Running two webcams from one computer

[subrosean]

Hello,

Thanks for having this board. I really could use some advice. I've got the neighbors from he** living across the street from me which necessitates running two Logitech Quickcam Pro 5000s for home security. Currently I'm running one on my desktop and one on my laptop which works great, but I really would like to free up my laptop. Have just ordered a new Dell Vostro 200 Slim Tower, specs are below, and would like to know if there's any way I can capture from both cams with this new desktop computer

Thanks for listening!!

Intel® CoreTM 2 Duo E6550 (2.33GHz, 4MB L2Cache, 1333FSB)

Windows® XP Home Edition

2GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz - 2DIMMs

Integrated Intel® 174 Graphics Media Accelerator 3100

320GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/DataBurst Cache partitioned 40GB primary - remainder secondary

Single Drive: 16X (DVD+/-RW) Burner Drive

Integrated 7.1 Channel Audio

Externally Accessible
Video: 1 VGA standard; 1 DVI and 1 S-Video with add-in PCI-Express video card
USB: 8 USB Ports (2 front, 4 back, 2 internal)

Audio: Six back-panel connectors for line-in, line-out, microphone, rear surround, side surround, two front-panel connectors for headphones/microphone, integrated 7.1 channel sound

Expansion Slots
PCI: 2 Slots
PCIe x1: 1 Slot
PCIe x16 (Graphics): 1 Slot

Chassis
250 Watt DC Power Supply
3.5" Bays: 3 bays (two internal, one external)
5.25" Bays: 1 bays
Memory DIMM slots: 4 available

 

[Nodsu]

You can capture from any number of cameras no problem as long as you have a non-braindead program that supports multiple cameras. You did not specify what software you are using for your home "security".

 

[subrosean]

I'm just running the software that came with the cameras. Thanks for your response.

 

[subrosean]

recommend software?

Can anyone recommend free or cheap software i can use to view, record and possibly stream online for remote viewing (two to four cameras at once from the one desktop computer). The online streaming is not essential, but would be useful at times. I did a search and there are many to choose from, would like someone's opinion.

Thanks!!! :wave:

 

[Rio]

Lol, just head down to your local deli/corner store.
Ask them what software they use, as normally you can see on their monitors where they have the quarter screens hooked up to some dodgy looking cameras.

 

[Zed]

Is it just me or was there more posts in this thread yesterday?

 

[Tmagic650]

Will this help?
http://www.robertwisbey.com/how_to_web_cam_wc32.html

 

[Nodsu]

There were more useless posts indeed. I took care of them.

Tmagic: you are still failing to get the point.. The question was about multiple local cameras. Any web streaming is secondary here.

 

[Tmagic650]

"Tmagic: you are still failing to get the point.. The question was about multiple local cameras. Any web streaming is secondary here"...

"The online streaming is not essential, but would be useful at times"...

So subrosean wants two distinct camera images to appear on his desktops screen at the same time, so he can free up his laptop(s). Do I get the point now Nodsu? In my limited time researching this, Java applets can do this, as well as support streaming webcasts. It is this understanding that leads me to believe that the 2 uses are related. I'm sure you will correct me if I am wrong. ... and don't be so high and mighty, we can all be jerks at times

 

[Nodsu]

IMO it would be an overkill to set up a web server and stream video to it only to watch the stream on the very same machine.

Of course, subrosean is being quite tight-lipped here. If all that is needed is two camera images, then the individual software supplied with both cameras should be able to coexist just fine. Then again, if one wants motion detection and suchlike, more advanced software is needed.

 

[subrosean]

To explain ......

I never seem to be able to express myself clearly and I apologize for that. To explain why I need to be capturing from two webcams simultaneously ..

I need to capture evidence. Possibly for court again. Have already gone once against the landlords to force them to evict my neighbors on November 6th and won through mediation. They're way past their agreed 90 days, but I am working with one of them and the process is finally running so I don't think I'll be going back to court. I more than likely am going to need a restraining order against these people though. The woman has threatened to kill me if I came outside. The man has threatened all of us and our property. His current favorite activity is to shout n*gg*r at the top of his lungs as he drives around the corner. My son-in-law is black. I live with my daughter's little family, call me a grammananny. The kids call me a who*e every time I go outside. The son threw a rock at my window one night at 10:30 and screamed "F*CK YOU B*TCH. We've been smoked out by burning rubber, our cars egged, the window broken by a beebee. There is more and more and more and more. All captured by my two webcams and, unfortunately, my two computers. We've had family meetings about whether or not to get a restraining order and the feeling is that since they are leaving, not to muddy the waters. But if they come back, or if any of their teenage daughter's friends come round, to destroy any of our property or to attempt to intimidate me as I leave my driveway (( to leave my driveway I have to open a huge gate, back my car out, get out and close the gate and then drive away .. all with my back to these people )). If anything happens, once they're out of the house across the street, then we will have to get the restraining order. Oh, I almost left out the part about hearing on a video as I'm looking for an incident where I was threatened that they've been using a Listen Up device hooked straight to an amplifier and that they know everything. That got me sick to my stomach. The woman promises me all the time that this won't be over when they're gone, one time saying, "B*tch, you're gonna need a psychic reading to see how miserable you're gonna be in a little while". Another time, "F'in B, you're gonna have a headache forever!". I've had to waste a lot of my time on getting rid of these people. This is the way the police told me to do it. All of it is out in front of their house or in the middle of the street. We know everything about them because they carry out their entire dysfunctional lives in the front of their house. What is saved for evidence is screamed at us. My cameras are completely legal as they have no expectation of privacy so please let's not get started on that. At least I've figured out a method to find and keep the violent and racist incidents for evidence.

