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Any way to make a "trip wire" using USB?

M

MiataMac

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 24, 2008
68
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I'm considering using my Mac Mini (mediacentre Mac) as a simple security system as well, with a motion detect enabled webcam. I've had an issue with break-in due to the block next door being a building site, so they can jump down to my terrasse and get in that way, without much trouble.

But I don't see a reason for my Mac Mini to be on 24/7, also since sometimes I might be away for several days.

I know that if you connect USB stuff to it, it will wake up from it's sleep.

So, is there some how I can make a USB "trip wire" that will wake up the Mac, so that it will auto-run the motion detector software and start recording if something's going down?

I don't know, maybe it's possible to take a USB cable and tinker with one of the ends, so that 2 of the connectors will short circuit and wake the Mac? Obviously this is not something I'll be doing with "trial and error" in case it does damage to the Mac's USB port as well :)

I'me open to ideas and/or suggestions... Alternative I will just have to leave the Mac Mini running 24/7 :(

Thanks!
 
It wouldn't help, even if you could do it. Consider that if someone is stealing it, the video it would record will be stored on the stolen computer.... you'd never see it, anyway.

Edit: After re-reading your post, it appears you're not concerned with someone stealing your Mac. Also consider that it takes a few seconds for a Mac to completely wake from sleep. It's possible that by the time it's awake and the webcam is active and recording, they could have come and gone.
 
If you are really that paranoid, just leave your Mini on. But how does your motion camera work with your computer?

GGJstudios said:
It wouldn't help, even if you could do it. Consider that if someone is stealing it, the video it would record will be stored on the stolen computer.... you'd never see it, anyway.
Click to expand...

I had a motion-enabled pan-tilt-zoom camera to mess around with and you can set these things to upload pictures every so often, or send video when motion is detected. This camera operates independently of any computer.
 
MiataMac said:
I don't know, maybe it's possible to take a USB cable and tinker with one of the ends, so that 2 of the connectors will short circuit and wake the Mac?
Click to expand...

No, that can't work. USB is a serial data cable. You need a small micro controller (that is a tiny computer on a chip that sells for about a buck or two.) and then you you need to interface you sensor to that ad have the micro controller send the riht data down the cable. And then you need a USb driver written that runs on the Mac. So yes it can be done and for about $5 in parts but you would need considerable software skills.

Actually it's not that hard as some of the microcotroller companies have example USB code on tutorial websites.

Better to simply buy a camera that has a built-in Eithernet connection and have the data sent over the Internet to a service that records it off site.

Or just buy insurance and don't worry about it.
 
All you need is a 2metre length of USB cable, 2 nails, and a hammer.

Put a nail in each side of the door frame about 30cm above floor level. Tie the USB cable tightly between the two nails.

And you have yourself a USB trip wire!!!

hahaha, but seriously have you checked out Logitech's range of security camera systems. They come bundled with a bunch of useful software.
 
Hot Snowboarder said:
Put a nail in each side of the door frame about 30cm above floor level. Tie the USB cable tightly between the two nails.

And you have yourself a USB trip wire!!!

hahaha, but seriously have you checked out Logitech's range of security camera systems. They come bundled with a bunch of useful software.
Click to expand...

Hehe, good one :D I'll check out the site, thanks.

ChrisA said:
Better to simply buy a camera that has a built-in Eithernet connection and have the data sent over the Internet to a service that records it off site.
Click to expand...

I'll see if I can find a webcam that connects directly to my network, that would work too. I do have insurance (after the 1st incident happend

GGJstudios said:
It wouldn't help, even if you could do it. Consider that if someone is stealing it, the video it would record will be stored on the stolen computer.... you'd never see it, anyway.
Click to expand...

Actually the software I've tried, EvoCam I think, can e-mail the pictures immediately or upload them through FTP, so that shouldn't be a problem.



Does anyone know approximately how much power a Mini uses? And how such a small computer would "handle it", to be left on 24/7 for weeks at a time?
 
MiataMac said:
Actually the software I've tried, EvoCam I think, can e-mail the pictures immediately or upload them through FTP, so that shouldn't be a problem.
Click to expand...
Again, when a Mac first wakes from sleep, it takes a little time before everything is fully functional, including network connections, especially AirPort. If someone were stealing the Mac, it's possible they could wake it from sleep, power it down, unplug it and leave before any pictures were taken or before any taken could be emailed or uploaded. It would depend on how much time there is between tripping the USB and reaching the Mac.
MiataMac said:
Does anyone know approximately how much power a Mini uses? And how such a small computer would "handle it", to be left on 24/7 for weeks at a time?
Click to expand...
Less power than is required to power a single light bulb.
 
As far as software for motion detection, etc. I use Mobiscope. It uses the external iSight on my Mac Pro, and the internal on my MBP, and when it detects motion, it will start recording to the computer, and simultaneously send an email with a screenshot to my Blackberry immediately; I can then start the app on my Blackberry and view the camera live. Works awesome. I think they have an iPhone client too.
 
Sonicjay said:
As far as software for motion detection, etc. I use Mobiscope.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I'll give it a try. They do an iPhone version yes, that you pay for. I can't seem to figure out if you have to pay for the app itself, if you just want to motion detect recording ability. But I'll give it a try and see what happens.
 
it's a very straight forward process if you get a program that works well, it just sucks that nobody wants to make a decent third party webcam for less than an arm and a leg. I have a logitech webcam but those losers only recently came out with one that works on a mac which sucks
 
MiataMac said:
CyrusOz, actually I went with the NorthQ cam I linked to earlier (http://northq.com/products/network/nq9006.html), it's pretty good. Just hook it up and set up a few schedules, and that's it. Much better than normal webcams too, as it's not designed to focus on people sitting in front of it.
Click to expand...
Thanks mate, that's exactly what I need, however I live in Australia and I can't find a reseller of the NorthQ cams..... I wonder what I can get down here that will work the same way. I have a wide variety of security cameras both wired and rf but nothing that will work with a usb port and nobody seems to be able to rewire or connect any of my existing cables so that it will work with a usb port on the mac :(
 
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