Wireless cameras

[rlhornbeck]

I have a friend with an elderly parent they need to be able to monitor. The problem is that they live in two different houses separated by 150' and a road (cant run cables). The old house (Moms) has no internet access so I must put the receiver in the newer house. They only need viewing and listening capability, but would like these accessible via the internet and a monitor within the their home. Budget is definitely under 1k but would like under 500.

I have thought of two ways to do this and need help.
1. Wireless... bad but would put receiver in newer house.
2. Wired camera equipment (please suggest equipment) to a wireless bridge to the new home, this seams best but I would need a computer for a monitor on the new house side I think.

Ryan

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

Possibly get two units like THIS for point to point extension of the network, then sky is the limit on the type of camera/audio.

 

[RAM]

How about using a camera connected to a wireless transmitter at the parents house and the receiver in the friends house. Then he can do all the internet access/serving from his house. I have seen plenty of the transmitter/receiver combos listing ranges up to and over 1 mile.

 

[tmbrown97]

If it were me I'd use a wired IP camera and two of those units BSR linked (a few of us have them today)... then you'd have your internet extended into the parent's house for anything else that might come up in the future. You'd have probably 150MB link.

There's another thread going on here regarding the radio shack sale - it references how you can take the Schlage Wired IP cameras and unlock them as regular IP cameras - and those can be had for about $50 on ebay brand new.

by my math that puts you about $220 with lots of flexibility for the future.

 

[rlhornbeck]

Do the Schlage cameras also have a mic so they can have sound? This option looks good for there needs if it does.

 

[tmbrown97]

Seems so - here's the link to the company who really makes them - says they're 2-way audio compatible.
http://www.northq.com/products/index.html

 

[twilo123]

i have never seen a camera that only supports 5 simultaneous users (10 is the min i have run into for http streaming). if this is the case the mjpg framerate is probably going to be horrible and the mpeg4 (not even h264 which is standard the last couple of years?) video will pixelate horribly with any movement. just my guess though.

also it looks like these guys are using the same camera: Napco Ip Camera
and these guys: MicasaVerde Ip Cam
and here: NextView Cam
another company: eyespy ip cam
this cam gets around a little.

for some cheap cameras i would recommend
trendnet (2way audio model example http://www.amazon.com/TRENDnet-SecurView-Wireless-Surveillance-TV-IP312W/dp/B000WHEA3E)
y-cam
airlink skyipcam
foscam (pricing example: foscam pricing link
apexis
vivotek
astak mole
compro
most should have at least 1 way audio (listening) if not 2 way depending on which stream you use and the player on the client side (activex vs. flash vs. web browser, etc.)
most of these go for cheap on ebay, craiglist, etc. i have seen people get the skyipcam for around $50 on ebay.

 

[electron]

Wireless Foscam on sale today:
http://www.cocoontech.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=19046

 

[happy_again]

I have used a Foscam FI8918W for a similar application. If your friend has a wireless router setup in his/her house you should have no problem picking up the wireless signal 150 feet away, but a lot of that depends on the surrounding infrastructure. I have run wireless tests with mine over 200 feet away and it functions fine. I placed it in a garage/barn over 200 feet away and was able to operate the camera from the house. I am using a standard Belkin wireless G-band router. You'll need to setup a Dynamic DNS and port forward the specific port that you setup for your system.

The Foscam works well. You will have pan & tilt capabilities and two way audio built in without any external mikes or speakers needed. There is an audio delay if you try to communicate over the internet, which is a pain in the butt. There is also 'night-vision' cabability with built-in IR LEDs. The cost is around $100 for the camera plus shipping. Be aware of lower priced Foscam 'knockoffs' on E-bay. The only problem I had is I recieved a cracked mini-CD which had the setup files on it. I was able download these files from their website, and it wasn't that bad to setup in spite of the "Chin-English" manual translation. I bought mine from from ipcam-central.com I am not pushing them but I had no problems with them either. Most of the Foscam distributors are located in China with warehouse scattered around the states.