How to Use Web Cams as Cheap Security Cameras

There are many occasions where a security camera is needed. Perhaps you’ve just rented an office, and you want to monitor who comes and who goes. Or, perhaps, you’ve heard noises outside your home during the night, and you want to see what goes on after you’re in bed. In any case, traditional security cameras are expensive, and out of the price range for individuals and small companies with limited budgets. Luckily, with the fast advances happening in technology, there are other, cheaper options that will work just as well, if not better.

Web cams, the cheap devices that gives everyone the chance to be a YouTube star, can be used as security cameras, and connected to a computer to record the footage for later viewing, or for burning to a DVD for general archiving.

The following is a method to take a standard web cam and create a night vision version, as well as the different methods for streaming and recording the footage.

Step 1: Choose a web cam. This is where the brunt of your cost will lie, assuming you already have a computer. You will have to choose between wireless or wired. If you’re planning on using several cameras to monitor different locations around a building, if you want to hide them, or if you’re using a portable computer that will be taken out of the building at night, a wireless model is best. If you have a stationary tower desktop, however, and you don’t mind running cords, a wired web cam is perfectly fine.

Step 2: Once you’ve picked a web cam, set it up in the locations you’d like and connect it to your computer to make sure it works. The camera may or may not require a driver, so consult the instructions that came with the device.

Step 3: Unless you want to run the camera’s non-stop, download a free program called Dorgem, which will cause your web cam to turn on when it detects movement, and to stop recording when it doesn’t.

Step 4: Open Dorgem and click the Preview button to preview your web cams feed. Adjust it until it’s pointing at the location you want to monitor. Click the Source button to adjust the brightness, contrast, colors, and other settings, until the picture is clear.

Step 5: Click on the Options button and check the box that says Use Motion Detection. Depending on your web cam, you may also need to check the box that says Reconnect after…., as some web cams shut off after so long. Only check the box if your camera does this – most don’t. Once finished, click OK.

Step 6: Click on Storage Settings. In the box that appears, select the option you wish to use. Unless you’re a techie, File is likely the best option. Hit OK. Now enter a name to call the session, such as ‘Back Door – 05/20/08’, and choose a picture interval. This is home often it will snap a picture when it detects motion. One second is best if you don’t want to miss anything.

Finally, choose a folder to save the pictures in. It’s best to be organized, so create a folder for that day ahead of time. You will need to choose a file name for each picture to be saved as.

Step 7: Click OK on the box, and then click Close on the program. Everything should be set up. Now make some movement and check to see if it snapped pictures. If it took more than you would like, change the interval to 3 – 5 seconds. If it didn’t do anything, check your webcam to make sure it’s connected.