Hardware For Home Security? 39
This (rightfully) angry Anonymous Coward asks: "When I got home, my front door was wide open! Evil types must have broken in. They stole my two Linux boxen, two monitors, laser printer, and ~250 CDs. They didn't trash anything, important things are backed-up, and the cat is fine. But I am pissed off!! I want to set up a simple Linux-based security system (umm...when i get a new box). I need help finding info on: digital cameras (outdoor?), motion detectors, lasers tripwires(??), etc. which can be hooked up in a manageable fashion to a Linux box. Can anyone help me?"
Re:Some thoughts on simplicity (Score:1)
Cloud shadows. Bird/plane shadows. Windshield reflections. Headlights. The cat that was mentioned.
Re:Trap The Booby (Score:1)
Available soon: (Score:1)
Re:Several ideas (Score:1)
There are several Linux X-10 programs.
Also note that there is an alarm interface which simply transmits an X-10 code when a contact is changed (I forget if normally-open or normally-closed is default) -- these can basically be connected to many detection switches.
Most X-10 technology fails when the power is off. I recommend main protection with a standard alarm system, perhaps with the Linux box being told when there is an alarm -- and the Linux box could also have other sensors, such as reporting to you when outdoor cameras detect suspicious activity (and the perimeter alarms dealing with actual breakins). The Linux box could also store remotely captured images in case they're needed after the box vanishes.
Re:Trap The Booby (Score:1)
Several ideas (Score:1)
Hope this helps - I'd be interested in hearing what you eventually go with, as I'd like to implement something similar at home....
DalSemi one-wire sensors (Score:1)
X10 and X11 stuff to hook up to your computer (Score:1)
Re:Trap The Booby (Score:1)
The Winblows box is easier to get to, has a nicer looking case, cover is on, etc, etc.
And most thieves would look at my cd collection and see that it isn't worth carrying out to his car:)
Giving the appearance you are at home. (Score:1)
Re:Autodial the police (Score:1)
Re:Go dedicated (Score:1)
Just like when I want to put a computer for MP3's in my car
"Logan, why don't you just get an MP3 player?"
"But, do you have a computer in your car?"
Security for your house and goodies (Score:1)
Some notes (Score:2)
The main problem with video is storing the signal. A Tivo would be very well-suited to security applications, if the software were changed to allow motion detection or other event-based recording, and to allow uploading of images to an offsite location.
If you decide to store the signal onsite, you could put the video equipment in a hidden, secure location and wire up everything to work remotely. Smarthome [smarthome.com] has a lot of tricky ways to do this using coax. The best suggestion I saw from them was to use RF modulators to put different video signals on different TV channels on a single wire throughout the house. Instead of running, say, an entire cable signal to a box next to the set, you put the cable box in a closet and feed its output to channel 3, and your security camera to channel 5, etc. This system allows any video emitting device to be viewed from any TV or VCR by simply changing channels. The catch is that you need an infrared relay to control the equipment from another room. Smarthome has relay systems which transmit infrared signals back down the coax to a receiver next to the cable box, using a different frequency that doesn't interfere with the TV channels.
Their stuff can be pricey, but you can shop around other places for similar equipment. I've found that an RF modulator for one channel will run around $65, but you might already have a channel 3 out on one device, so you get that one free. You can also get multichannel 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz wireless links for around $100, so wireless distribution is also a possibility. The infrared relays are in the $100-200 range; maybe someone could suggest a cheaper solution.
Why linux based? (Score:2)
Radio Shack sells (or used to sell) a lot of gear to make your own alarm system. Start there for most of your hardware, though I'm sure you can find better prices.
I don't think linux (or even computer) based solutions are something you want. Maybe cause I often get the load on my linux box past 10, and I don't want my alarm system to have to wait very long for processor time. A few transisters (chips) in a small box is easy to hide. A linux machine is likely bigger (though of course you can get dedicated small cases if you can get everything to interface to it), and worse yet looks like a valuable computer. A video of the theif's face will do you no good if the theif takes the recording with him! If you have videos, then you need a way to get the storage off site. All fine if you know the theif is going to be at your house at 3am monday night. But then if you knew when the theif would be there you would have been there to prevent the crime (with the police most likely)
P.S. Don't overlook the professional solutions. $20/month monitoring fee and you get an insurance discount, unlike a personal built system. Could easially be worth it.
Re:Some thoughts on simplicity (Score:2)
Re:Trap The Booby (Score:2)
I can look forward to a thief driving away with my computer and getting a loud headache.
Other methods of making a computer resistant against theft is to paint it some god awful color, have parts of it missing, and cloning the appearance of your general purpose boat anchor. It takes a sick thief to steal a piece of junk rather than taking the eye candy next door.
I should mention that many thefts are from people who you know. Bragging about one's computer is a sure way to get annoyed friends deviously envious.
Re:Trap The Booby (Score:2)
As defined in the state of Missouri:
Larceny - declared value less than $100
Grand Larceny (felony) - greater than $100
Steal a candy bar, get caught, go to jail. Steal a computer, get caught, go to jail and rot.
