RE: Newbie question on home/web automated security system

["James, Daniel" <daniel.james@xxxxxxx>]

>Following a recent burglary at my home, I want to set up a motion=20
>sensitive webcam in my home which triggers an alert to my wap=20
>phone/pda upon activation/movement and a way to view this via a web=20
>browser, either on the PDA or my work PC.

Yes this can be done, how you choose to do it is up to you...

First off, need a camera and a capture device, this could either be a web
cam, although the quality of these is not always great, or a composite
vide=
o
camera and a video capture card. For Cameras try either
www.henrys.demon.co.uk or www.rfconcepts.co.uk for a selection.

Next you'll need some software to capture the device and send it to a
website, try www.gotcha.com or www.homewatcher.com for details of 2
possibilities. (oh and you'll need an ISP with some webspace too).

The easiest notification method is probably SMS - you could use one of the
many free Email - SMS services available (Vizzavi, Genie etc..) but I have
not found these to send very quickly. So look at www.IOBOX.com - it costs
19p per message, but the service is good.


>There needs to be some way to efficiently record/securely archive=20
>images of the intrusion.=20

This is part of the capturing software.

>I also want to be able to trigger the panic=20
>button on my alarm system (either the one I have or via a new one)=20
>via some form of remote access. If I could relay my voice direct to=20
>the intruder then so much the better.

This depends upon how you want to interface your PC to your alarm system,
most don't allow this, so you'll need to look at a way of using the PC to
operate some type of manual device to press the panic button on the
alarm.... - How are you planning to reset this? Voice access could be
possible , but you could also use a Text to speak engine on your PC and
hav=
e
your PC speak commands or play back wav files. - or set off a barking dog
module :-)


>I don't currently have any home automation equipment at home but I
do=20
>have broadband/always on web access to my home (but not sure if I=20
>need this if I can dial in/out)

You would need the broadband access to FTP the pictures from the camera to
your webspace.

The cost depends upon the quality of your kit, A good camera is around
=A31=
00
a capture card =A330 and some software around =A330-=A370 so total cost
und=
er
=A3200.

HTH

Daniel


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