Buy Me This: How To Turn Your iPhone Into A Video Baby Monitor That Can Even Be Used Remotely
Mar03

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Buy Me This: How To Turn Your iPhone Into A Video Baby Monitor That Can Even Be Used Remotely

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a blogumn by CH


icam_iphone

Icam

We never bought a Baby Monitor with video for Betty. The audio was always enough for us, because she would let us know when she was up. But as she has gotten older she’s started to try and stand up, roll around, knock against the bars — all without crying. Basically we didn’t know what was going on in there, so at 8 month I decided we needed a video monitor.

I didn’t want to spend upwards of $200 dollars for a video monitor. What I wanted was a way to use my iPhone as a video monitor, so I looked at the app store. Of course there was a app for that.

It’s called Icam and let’s you look at up to four feeds at one time. It also records movement and can send you an alert when it detects movement. It works over the internet, so no matter where I am, I can see Betty when she is in bed. They also have a web site you can go to and watch there. So if you don’t have your phone, but do have your computer you can still monitor the cams.


Screen shot 2010-03-02 at 10.58.40 AM

Betty sleeping

 

We had my wife’s old laptop and a old ichat camera so I hooked them up, downloaded the software and was good to go. It was easy to do but the iChat camera didn’t do well in low light, so we decided to get a small infrared camera. I got mine at Fry’s but Amazon has them as well.

infrared camera

infrared camera

I went for the cheapest camera I could find, but it wasn’t compatible with my mac so I had to find a driver to use. After a little research I found Maccam, it was a free download and after playing with the setting for about a hour I got it to work. This will work with a PC as well.

old laptop running Icam

old laptop running Icam

For me I love being able to see Betty in her crib when I am at work,  it always brings a smile to my face. And I also love it when Ernessa waves at me.

Hi Daddy

Hi Daddy

So to recap grab an old computer.

Download and install icam source from here.

Then buy a infrared usb camera like this one.

If you are using a mac, download this driver

Finally get this app from the apple app store.

Have fun!!!