How to use your webcam as a security camera with Ubuntu linux - part 1

This is a tutorial on how to use the program Motion to use a webcam as a security camera with Ubuntu linux. It also shows you how to automatically back up files to Dropbox so that you might have images of the theif if your computer is stolen while Motion is running. I am assuming in the video that you already have a webcam that works with Ubuntu. These instructions work on all recent versions of Ubuntu, and this video might be interesting even if you use something besides Ubuntu but are interested in using Motion. I made the video because I didn't find any other videos about using Motion on YouTube, and I like Motion and thought it would be a fun video to make. I also have spent a bit of time trying to find reasonable, secure, and free ways back up the surveillance videos and images online, and have run into problems (gmail thinking I'm a spambot, getting kicked off an FTP server...). Maybe I'll save someone else some time by explaining what works.

To see the scripts mentioned in the video, go to http://pastebin.com/La0NSDsh

The Motion documentation can be found at: http://www.lavrsen.dk/foswiki/bin/view/Motion/WebHome

Dropbox can be found at: http://www.dropbox.com

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Motion
• Dropbox
• Ubuntu
• linux
• surveillance
• webcam
• ghetto-rigged surveillance
• cheap surveillance
• home surveillance
• tutorial
• security camera

[mcrapattack]

Hi can anyone tell me where to find the scrips folder. It is not in the directory that is shown on this video. I got up to that point and can't go any further .....:0)

[dgwthezombie]

@mcrapattack The scripts folder isn't going to be there, you just need to make it yourself if you want to put scripts there. Open up a terminal and type:

mkdir scripts

mkdir means "make directory". Or you can do it by right clicking in your home folder and clicking Create Folder.

[dskyers]

You video is very well explain. Thank you! What hardware are you using for capture? Thank you!

[dgwthezombie]

@dskyers I'm not using any special hardware. I use a Logitech webcam with my laptop.To capture the video of my desktop, I used the software, Record My Desktop.

[cjemmerich]

Correction: I fixed that, now all I get is `motion.Conf` is not a directory. I created a .motion and a motion.conf within it.

[cjemmerich]

Keep getting errors when I try to enter the sudo cp /ect /motion/motion.conf .motion/motion.conf line. I created a .motion in the home folder. Getting frustrated. Error message is .motion/motion.conf is not a directory. Please help!

[AppA]

This tutorial is exactly what I needed. Thank you very much :)

[eylrab]

thank you - great explanation!

[fatriff]

Ubuntu one is another place to store as you get 5GB of space.

[mcrapattack]

@tpawnell Sorry didn't find the solution. Was still able to use it with the camera connected to the tuner card but not the ip cameras. I have had to give in and use windows with the ip cameras :0( . I can set many things in the web interface one either windows or linux using firefox but the interface does not record video....such a pity there is not more info out there on motion and zoneminder

[mcrapattack]

Hi I made the scripts folder...sorry to bug you but how do i get those files in it to make the launcher? I have been using motion and it works great. Also i am using it with a camera that is plugged into my tv tuner card if anyone wants to know. The camera has night vision and the images are superb. Now i am trying to get it happening with some ip internet (Micronet) cameras that i scored .

[oroles20071]

Very interesting tutorial. I have motion installed on my laptop but i don't now how to set to make captures from usb camera. After i have installed motion i could make captures and movies from laptop integrated camera. I changed frome "gstreamer-properties" to usb camera and isn't work. Cheese detect the usb camera as default. Do you know how can i set the usb camera to make captures? Thank you!

PS: Scuse me for my bad english