Hi,

I'd be interested in turning Skype Video into a Home Watch feature.

I'd like to be able to start the video remotely without the need of anybody to accept the call.

The interest for me would be that I could descretely watch (from the office) the nanny taking care of my baby (as some kinder garden already propose) or use it as a complement to the alarm. Silent alarm warns me of a possible intrusion, and I would then activate the video future remotely to check if anybody truely entered the house.

I realise that this could have some privacy or Skype ID proliferation issues, but I thin it could be easy to implement.

Hi,

I'd be interested in turning Skype Video into a Home Watch feature.

I'd like to be able to start the video remotely without the need of anybody to accept the call.

The interest for me would be that I could descretely watch (from the office) the nanny taking care of my baby (as some kinder garden already propose) or use it as a complement to the alarm. Silent alarm warns me of a possible intrusion, and I would then activate the video future remotely to check if anybody truely entered the house.

I realise that this could have some privacy or Skype ID proliferation issues, but I thin it could be easy to implement.

i saw something previously on the forum that was slightly linked to this, not quite what u suggest but possible a temporary solution...

there is an add on program that makes use of windows scheduling and places calls to specified numbers/names at specified times via skype.

so what you might like to do is:

say youknow u'll be in the office and logged on at 9am, create a second skype account. set the primary home, video, account to call you at 9 am on your second account (this will be using the add on program, a quick search on the forum will help u find it)... then login at the office shortly before 9 and ur ready to accept the call.


so not quite what ur suggesting but almost there... however the suggestion is a nice one

This can be done quite easily.

1) Open two new accounts.

2) On account 1 add new user two as your ONLY contact

3)Re-log in as account 1 and set as follows:
Go to tools-->options-->advanced-->(tick) automatically answer Incoming calls-->

then go to Tools-->options-->Video-->(tick) start video automatically and Only People in My contacts-->save.
Leave this account online

4)Log in as account 2 from another PC.
Call account 1, this will now answer and start video running, any one else calling this account, will not get activated or see your private web cam.

Hope you like the tip!!

Adam

thanks for that gladiator, wonderful tip....can't believe i overlooked that one

thanks for that gladiator, wonderful tip....can't believe i overlooked that one

Thanks, maybe SKYPE will buy (pay) me for it.

Thanks a lot. This is EZ and works perfectly!!

Thanks a lot. This is EZ and works perfectly!!

Glad to have offered a quick simple solution

Enjoy
A

Gladiator,

hehe good tip, i see you and me think alike, have been using this service for quite some time to keep an eye on my home.

it works Brilliantly. Just make sure to keep the volume on the homePC off, otherwise the nanny will get curious when you pc rings.. lol
leave the mic pluged in but switch the speakers off.
if the mic is in you can also hear the sound in the house..

interesting to hear and see what happens in your home when you are not there..

you can even control your dogs if you leave the speakers on.

its amazing what we can do these days..

: )

regards

simon

...

you can even control your dogs if you leave the speakers on.

oh i can just imagine someone shouting out "attack boy, attack" at their dogs as they sit in the office watching their home being burgled

Gladiator,

hehe good tip, i see you and me think alike, have been using this service for quite some time to keep an eye on my home.

it works Brilliantly. Just make sure to keep the volume on the homePC off, otherwise the nanny will get curious when you pc rings.. lol
leave the mic pluged in but switch the speakers off.
if the mic is in you can also hear the sound in the house..

interesting to hear and see what happens in your home when you are not there..

you can even control your dogs if you leave the speakers on.

its amazing what we can do these days..

: )

regards

simon

Thanks, good additional points.
Take care
adam

that's interesting one.

This is a great idea, and now posted on eHomeUpgrade.

Great idea, but surely your screen at home would indicate the incoming call, so any burglar with half a brain would notice, no?

Also, your home computer needs to be on the whole time you are away, which is not very power efficient or environmentally friendly, unless you set your computer to wake up at certain times automatically.

This post has been edited by jonharris200: Thu Oct 26 2006, 09:52

Great idea, but surely your screen at home would indicate the incoming call, so any burglar with half a brain would notice, no?

Also, your home computer needs to be on the whole time you are away, which is not very power efficient or environmentally friendly, unless you set your computer to wake up at certain times automatically.

why would the screen need to be turned on? pull the plug and no one has a clue big brother is watching.

with regards to the power saving... if ur bills are low, if you aren't really bothered about the environment (and if we're honest, that's most of us... hmm, that's gonna turn the voters away) then it's not really a problem.

There is a much simpler solution. It's called a WiFi wireless video camera.
You can access the real time video from any internet browser (it has a built in web server)
Sends you an email with a video clip attached whenever motion is detected.
Does not require your PC to be running.
You can use it with any router, wifi or wired

You can even attach it to a Pan & Tilt Robotic mount and contol its movement from the internet..

This post has been edited by GMPCM: Thu Oct 26 2006, 20:38

Thanks Lukman for your response. Trouble is, my Skype doesn't answer incoming calls when the monitor/computer is asleep. It's all in one because it's a Mac, so no on/off monitor button to use.

How do I turn my screen off without putting my iMac to sleep?

This post has been edited by jonharris200: Fri Oct 27 2006, 11:35

Thanks Lukman for your response. Trouble is, my Skype doesn't answer incoming calls when the monitor/computer is asleep. It's all in one because it's a Mac, so no on/off monitor button to use.

How do I turn my screen off without putting my iMac to sleep?

you buy a pc (just another reason not to have a mac)

no, a lil more seriosuly... unfortunately i've never touched a mac in my life... so my answer is i have no idea... hopefully a mac user will spot your post and reply... sorry.

Thanks Lukman for your response. Trouble is, my Skype doesn't answer incoming calls when the monitor/computer is asleep. It's all in one because it's a Mac, so no on/off monitor button to use.

How do I turn my screen off without putting my iMac to sleep?

I thought you did not like the tip anyway, for multiple enviromental reasons? Therefore why waist time trying to make it work?

Thanks Lukman for your response. Trouble is, my Skype doesn't answer incoming calls when the monitor/computer is asleep. It's all in one because it's a Mac, so no on/off monitor button to use.

How do I turn my screen off without putting my iMac to sleep?

Just set the screen brightness all the way down! at zero brightness, your screen will display nothing, while the computer will operate normally. And this would be a more environmentally friendly way to do it as this would consume almost no electricity.

Just set the screen brightness all the way down! at zero brightness, your screen will display nothing, while the computer will operate normally. And this would be a more environmentally friendly way to do it as this would consume almost no electricity.

Yea, Just another great reason to keep it a mac.

there is one problem with this whole 'If someone breaks in' thing. They are gonna steal your mac! for sure. Hopefully they will be exposed long enough for you to get images saved on your other machine.


so I guess that's one reason to use a PC.... nobody will want to steal it.

This post has been edited by oyabun: Fri Dec 29 2006, 19:18