Remote viewing a live barn cam on the internet.
It's easiest to understand how to put your barn camera on the Internet if you break it down into 3 categories. Your needs and the application you choose depends on who you want to watch your barn camera, and how or where they get to the camera on the internet. You also need to consider what added features you want (security recording). You need not consider the cameras as all of our equipment will feed into a TV or computer's capture card. The camera, whether wired or wireless, does not care what you're plugging it into.
It works like this:
The barn camera is set up, and whether wired or wireless, brings the video to your home or barn office. Where the barn camera traditionally would plugin only to your TV, you're now plugging it into your computer that is connected to the Internet. If you still want the TV viewing in addition to the picture on the computer, you would use a simple Y adapter to split the video cable and run one to your TV (as always) and one to the computer. The computer must have a video capture card that will accept the video signal. Where all computers have a video card built into them, few have a capture card that accepts an incoming video signal. To accomplish this, you either install an internal capture card into the computer, or you use a USB capture card. These devices simply plug into the USB port and convert the signal into a computer friendly format.
Broadcasting your camera to MareStare.com
Broadcasting your foaling camera to a hosting service for all the world to see has it's distinctive advantages and works like this. The video enters the computer through a video capture card. You can purchase our Single USB Capture Device, or one from your local electronics store. We offer them at a discounted price as a convenience. If you purchase one from a third party, be sure it's going to work for this purpose. Some capture devices only work with their own software (like our multi camera capture devices) and won't work on Mare Stare or any other hosting sites. Uploading software is provided to you free by the hosting service which charges a monthly fee to host the camera.. We recommend only Marestare.com. You, friends and family enter through Mare Stare where a page is set up for your farm / camera. They will put any print or photos you wish on the page along with emergency contact numbers should someone that you don't know see a problem. Now you've got free eyes. Sometimes a thousand people a night may be watching your horse. I'd use a cell number you can turn off or have a have a "yea, we know flag" to hang in view so you're not bombarded with calls when she goes. The service provides access to a huge community that helps each other watch when needed.
Use your computer to broadcast to MareStare.com and record the camera to the computer for security.
Using your barn camera as a security system that records to your computer's hard drive is simple and easy. Our security viewing page gives more detail. I listed it here in the event that you wish to put your camera on Mare Stare as above, and use the camera as a security monitor the remainder of the year, recording either on motion or continuously. If you want to do both you need to understand some of the limitations. You can only accomplish both using the single camera USB device. You can use to upload video to Mare Stare or run the optional security software, but not both at the same time. It works with any software needing video pumped into your computer, but only one thing at a time can use the video. You can't split the incoming video to both Mare stare and the video security software. It's one or the other at one time. Multiple camera USB devices work great for recording and remote viewing at the same time, but you cannot use a multi-camera box to upload to mare stare, window media or other third party web site.
Broadcasting free video to the Internet while recording to your computer(if you choose).
Our 4 camera Internal Capture Device will allow others to access your barn camera(s) provided you give them with a username and password. It will not work with third party hosting sites as it is proprietary to the security software. Additionally, you have remote access to see what it recorded. It will record on motion or continuously depending on the set up.
What does a barn cam look like over the internet?
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