setup using a gmail account and select which phone is the camera. It automatically connects to the router in your apartment. It even has motion detection so if someone moves in front of the camera it records a few seconds or more of video which you can see on your main phone, or just watch real-time, no matter whether you are in your UK home or out and about using mobile data. I was amazed how good this app is. You can try the app for free but it was so good I paid the £5 for the version without adds (you only pay once for download onto multiple phones). If you already have the old phone and a spare charger (and maybe an extension USB lead for the charger) then this is really a cheap option to try. I have no connection with the seller of this app, just a satisfied customer that can look at his garden when away sailing. Used it successfully for the last 8 days. It can even detect when you are back in the apartment where the camera-phone is and stops recording movement! (the app may be available for iPhone but I have not looked)

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 
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I've just installed a foscam HD outdoor camera at home and have been very impressed with the image quality.
 
It really comes down to what you want to be able to see or document. No IP-camera will allow for both great overview, wide angles and detail (like in face recognition) at the same time.

But if your needs can be met by the technology here's one with 3 step DIY installation, at £150 off Amazon et al:

http://www.ucam247.com/

Also live demo on ther site.
 
I have been through many wireless webcams for our business needs and while the cheap ones can be made to work most of the cheap ones use the same chipsets and have the same security vulnerabilities.. Many can be accessed without a password even if you have one set..

IMO the best WIFI cameras are the AXIS cameras.. They are a lot more expensive than the cheap ones you get off eBay but are very configurable and the reliability is excellent.. Generally we use the entry level M1004-W these days.. The free DDNS service they offer is also very useful and you can get the camera to setup and manage the open port needed on your router so setup is pretty straight forward. (No connection with Axis, just a customer who tried to do it cheaper and came back to AXIS)
 
longjohnsilver said:
Thank you everyone, food for thought, still not confident in my ability to set it up.................
Click to expand...

Honestly if you go for the ones I put in the link, assuming you have a wps button on your router, you plug the camera into the mains elect, push the wps button on the router, push the wps button on the camera, little lcd goes from blue to green...voila, it's connected, To view just download the app from android or itunes, enter the camera number from sticker/s on the side. In a few seconds you will be viewing your camera/s. Bit later on you can get a bit more technical (still really simple) and set it to email you a clip when it detects motion as well as streaming live view. Don't want one fine, but don't get put off by it being too complicated. If you don't have a wps button on the router, it is a little bit more technical, but still pretty easy, if you get stumped shoot me a pm.
 
As Spi D eluded to in a previous post all the IP based systems on the market share the same weakness - wide angle lenses. Even the ones packaged nicely and marketed with a fresh modern website and a household name.

As you move away from a wide angle camera the pixels rapidly spread apart to a point where in just a few meters they are so diluted your image is rubbish. We sell CCTV to identify people but the principles are the same whether you want to identify someone or gaze out over your lovely view. Good external longer range IP cameras are generally hideously expensive.

You don't need an IP system to remote view cameras, in fact I would argue some advantages in not going down the IP route - cheaper long range cameras, no reliance on the network to generate images 24/7, no need to "dumb down" camera resolution on account of network limitations and no on going charges for access or storage. The DVR stores footage locally & connects to your router for secure remote access using PC, Mac, tablet or phone.

Some Advice on buying CCTV

Henry :)
 
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