Sure -- trees move in the wind, curtains flap (Score:2)
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Some thoughts on simplicity (Score:2)
I was looking for motion sensors, light sensors, and window / door switches, when someone suggested using webcams. The more I think about it, the more I like it. Download a new picture every second:
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Yep (Score:2)
What I really like is that it only requires a few cameras, not a sensor at every window and door, and web cams are almost a commodity item, so if one breaks, get another. Especially if they return jpegs, no need for custom software -- just download, filter, process.
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Check out Axis (Score:2)
Webcams (Score:2)
There are several tools existing for Win9x (Homewatch?) that start recording only if there is something changing on the video capture.
To prevent the thieves taking the evidence away along with the PC, some programs push the(se) images to a website. Alternatively you could throw a cat5 cable over to your neighbour and save the pics on his PC (and maybe vice versa).
Disadvantage: USB is good for only a few meters.
Beyond that a video grabber (BT848 based or similar) and el-cheapo CCD cameras (starting at ~$40 for b/w) can do the job.
With a simple relais-based box and some primitive software (hackin' LEDmeter) you should be able to switch between a number of cameras (up to 8 for zero extra electronics - up to 256 with some electronics on the parallel port).
X10/BlackBerry/PCS (Score:2)
If I get one of these messages while I'm not home, then something is obviously wrong. I have my local police department on speed dial on my cell phone. If I get a motion detection message when I shouldn't get one, I step outside, call the police, and get them to my abode ASAP.
The great thing about it is that the X10 equipment cost me less than $100, and everything else I already had for other reasons.. and I can monitor my home from anywhere in the US (nationwide coverage on both the blackberry and the PCS phone).
Eventually, I'll add cameras, but they're expensive.
I always wanted to... (Score:2)
It might not deter thieves, but it would be cool.
Re:Check out Axis (Score:2)
There's a review [linuxjournal.com] of their 2100 model at Linux Journal.
But really, really cool. Wouldn't mind having one myself, to play around with
Bo
Home security hardware (Score:2)
Well, I don't know about you, but I'm much more of a traditionalist when it comes to home security hardware. While my cousin swears by the virtues of the
Let me tell you, the ability to fire five controlled shots in under a second from a piece of hardware as authoritative as a 12-gauge is enough to make even the most deranged lunatic run for his life. And thanks to the small birdshot, overpenetration and blow-through is minimized while still maintaining extremely high one-shot stops at ranges of seven meters or less!
Put that MP5 back on the shelf, my friend, and stop looking lasciviously at that M4A1 carbine. NATO STANAG is all well and good, but remember... shotguns are the only infantry weapons so terrifyingly lethal that it's a violation of the Geneva Accords to use them in wartime.
O'course, the US never signed the Geneva Accords, so, unless you're doing your shooting in a country which is signatory, you can't be charged with a war-crime for putting enough steel shot into him to make his sorry ass worth $1.95 just in recyclables alone.
Marrying the finest in Italian shotgun technology with the finest in Finnish OS technology makes for a system to be feared. All you have to do is wire up a standard M14 sentry mount (available from fine merchants everywhere [nra.org]) with the Benelli, using ample duck tape to pad out those few places where the Benelli is smaller than the old 7.62mm battle rifle.
From there, remove the IR filter on your Intel web camera and point it in the direction of the front door. Now it comes time to take advantage of the open-source nature of the Linux operating system, and write your own image recognition software to positively identify your friends and neighbors.
Of course, any fine weapon system needs thorough testing before it can go truly live. Just as every soldier must constantly ask himself the question, "Will I kill my enemy before he will kill me?" and make the appropriate decision, your Linux sentry gun must ask himself the question "Is this a family member, or a Jehovah's Witness?" and make the appropriate decision.
I suggest calling up your local chapter of Jehovah's Witnesses and telling them that you're ready to receive the truth of Christ Jesus, you wish to join the 144,000 saved souls, and ask them to bring plenty of copies of The Watchtower when they arrive. In no time flat you'll have a veritable Mongol Horde of targets to test your sentry gun on--and, in so doing, you'll get a good handle on how many rounds per minute your sentry gun can fire, as well as when you need to code timeouts so that the barrel can cool.
Good luck, and remember: gun control means being able to hit your target!
My setup... (Score:2)
My current setup is this - my computer room is a completely interior room. All walls are brick - no windows. I have a lock on the door. I have an alarm system on the room. I plan to set up a camera system with FTP uplink to my provider, and pager monitoring.
The house itself? Completely concrete block construction - bars on all windows and doors, bolted to the block. Furthermore, my house is set back 50 feet from the road, with a 100 foot visible clearance on all sides.
My suggestion? Set up an interior server closet, something you can lock up your machines in, with a good lock. The room can be full size (like mine), or a simple hall closet, with good ventalation. Add some security to it. Add security stickers, as well. Maybe add motion lights on the outside. There is a lot you can do.
