How to put a web-cam in your car:
We sometimes leave our dog in our car for a while (in safe weather etc…we’d never risk her health). She actually seems to enjoy it much better than being left at home & seems to nap the whole time.
At first, we weren’t sure how to leave her in the car and know how she was doing. A webcam in the car seemed like a good solution. We like the security of being able to check-in on her while we are out and about (even from our phones).
This type of webcam will allow you to check it from an internet connected commuter or from your cell.
If you do have a webcam (or get one) do be very careful how you share the connection to any webcam you may have. Ex: If you paste it on facebook, you will probably begin seeing many folks trying to access your webcam. Facebook is notoriously insecure and shares any/all information it has by nature. It’s up to you how you feel about this.
There are two challenges involved in installing a webcam. A webcam has two needs: Power & an internet connection. The internet connection is easily provided by an aircard. The power issue is slightly more involved, but the method to provide it is detailed below:
This is the model of camera: http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41OzFZqMirL._SX300_.jpg
I originally had a link on the web so folks could check out our cam. I had to take it down. As you know, the internet is not a safe place and people/bots were constantly opening connections to it. To be safe, I deactivated public web access.
This camera is cheap (relatively) and has good reviews. It is also widely used, so there’s a good amount of help/documentation around to help you get started. Google is a great tool if you are trying to install this. It doesn’t take days to setup, but plan on spending a couple hours on it. You’ll also need to buy other things to make it work (power adapters and such).
Here is a short/brief list of the steps needed to get this camera going. This is not intended to be a complete list of the steps needed. There are many detailed docs online, but chances are your setup will be somewhat uniq. For that reason, you may want to ping me before trying this. It’s somewhat technical if you’re not familiar with computer networks & security. Don’t be afraid at all – just be aware.
Note: You will also need an air-card or laptop with wireless internet access in order to be able for this to work in your car.
You could also use the wireless service of another user in the area, but I could never advocate that type of activity;)
You will also need some method of powering this camera. You can connect it to a laptop for power. This will shorten the amount of time your laptop will stay powered. If your car isn’t equipped with a 110v plug, this device is what I used: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004MDXS0U/ref=oh_details_o04_s01_i03?ie=UTF8&psc=1
You can also use this device to power everything: http://www.amazon.com/Duracell-852-1807-Outlet-Rechargeable-Source/dp/B000S0VFTM/ref=sr_1_49?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1364759822&sr=1-49&keywords=12v+battery+pack+portable
The Duracell pack abolve will provide both 12v and 110v power as an all-in-one unit. They are a bit spendy, but work well.
If you just want 12v power (you will need the inverter above), this device is a bit cheaper: http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-VEC1093DBD-Battery-Charger/dp/B000EJQJ1G/ref=sr_1_13?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1364759968&sr=1-13&keywords=12v+battery+jump+start
Many vehicles also come with a 110v outlet (household power) or you can get an adapter to provide 110v. Be careful as this can run your car batter dead while you are gone. “Made in America” vehicles also tend to “shut-off” the cigarette lighter. We use a 12v battery pack (jump starter pack) for this type of use. At least if the battery pack goes dead, you can still start your car. I’ve listed several options above that will make it so you don’t run your car battery dead.
For the record, we also have a blanket style heater for our dog (like a heated blanket) that runs off the battery pack as well. With the heater running, we don’t get many hours of use, but they also make some high-capacity battery packs that will last a long time.
Short Recipe/Instructions:
Get the camera
Get an air-card or other wireless connection that will work from your car
Get a battery pack & 110v adapter (this is what we use…there are other options, but they may run your car batter dead etc), or a power-pack that provided 110v power.
Once you have all these items, connect the camera through the air-card you have. This process can be a bit complex. There are many instructions/docs online. If you have trouble with this step, contact me & I’ll help.
Once everything is connected, you need a DYNDNS setup (Dynamic DNS). DYNDNS simply makes it so you have a friendly name you can use to see your camera (ex: dyndns..net). Without DYNDNS your connection will often change without notice. Follow the instructions you got with the camera to get DYNDNS.
The camera listed should work with your phone. Test it by connecting to the DYNDNS name you have setup.
Test all the steps above in your house. Get everything working there first. Once that is completed, move the setup to your car.
Mounting the camera is sometimes a difficulty. It’s easiest to find a spot on the dash, console or similar where you can set the camera. I am not a fan of mounting it. Amazon sells several “suction cup” window mounts with a platform that work nicely. This allows you to put the camera on about any window in the car.
Note: The night vision on this camera is decent, but it is simply a light amplification method using the LED’s on the camera. The LED’s are not visible but they only have a short range.. It does not use IR.
Also, the camera does not see through glass well at all. I wouldn’t plan on using this for car security or observation outside of the car at-all.
Those are my thoughts. This camera does transmit audio and allows you pan/tilt control, so you can look around your car if your pet moves around.