When I met the woman two and a half years ago, she came into our back yard and said, "Hi, I'm *****. If we do anything that bothers you, just let us know." I'm telling you, the next time I hear that, I'll be calling the cops when there's a rude disturbance instead of asking them to tone it down so we can sleep. And I will remain anonymous. They were quiet at first, but it didn't take them more than two days to start up and they've never stopped.

Anyway, that's WHY I'm asking for help and it's probably much more information than you asked for.

I need to be able to capture the video and audio from both of my webcams 24/7.

It would be nice to be able to stream online.

That way our home could be watched when we're not here. Currently someone has to be here almost all the time. We are too afraid to leave the house alone for more than a few hours at a time. Here's a question, can I stream and capture at the same time? Talking about muddying the waters. ~* she laughs *~ Thank you, Tmagic650, for the page, I bookmarked it. It looked pretty easy. Sorry for jumping you. I'm kinda on my last nerve these days and I got snapped at once for hijacking a thread so you received immediate snappage. I don't normally act that way.

Nodsu, thank you for stepping in ~* she smiles *~ I tried running both cameras on this desktop and it will let me switch from one to the other, but it will not capture from both. I did see there is a lot of software that'll do the job, but I'm getting a new computer and I really don't want to keep trying things til I find something that works. I don't need motion detection or any of the fancy stuff. Just capture.

Thanks for listening! That was an earful wasn't it?! Hope I didn't offend anyone. They're not my words. I didn't read this over, too long, apologies if I flubbed up.

Looking forward to any help!

 

[Rio]

Do you need it to save directly to the HDD or can it be temporarily stored and then manually saved? (The second option is more unreliable but it is easier to set up).

I'm sure it wouldn't be too hard to create this type of software. I would do it for you if i had enough programming skills.

 

[Tmagic650]

That is a horrible situation subrosean,
Best wishes for a speedy end to this. Commercial Surveillance does what you want to do all the time. Still capture and streaming video. It is all software controlled. I was looking for a way to stream live video on a webpage:

I found this:
http://www.digi-watcher.com/surveillance_features.htm

I thought this might work for you

 

[Rio]

Simple google search brought up this, the only problem is that you have to pay for their software, but it includes hardware
Take a look:
http://webcam-software.net/

Free Software:

This site may be helpful
http://www.topshareware.com/guide/hot/video-capture.htm

Although this could be one of the best on that page:
http://www.topshareware.com/AVS-Capture-Wizard-download-48476.htm

Or this has more software:
http://www.newfreedownloads.com/find/video-capture.html


I havent checked if those last ones are free but i think they are.

Hope this helps,
Rio

 

[subrosean]

Thanks so much everyone for all your input. That's a lot to look at, will do after Easter. I appreciate all your effort. Have a warm wonderful Easter!

 

[vysakh25@gmail.]

I guess you have solved the issue

neverthe less i guess my reply might help someone else

We have this nieghbhour who is a peeping to. for the past few month we have been hearing a guy walking near our window at night around 2 when we go out to check we find no one at last we decided to put up video survailance.

I bought 2 infraredcamera (chinese made ) wires a cam switcher and a capture surround lighting pir based halogen and a wires switch system card all totaling to200$ (in India in Rupees it came to 8000rs ) Now i hooked up the cameras did the wireing and all

the cam switcher switches between the two cams every 10 seconds
I also installed remote control and the lights all around the house
the remote alows me to switch on the ligh individually or all together also

the output fromt he cam switcher was split into two one was fed to thecapture device and the other to the tv's av. Now the capture cards software is programed to record at highcompression from 6 eve to morn 6 (we have heard the guy only during this time)

After around 2 weeks having installed the equipment the guy was caught yesterday and handed over to the police he is in jail right now.

The best part is he is a proffesor with a masters in math.

hope my explanation will help someone else get rid of thier nossy nieghbour

sorry about the spelling i dont have a spell check installed on this machine