I loved the suggestion of a booby "prize" - I might actually set up such a thing myself - being as I have a ton of old machines, one fakey won't hurt nothing...
I support the EFF [eff.org] - do you?
Check your assumptions (Score:2)
If your purpose is to catch pictures of the miscreants as they come through the door, it sure wouldn't help very much if those pictures were carried away along with the Linux boxen on which they got stored.
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Physical Security and offsite storage (Score:2)
Preferably you should have some sort of off-site security storage of those important images. If you've already got a full time link, think about FTP-ing the images to some where else. If someone does break in, you need to keep a copy of that picture on a machine that they can't steal. Unfortunately the images you're going to get with most simple cameras are going to be pretty poor- unless the miscreant puts their face *right in front* of the camera, it will be difficult to positively identify them. Cameras all over the place will probably be more effective as a deterrent. Who says that each one has to be hooked up?
You could also tie this into a pager- but again, you need something that is protected from the thief.
Also, don't forget to increase your vigilance over the coming months, since the thieves know which home they plundered, they also know who's probably going to be getting nice new (replacement) equipment in the near future.
Cheap security (Score:2)
Then there's the store who had a problem with employee theft. So they installed a camera behind the cash register.... just a camera; it wasn't plugged in to anything. (You could even see the power cable hanging limply below it.) Never had another problem after that.
But really, a serious security system (that is, one that works) is installed by a pro. All that stuff about hooking it up to linux may sound like fun, but it's not necessary, and a bit pointless. And buying ADT (or Radio Shack, same thing I think) will just get you laughed at.
(I'm serious about the stickers though, that may be all you need.)
Re:Check out Axis (Score:2)
There also exists software (free even) that can pull images from them and do motion/delta analysis against them along with any sort of alerting you'd like. Home-brew motion detection system, although not so cheap when you figure in the cost of the cameras.
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Don't forget the servo motors and shotgun... (Score:2)
Otherwise, an alarm system is simply a nuisance to your neighbors. Any cop can tell you that IF they get any call at all about a house alarm going off, it is most likely to be a noise complaint, not the report of a burglary.
The other part of the equation is response time. A good bagman works simply. Smash down back door, set off alarm, grab predetermined stuff, search for other good items, stuff in back of van/pickup truck, and be gone in less than ten minutes.
Consider physical security first. If a dude nearly breaks his shoulder trying to whack the entry point, he may just move right along to easier pickings.
If you have to have an alarm, consider silent alert types. These folks will only stay around as long as they feel safe, and there is no difference between a burglar that sticks around for three minuted or one that hangs around for a half-hour, as long as they get away. They still have your stuff. Getting them caught in the act, or having them bypass you all together are the only ways to go.
You realize, of course... (Score:2)
that the last thing you probably want is having
your security system running off of said boxen.
OK, true, the cops may have been called by the time they get in to retrieve your stuff... but still, don't make your security system a target.
Well... (Score:2)
Now install linux on it, and put as many RS-232 ports in it you can (there are cards you can but that have 2 or 3 ports to a IRQ, don't argue, I have a book right next to me that talks about them). Set up laser trip wires in the house at hip level (so not to let it get set off by cats), pressure pads in the carpet, and door open detector do-hickeys. Write a perl or Python script to check the serial ports every so many
Now, have an old voice modem in there, and have it call either you or the police station and play a
Just my idea
The cheapest solution... (Score:3)
Fluffy, kill!
Go dedicated (Score:4)
DSC is a pretty popular brand. They include manuals and are pretty easy to set up. If you are installing it, you can do it for under $300-$400.
I suggest a professional system (Score:4)
One thing you don't want is to end up with a system that gives a lot of false alarms. The cops hate that and, even if you don't draw a fine, they'll soon start to ignore you. The objective of a security system isn't to help capture the thieves after the fact, it's to make it difficult and undesireable for them to attempt to steal in the first place. Not knowing your exact circumstances (neighbors, whether your area is patrolled by police, etc.) precludes me making a definitive suggestion, however, the usual system where I live uses an outdoor horn and a dial-in to a central company who will alert police. My own home has one interior door with a sensor, and an infrared beam down a central hallway which would be unavoidable by a thief. The beam is set quite high, with a one-second delay and with no furniture near it, because of the cats. It also has fire sensors. If an alarm goes off, the central office calls and if it gets no answer or someone who doesn't know the password, they call the police or fire department. It's a good system, and the only false alarms I've had were before we perfected the cat-proof infrared beam, and because of a failed fire sensor.
I know that you're justifiably upset and the natural instinct is revenge in the circumstances (cameras would be great to catch these scum), but take a deep breath and think about the problem logically. Take appropriate steps to secure your dwelling with a reliable and effective system, and don't rush to implement something that ends up being a less-than-effective solution. That said, you could probably get a decent professional alarm system and supplement it with cameras or whatever else might be of interest. I would, however, leave the job of actually tripping the alarm to the professional portion of the system.
This has rambled a bit, but it's my best advice. Good luck.
I can supply hardware at good prices. (Score:5)