Help needed for setting up iSights as security cams and more...

[kajuiter]

I need some help. I'm looking for a way to combine a lot of things and really make my house "totally mac". First i want to connect to my tv and stereo. I want to be able to send videoclips, movies, presentations, etc. to my tv, i want to be able to play the music on my mac on the stereo and i also want to have about 3 iSights working as securitycams.

I know that i can use airtunes for my stereo, but i will also need apple tv for the tv. Do i really need 2 devices? And with Appletv i can't see movies and other stuff like presentations on my tv. Can't i just use something like an mac mini to do these jobs? So to be in my network en stream videos and music to my tv and stereo? And how do i go about with the iSights as securitycams? They are connected with firewire. I know there is a programm called evocam that van probably help me out, but how can i use the iSights without having to use very long firewirecables, is there a way?

Right now i have a Powerbook G4, and intel iMac and a airport express, so this is my starters-kit.

Thanks in advance for your help! And of course, before i forget, i want everything wireless! Or am i asking to much?

 

[kajuiter]

is there nobody who can help me?

am i really asking too much? Is there nobody there how can help me.....?!

 

[QuarterSwede]

I don't know if you're asking too much but you are asking a lot.

It sounds to me like you've solved all the problems except for the iSight security camera. One thing to remember is that firewire cables can only be so long without signal degradation (meaning it'll stop working). I don't know of any security app for OS X though. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

 

[termina3]

While I realize there's a great pull to making everything Mac, but it's neither practical nor attractive for several reasons:

• No HD without a Mac Pro ($$$, overkill)
• iSights are WAY too expensive for this
• Connecting the Mac Mini in a network to stream from your iMac would be a bigger pain than using an XP Media Center PC
• There are many, many wireless cameras on the market that can do what you want
• AppleTV sucks
• AirTunes has relatively poor quality (again, you aren't going to get great quality without an iMac or Mac Pro sitting next to the TV)

The easiest way to do this would be to get an iMac, put it on a desk near your TV (i.e. on the same wall), and hook up the iMac to your TV. This would give you full 1080p. You could use a MacBook for anywhere else in the house (it could access the files on the iMac via a network). I just don't buy that a Mac Mini would be able to do what you're asking.

Forget the iSights; you'll be lucky to find any security software compatible with Mac. You really need to talk to a pro security source about 3 cameras recording to a computer.

 

[CanadaRAM]

www.supercircuits.com