Suggestion for wireless security cam?

[4GHZ_or_bust]

For the last few weeks, my cats have been getting into the front porch. The front porch is enclosed and the only way in there is from 2 doors, one outside and one into the house. Since the door handle are 4 feet off the ground and is a basic turn knob to open, I doubt any of the cats have learned to open the door.

I thought it was from post master who delivers packages that won't fit the mail box but I've had cats on the porch with no package. My friends, neighbors, and relatives all knows if there's only 1 car in the driveway, no one's home so it's not likely they came to visit me.

I suspected it may be someone like travelling salesmen or Jehovah witnesses but I live out in the farm where next door neighbor is a quarter mile walk away and there'd be a lot of traveling for just a few visits so it's quite unlikely it's any of traveling visitors. Then a couple days ago, I was expecting packages that shows delivered online but they aren't anywhere at all.

So it is possible I have someone snooping around and stealing things off the front porch. Missing are a non working oscilloscope worth at most $10 in scrap metal and replacement electric elements for my electric stove. Not much value either and probably not pawn-able but I got to wait another week for another set of burner parts and another trip to eBay for another o-scope either as part to fix mine or working to replace mine.

I wanted to see if I could take my old laptop out of retirement, hook up a web cam (with IR lights for night time), and set it to record video when it senses motion. And record video via wireless network to my desktop in case someone spots the laptop and takes it.

I need suggestions for software to use that can be configured to start recording at the first sign of motion and keep recording up to a minute after last motion, save the video in real time via network to a shared hard drive, and I'd need suggestion for web cam that can be used night time.

The laptop is running Windows XP, 1GHz Athlon CPU, has only 576MB RAM (512 module + 64 onboard, can't be upgraded any further), and few USB ports. I think MPEG recording might be the best since it's lower compression than some AVI codecs plus AVI needs proper closing to end the file, while MPEG can be played even if the recording got interrupted due to stolen laptop.

 

[Psycogeec]

http://www.google.com/#sclient=psy&...gc.r_pw.&fp=5c88e14de2b269a1&biw=1737&bih=901
and any one of the LED type IR ring cameras, something with a big double layer ring of IR leds arranged around the camera. IR and IR capable web cam will be minimally viewable at night by normal humans, but not entirely invisable, and many animals could easily see it. but wont care.
to see in complete darkness with the IR , and have a good distance, you need a lot of IR light.
so i would not skimp on the ir lighting itself.

Most of the USB type web cams, would work fine with a USb extention or 2 , probably 12' would be the max possible , if you grab at least one USB extention too, you might be able to keep the laptop inside?
running wireless is also possible , wireless cheap cams do not have very good range, but in a locked down set-up it is possible to use them.

do racoons take ocilliscopes ?

the best offence is a good defecne, there is no real advantage to "catching" someone in the act, bait and trap.
or cause and proof ego, it is far more superior to not have crime in the first place, than to observe it occuring.
Signage that indicates that you are monitoring the area with a camera, and still monitoring it, might be enough to abate problems.
legal Signage placement of No Trespassing signs is very important to Legal issues, without being a lawyer that is all i will say.

here is an example of one, from a lower-rated ebay seller
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-IR-Night-Vi...557?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5ae048904d
just for the pictures, and the idea. that one might be internal record ability (says something about memory card)

this
http://cgi.ebay.com/8-0M-Pixel-USB-...ideo_Conferencing_Webcams&hash=item35b38e492d
as cheap as they come, looks more standalone notice no W7 support.
.

 

[4GHZ_or_bust]

That'd work. Now I need to find a web cam with *honest* ad. I checked eBay, there are 30Mpix cam for under $10... ugh I'd sooner buy one from Best Buy than from eBay.