I updated my basement/security camera setup.
My new security camera and basement setup is the latest of several security camera setups I have used over the years. While I like being about to save the security camera images, the main reason I like to use them is I can monitor who is at the door or watch for visitors from either my upstairs office or basement. Plus when the neighbor's dog is always barking, it is easy to look and see what is going on.
I was also looking to be able to run a fitness application that requires OS X from my workout area. Several photos before I updated some of my weight equipment are
HERE.
My last set up was a Beige G3 and a PowerMac 6500 running OS 9 and SiteCam web cam software. I used this setup for nearly two years 24/7 without any hitches other than when the power went out. The PRAM batteries were dead and with no UPS, it was a pain to re-startup everything. I was able to save about a month's worth of QuickTime movies.
The old setup:
My first set up was a hacked Color Classic and a QuickCam.
My new setup includes two iMacs and two Beige G3 towers. These include a Bondi-Blue (233mhz) iMac running 10.3.9. I upgraded it 384 MB RAM and a 80 gig hard drive, a iMac DV 400mhz that I upgraded to 384MB of RAM but left the 10 gig HD, a Beige G3 300mhz with 384MB RAM running OS 9, and a Beige G3 266mhz 160 MB running OS 9. I have 10/100 Ethernet in all CPUs and picked up a 10/100 hub for $2 at a garage sale. I also installed new PRAM batteries in all of the CPUs and grabbed two UPS for $19 (for both!) via Staples.
New setup:
The iMac DV is used to run my fitness software, to run the other CPUs via Timbuktu, and to use the web from the basement (a handy feature based on the amount of time I spend in the basement).
The Bondi-Blue iMac is used as a file server to hold the security camera images and as a security camera monitor while I am in the basement.
The two Beige G3s run the security cameras via their AV ports. Their AV ports will not work in OS X, hence running OS 9. For some reason, SiteCam can not work with OS X directories so if I wanted to use OS X for my server I had to use something else.
I switched to an old copy of Oculus.3.1 and it works perfectly. Actually, the way you set the number of files to save makes it basically a hands free operation and I think I will like it better than SiteCam. With a 68 gig partition on my server, I can save two months worth of 640x480 QuickTime movies. About the only pain is that since I am running them headless, if I have to restart, I have to plug in a monitor so the AV ports will become active.
Full-sized sample of a camera shot (mailman from today...it is bright an sunny out):
With the $40 for the two iMacs and $3 for 300mhz G3, I have about a total of $100-115 for everything (including the cameras). I am surprised how well the iMacs handle OS X. The Bondi-Blue had a very noticeable increase in speed after going from 160MB RAM to 384MB. Plus, I still have room to save my old Macs...from a 128k, three Color Classics and for some reason, I am still hanging onto a PM 8100 (just pitched my PM 8150 Server though).
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