Know Who's There

Aunt Ethyl just rang the doorbell. But did she bring homemade cookies? The trick to knowing both things before you even get up to open the door is to use a wireless webcam, such as the Trendnet TV-IP400W ($279, www.trendnet.com), and the latest beta of Ben Softwares Security Spy (free). First connect the webcam directly to your wireless router. If you dont have a router, Trendnets TEW-631BRP is a good choice ($105), but any 802.11g or 802.11n model will do. Now follow these steps.

 

1. Get Your Webcam's IP Address

Launch the Firefox browser (free, ), because Safari wont work. Type your wireless routers default IP address into the address field. (The Trendnet routers IP address is 192.168.1.1, for example. To find your routers, go to System Preferences > Network and double-click the Ethernet port.) On the routers webpage, click Status, then Device Info. Scroll down to LAN Computers and note the IP address for the webcam - the description starts with CS.

 

All devices connected to your router are shown, including the webcam, Mac desktops and laptops, and other gadgets.

 

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2. Webcam, Meet Router

Type the webcams IP address into your browser windows address field (and write it down because youll need it again in the next step). Click System Administration, then Configuration, and then Wireless. Make sure the SSID network name for your wireless LAN is listed in the pop-up window. If it isnt, select the right one. Now disconnect the Ethernet cable, mount the webcam so that the lens is pointed toward the front door (Trendnet includes a mounting bracket), and plug it into power. If you mount it outside, pick a spot where the webcam wont get wet. Or just install it inside with the lens pointed out a window.

 

You can even enable encryption for the webcam, making it impossible for a hacker to disrupt the video signal.

 

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3. Fire Up Security Spy

If you havent already, download and install the most recent beta version of Ben Softwares Security Spy. Launch the app. Go to Settings > Video Device Setup > New Device. In the IP address field, type in the webcams IP address, then select the Trendnet TV-IP400W (or whatever webcam youre using) from the Device Type pop-up. Click OK, and wait for the webcam image to appear.

 

You can add additional webcams here. Just click on the New Device button.

 

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4. Tune in to Front Door TV

You can now see whoever steps up to your front door - without getting up from the comfy spot in front of your Mac. Security Spy can automatically record the video feed from your webcam, and you can add multiple cameras around your home.

 

And, behold: The coast is clear.

 

More...

 

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Trigger an Alarm

You can take your front-door voyeurism to another level by triggering an alarm whenever someone steps to the front door. For this, youll need Perceptive Automations Indigo 2.0 software ($180), which connects to wireless devices you install around your home. We got all the hardware we needed at MacHomeStore.com: the ActiveEye Motion Sensor ($19.95), the W800RF32A X10 RF Receiver ($68.95), and the Keyspan USB Serial Adapter ($31.50). Heres how to get it all working together.

 

1. Put the Plan in Motion

Unscrew the cover on the motion sensor, install the batteries, and press the On button. A tiny red light will flash. Replace the cover. Mount the sensor near your front door using the included brackets. Now wave your arms or do a little dance in front of the motion detector to make sure the light flickers in response. It might take a few seconds for the sensor to read your movement.

 

This little guy can detect movement at your front door.

 

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2. Hook Things Up

Download the Keyspan driver, double-click the file to decompress it, and then install it. Connect the RF receiver to the included serial cable - thats the one thats not a USB cable. Connect the serial cable to the Keyspan USB Serial Adapter, and plug the USB end into your Mac.

 

You need a USB serial adapter to connect the RF receiver to your Mac via USB.

 

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3. Set Your Server Prefs

Launch Indigo, and go to File > Server Preferences. Place a check next to Enable RF receiver interface and select the W800RF32A for the interface and KeySerial for the serial port, then close that window. If you havent had your coffee yet, we advise you to caffeinate now before proceeding with the next few steps.

 

Note the Default house code option - leave it as is unless you run into problems. If so, try a different letter.

 

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4. Pull the Trigger

Still in Indigo, click Trigger Actions in the left column, and then click the green New button. For Name, type Motion Sensor. For type, select X10/RF Command Received.

 

Click the Suppress Logging checkbox to skip the detailed log that Indigo displays for every connected device.

 

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5. Growl Away Intruders

In your Web browser, download and install Growl (free), which is the app that’ll notify you of an intrusion. Indigo has a built-in script for Growl; in Indigo, select Scripts > Reload Attachments just to make sure it’s primed and ready. Still in Indigo, click Actions and select Execute AppleScript. Select the radio button next to Embedded and type this text into the field provided:

RegisterWithGrowl()

Growl("Warning", "Warning - Motion Detected")

 

Growl is a simple alert program that nicely supports AppleScript commands.

 

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6. And We Have Detection

Finally, click Run. A message will appear that says “Motion Detected.” To test the motion sensor, have someone wave, jump, or do a jig in front of it, which should trigger the Growl message again. To add additional devices, repeat these steps.

 

The warning message will disappear after a few moments; it reappears any time motion is detected.

 

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Indigo: Automation Enabler

Many of the automation projects we present here require Indigo 2 ($180), a home-automation system developed by Matt Bendiksen, a former Macromedia lead developer. Props to Matt, who made sure we got the technical details in this article correct. To test Indigo’s capabilities, try downloading and installing the trial version. We don’t cover all of the amazing things you can do with it, but it’s very powerful - especially with house lighting - so peruse the Help system and website for more info.

 

To read part 2 of Brains of the Operation, click here.