A webcam, both the one included as standard on the portable PC, and the one connected via USB cable, can be used not only to make video calls from the computer, or to record movies (see article on how to record videos from a webcam), but also to make video surveillance, monitoring an environment and detecting movements like any security camera would. It therefore becomes possible to create a very inexpensive control system in the computer room, to be sure when we are out, so that we can spy on what happens at any time.
In this article we go to see the best programs to manage video surveillance from the computer using a basic webcam or an IP camera, which is instead wireless, but connected to the wifi network and accessible remotely.
With IP cameras it is possible to create a real low cost surveillance system, managed by the home computer or.
Most of the programs on this list, all free of charge, allow you to manage multiple cameras or webcams simultaneously and are also able to record videos or take photos when movements are detected.
READ ALSO: Best wifi IP cameras for video surveillance to buy
1) Yawcam is the first program to report when it comes to video surveillance from the computer, because it is simple and full of features, completely free.
Yawcam allows you to easily transform any WebCam into a sophisticated security system able to detect and record any suspicious movement within the area under control, and to automatically send notifications of the occurrences of intrusions.
YawCam analyzes the images taken by the WebCam and, if it notices movements within the frame (or only of a certain portion), activates the video recording or a sequence of photos, with the possibility of sending an e-mail message to an address default, or sending photos directly to a remote server via FTP or simply storing everything on the hard disk.
There are several configuration parameters including the activation sensitivity of the recording a
The nice thing about YawCam is the possibility of using a Web server that allows you to use the WebCam via the internet and see the video streaming of what has been filmed in real time .
YawCam I wrote a guide to monitor via webcam, receive alerts via Email and stream the footage .
2) iSpy, an excellent program to monitor with webcam and microphone by recording movements on the computer (to which an article is dedicated).
iSpy is the most popular open source video surveillance application in the world, compatible with most webcams and IP cameras on sale, with over 2 million users worldwide.
iSpy uses webcams and microphones to detect and record movements or sounds and provides security, surveillance, monitoring and alert services.
iSpy can be configured to run on multiple computers simultaneously.
3) AtHome Camera is a free program for Windows and Mac PCs that is used to manage and control IP cameras of any brand.
Easy to use, Athome Camera instantly detects connected cameras and shows live footage panes.
It is therefore possible to program recordings, set warnings and alarms, detect movements and allow you to check the footage from your mobile phone.
In the free version, you can register up to 15 minutes of registration per day, and it is limited to a connection ID.
Using the smartphone you can connect live to what is framed by the webcam.
4) ContaCam is an open source and free software, updated frequently and with active development, capable of managing RTSP and H.264 network cameras (IP cameras) and webcams, designed for CCTV security surveillance thanks to the video recorder, the capacity to detect movement and webserver to access images also via the internet.
In addition to being also in Italian, it is a light and fast software, easy to use, but complete.
5) NetCam Studio is a powerful and feature-rich video surveillance program.
In addition to the common features found in a video surveillance software (including motion detection), Netcam Studio has audio detection, license plate recognition, synchronization of Cloud and NAS recordings.
The free version incorporates a Netcam Studio software logo at the bottom of the recorded video.
6) TeboCam is a very simple video surveillance software with the particularity that it notices if something changes in the image taken and sends a message via Email in case there are unexpected movements.
You can also tell the program to monitor and supervise only a portion of the footage so if there were any movement of objects due to the wind, they would not be reported.
7) Ivideon is a good free program used to manage the cameras connected by any device, including computers and smartphones with apps for iPhone and Android.
Ivideon alone detects suspicious events in the field of view of the camera and sends notifications and alarms.
8) To control your home or office remotely with an excellent security system, you can download and use WebCamSpy, a software for online video surveillance via webcam.
The program can take photos on demand, or continuous shooting can be configured at regular time intervals.
9) SecureCam2 is a very small program that has all the basic functions necessary to manage a security camera.
The only limitation in SecureCam2 is that it supports up to 4 cameras.
10) Camera Viewer Pro is one of the best in terms of usability and use of system resources, using only 1% of the CPU during operation.
11) An excellent professional video surveillance program, not free but cheap, is Active Webcam which supports recording from many cameras together and also allows you to watch video footage streamed from the internet.
I do not go into why it is not free but if you are looking for a solid solution, maybe you have to spend some money.
12) Genius Vision NVR is a free IP camera called Community Edition which has the only limitation of recording from 4 IP cameras, more than enough for non-commercial use.
The program is quite old and difficult to use.
13) EyeLine (not free) has been designed specifically for businesses but which is perfect for video surveillance of Offices, Buildings and Shops and private homes.
EyeLine can record simultaneously from an unlimited number of webcams, the only limit is the capacity of the PC that runs the application and that records the images taken.
Recorded images can be stored in a local PC and automatically compressed for archiving or for subsequent searches by date, time, specific camera or webcam, or other criteria using the search function present in the program.
To save space on your computer, you can schedule the start of the recordings according to the motion detections also for each camera.
This feature saves recording space by activating video storage only when something is moving in the programmed field of view.
14) Without installing anything on the PC, but with a simple internet connection you can also use a web application to monitor and detect movements from the internet.
Other video surveillance programs are mentioned in the article on how to turn the webcam into a surveillance camera .
