Nanny Cams

[nasirkamran]

Does anybody has experience with Nanny Cams or wireless cameras for home. I want to install one but want to hear from someone experienced.

[fonger]

sounds pretty easy, never set one up but it looks really simple.
there are ones that are cams in teddy bears that go straight to a usb stick or you get wireless webcam that streams to your PC and you simply record that action..

[wildman25]

Does anybody has experience with Nanny Cams or wireless cameras for home. I want to install one but want to hear from someone experienced.
IDK about experienced but I have used and still have cameras. If you're looking for a true nanny-cam it would probably be easiest to get a dvr type self contained camera and storage. This way you just set it and then go back later and view the footage (usually on a memory card). Another way is computer based, which I had setup. The computer records everything, and I mean everything, when there's movement. This is great in theory till you get numerous hours of footage with a spider making a web or something similar to go through. Wireless works well but is limited to distance and obsticles. You can pretty much bet what is claimed for distance is twice what you'll get out of it. You can even go ip based with wireless. This way you actually connect to your home wireless network and can stream it to your computer or around the world. This is what you see when you view old faithful or times square live online.
Just depends on what you need and what you want to pay for.

[Terryl]

The best ones are the ones that look like a light switch and wall plate or a book on a shelf; there are also some good ones that are contained in a clock radio.

Some that I have installed are imbedded in a smoke detector; they cover the room from a high vantage point and are not easily accessible by the Nanny as some Nanny’s are getting smart to the possibility of a Nanny cam.

However to see hat is going on in a darkened room you will need a good low lux (.1 or better) camera they can get expensive.

Here is a good place to look at some.
http://www.spyville.com/nanny-cameras.html

And using a security DVR to record the action is a good way to do it, some of the newer ones will allow you to connect to your router so you can view what’s going on from work. (if you have a hi speed internet connection with out bandwidth restrictions)

[satchick]

If you're using a DVR, make sure you hide it well... Thieves are getting smarter now and will grab the DVR on their way out if it's easily accessible. A nanny would have even more time to find the thing than a thief that wants to be out of there in minutes.

I've read that black and white cameras are much better in the dark than color cameras, and the good ones will have infrared LEDs to brighten things up.

One question, and it might be an important one..... If the camera is hidden, and there is no signage on the property saying that surveillance equipment is in use, can you use that footage as evidence in court should something happen?

[wildman25]

True that black and white seems to do better in low light but if you go the ir route with color be aware that the light cannot be seen but the leds glowing is. You can look at the camera and see the faint red glow when they're on.

As far as a sign warning surveillance, most crimes caught on it would be mis-demeaners so it shouldn't be necissary. Now if you was cracking a major crime ring and the footage had to hold up in court it would most likely be different. Camera footage has been used in many cases already though- just depends on the circumstances I guess