Cheap Surveillance PC

That's a problem we have with C-Store cams too. The vcr's and monitors are simply high dollar. I haven't been able to replace $800 vcr's and monitors with off the shelf stuff like we'd use at home. If someone has a stand alone solution for 500-800 bucks or so, I'd be very interested. Skip

lol. How much time I waste on pc's! Anyhow.... You need to get the following. Winnov Videum AV (audio video) or Winnov Videum VO (video only) Here's one.... http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3761&item=5111985524&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW#ebayphotohosting You can mix em up, but they all have built in hardware codec. Now, if you get them a few of them, and also bought your customer a couple of cheap ATA100/133 drives and a FASTTRACK TX2 100 card like this one... http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=167&item=5112056250&rd=1 you could effectively use whatever cameras you want. The videum series cards are supposed to use this type but not all have the controls on the back.... http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=4616&item=5111369541&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW good luck.

let me clarify... The videum uses svideo and also regular (yellow connector) video as well as it's own webcam connector. Makes a great magnifier as well, enlarges a pin head to the size of you computer screen!

The problem with USB is that it is a serial device that is serviced one at a time. It is not capable of high resolution at high frame rates. Isn't your Maxtor one touch also USB? For best results you need a video capture card with individual DSP's on each input channel and internally connected data storage. There are systems that can handle 16 inputs with remote controls for the cameras. High performance is pricy. Check the resolution/frame rate of your web cameras.

SkipCox. I have i think 3 $1200 security vcrs sitting in a cupboard here. $400 and you get them all (plus the shippng cost of course). I believe the shd tds is the one we have and also http://rock2000.com/Company/Silent_Witness/documents/TLC2100SHD-S16_and_TLC2100SHD-TDS_Technical_Specifications.pdf

Thanks guys, really just getting into the high tech stuff. Have looked into capture cards with bnc connector cams and all, and thanks everyone for the input will check out later tonight the info you've so kindly given. Webcam 32 6.1 I believe is a cost effective solution and using Ulead Video Studeo, the video can be captured. If just viewing the video, a simple html page go to my example when cam is on of: http:\\personalpages.bellsouth.net\b\r\brandil\template.html and save it locally using substituting 127.0.0.1 as the local address of the cam not on the web will produce a viewing of the video in html format for local viewing off the net. Add a web connection and change the 127.0.0.1 to your current IP address and your streaming live, havent had 4 locations to st ream in a square, but with cam addresses, don't see why it isn't possible if the cams are on different units/computers and have not tried the networkable route. Webcam 32 will cycle the cams but you have to create a profile for each camera, install webcam 32 in more than one folder in program files using profiles. Then you can cycle the images like a major surveillance computer used commercially and either record the video with capture software such as Ulead Video studeo or program Webcam 32 to cycle the cams at intervals, I got as low as alternating 2 cams at 15 second intervals on the cams grabbing jpeg images every 3 seconds on an 800 mghz Intel Celeron processor and a 120 gig Maxtor One Touch USB drive. "I DO CAPTURE IMAGES USING 2 USB CAMS, AND THE MAXTOR DRIVE AND KEYBOARD AND MOUSE ALL USB DEVICES AT THE SAME TIME, 10 HOURS A DAY I THINK IT IS AT ABOUT 90% OF A GIG PER HOUR AND YOU CAN CYCLE THE JPEG IMAGES TO CAPTURE ONLY WITH CHANGE". Am downloading Odysee Technologys (Utobia Corporations) Free trial version of MultiCam Pro, runs about $139.00, for 4 cam solution and will let you all know if it works and performance issues. I am delving into the LAN options as well but are unfamiliar with them. Thanks again everyone in this most interesting project. Wish Justin would do a separate category for just capture and multimedia type subjects such as these.