From Issue #5 , Page #70

Peek-a-boo, we see-everything. How a not-so-obvious security solution can ensure everyone stays on their best behavior.

You may have considered a video camera just for a little extra security at home. Just the idea of a video camera being present is enough to convince most people that they should stay the course of the straight and narrow. There are times, however, when you don’t want the camera to be so obvious.

A quick glimpse through the local phone book will probably uncover a few stores that sell "spy"-type video cameras. These are often built into some innocent prop, such as a wall clock, a smoke detector or even a stuffed toy. While the work has been removed, there is a price that is associated with this convenience. These luxury items can often cost hundreds of dollars. Or you can make a similar item for just a fraction of the cost.

Step 1: Placement

Identify the placement of the camera. It should be in a location that will overlook the area to be watched, and have convenient placement to hide wires. You might even be able to eliminate the wires altogether, but let’s save that for later.

Decide on a suitable container for the camera. Many cameras are tiny, so there shouldn’t be a problem finding an appropriate-sized container. It needs to be an item that would fit in with the décor and be something that wouldn’t garner a second glance from a passer-by. A stuffed teddy bear on a bookshelf in a business lobby would certainly seem out of place—unless you manufacture toys. It also needs to be something that would normally not be picked up or moved. A book concealing a camera should be nestled among a group of books. This is the perfect opportunity to reuse that old college chemistry book—nobody would want to pick that one up!

You can use other things too. A decorative birdcage would be an ideal camera holder. These can be purchased at most home improvement stores for less than $10, and if you destroy it while drilling holes, you won’t be too upset.

Step 2: Build the Enclosure

Surgery time! Let’s get that camera installed. For our example, we chose a book. For simplicity, we went to a local home improvement center and found a piece of scrap lumber that the camera can be mounted on. The wood platform is approximately the same thickness as the pages of the book that we will partially gut. To find our book, we searched a local used-book store and found one that had the inner dimensions of the wood. In addition, it had a dark spine with some designs, so that the lens would not be obvious. At home, we used a metal ruler as a guide and a sharp knife to cut out a section of pages that will hold the wood and camera. You only want to remove a "slot" from the pages, so that the top of the book is still supported at the back by the remaining pages. To reinforce the pages, rub white glue along the edges, to glue the remainder of the book together.

Note: This may be restating the obvious, but be sure your book is thick enough to hold the camera.

Next, dry-fit the camera. Mount the camera on the block of wood and place it in the hole we created. Use a pencil to mark the location in the spine where the lens will be touching. Remove the wood and camera, and cut a small hole at the pencil mark. Replace the camera and test it to ensure that it can see out of the hole. If you have a problem with "fuzz" around the hole for the lens, coat the edges with a small amount of glue, and then use a small round file to smooth the edges. Touch up the edges with a permanent marker to match the surrounding area.

Attach the wood platform to the book and clamp it in place while the glue dries.

Step 3: Monitoring

Now that the camera is built, you need to have some way to monitor it. There are several options available. You can:

1) Attach it directly to a television. This is the simplest method, but you have to be watching all the time.
2) Use a VCR and record footage. You can get up to eight hours on one tape.
3) Connect your camera to a PC and only record when there is movement. This is one of the better ideas, but it does require you to have a PC that is running.

Using a PC is actually a lot easier than most people would realize. In the past, it might have required cracking open the case and installing (or having someone else install) a video card that could take the input of a camera. With today’s new cameras, this is about as difficult as plugging the camera into the USB port. Most PCs today have a USB plug in the front so even that step has been simplified.

One inexpensive solution is the X10 XRay camera set ($69.99), which includes the PC adapter and software. The camera is basically the same as all of their other cameras, with the same light sensitivity. When you bundle in the software, it becomes a real keeper.

Final Thoughts

Once the camera and software are up and running, you can have the PC record video when there is motion, and even email the pictures to you when you are away from home. That way, your home can alert you, no matter where you are, as long as you have access to a computer with email capability.

If your PC is too far away from the camera, you can extend the reach by using a video sender/receiver, like the RadioShack 2.4GHz Audio/Video Signal Sender/Receiver (#15-2572, $79.99), or the X10 VideoSender ($88). These gadgets can send a video signal, including audio, up to 100 feet away. One thing to remember: the signal is not encrypted, so anyone else with the same receiver can also watch the video. Do you really want to know that your cousin exercises in the nude? Consider this a friendly word of warning.

Now that you have the general idea, what will it be? A voyeuristic book? A peeping-tom teddy bear? How about a clock that watches you? The basics are there; all you have to do is add some imagination and start keeping an eye on your stuff. - Brian Abernathy

Project Snapshot

The Problem
Who is lurking in places where they shouldn’t be? You may not be able to be everywhere at once, but you can certainly keep an eye on things.

Estimated Time to Complete: 4 to 8 hours, depending upon the complexity of how the camera is hidden.

Difficulty Rating: 2
[1=Child’s Play, 2=Use Both Hands, 3=Call for Backup!, 4=Obi-Wan Worthy]

Estimated Cost: $50 to $100

Parts Needed

• Crime Catcher software ($25)
• SourceForge.net software (free—but for experienced PC users!)
• Surveillance Scan II software (free)
• X10 XRay Vision PC/Internet Monitoring Kit ($69.99)
• X10 XCam2 package with two cameras ($179.99)

Project Steps
1. Identify camera placement.
2. Choose a camera container.
3. Build the camera enclosure.
4. Mount the camera.
5. Pick your connection.

Best Equipment Bargains
Get into the habit of syncing your iPod right after the PDA sync. That way, your iPod and your PDA will both have the latest calendar and contact data.

Hiding Places
iPod Agent only works with the full Microsoft Outlook; it does not work with Outlook Express and/or Microsoft Works. If Outlook Express is all you have, use Palm Desktop and Palm2iPod instead.

About the Writer

Name: Brian Abernathy
Age: 54
City/State: Marietta, Ga.
Occupation: IT help desk contractor
One thing people would be surprised to know about me: I was in a movie with Sandra Bullock (Love Potion #9).