Uses for spare iSight cameras

Question

I have 2 spare iSight cameras here.
Can anyone suggest any novel uses for them?
Andy

Answer 1

I think you'll find that the iSight cameras are a superior alternative to analog cameras and converters because they work out of the box, don't require strange drivers that may not work when OS X is updated, and have very clear pictures in bright light. Of course you need to have the correct number of free FireWire ports to make it practical. There are firewire port expanders/replicaters available from 3rd party vendors as well as firewire to firewire repeaters if you max out your run lengths beyond what a single cable can reach. That's the only difficult part about using FireWire cameras for home security. If the computer is centrally located where one camera can view a major hallway and another can cover the more likely entrance door to be intruded upon (like back yard doors etc), then you are covering your major bases.
The software allows you to upload pictures or streaming video files (like mpeg 4 and more) to a secure repository on the Internet in real time, in case someone steals the computer that you use for security. Myself I dedicated an older iMac G4 to view my driveway and view the doorway in the room leading up to it so if someone does get access to the security computer, I'll have photographic evidence of who did it stored online on my iDisk..
The options for image processing to detect wether there is motion in a relevant part of an image is quite extensive. Beyond mere square areas of interest or avoidance, you can also opt to selectively paint the image as to which areas it should watch for movement to avoid false alarms...
If you have multiple Macs in your home, you can use the built-in iSight cameras on any networked Macs to provide interior security for whatever they face like remote cameras to the main security Mac. To do this, you must provide a 1 camera license for each Mac you use as a remote camera, so choose carefully how you want to license the software because it won't allow you to run more copies of the software or more cameras than you are licensed for... Here's the link:
http://www.securityspy.com/
I consider it one of the best software solutions for home security. I would even say it would be appropriate to use for small commercial applications as well.