With the iVideon software, record the slightest movement in your apartment and be alerted in real time on your smartphone. And what’s more, it’s free.
No need to invest a thousand and cents in a connected CCTV camera to secure your apartment. It is possible to get by without spending a penny, by installing the free iVideon software on your laptop PC. This not only has a visual and sound detection function, but can also send alerts to your smartphone in real time. We tested it on an HP Stream 13 (Celeron processor), proof that it works even on an old machine with low performance.
Install the software
Create a user account on the publisher’s website and download the software iVideon Server. Installation does not pose any particular problem. When choosing which components to install, check the “Install as a service” box. This may be of help to you later.
When it is run for the first time, the software will immediately launch its configuration wizard. Choose “New Configuration”, enter the email address of your iVideon account and give a name to your camera location, for example “Office”.
The software will automatically search for an accessible camera, whether on the computer or on the local network. Select the one that interests you, for example the webcam of the laptop PC.
Then, the software offers to enable local archiving of videos, which is recommended to do. By default, the archive path will be in a folder in the iVideon Server software. But nothing prevents you from defining another. If you already have cloud storage space (Dropbox, Box, Google, etc.), it may be a good idea to place this archive folder in the cloud sync folder. So the videos will be automatically saved online. The day you get broken into and the thief leaves with your PC, you will still have access to the videos.
Configure detection
When the installation is complete, the iVideon Server GUI appears. Click on your camera, select “Set audio input” and choose the correct microphone input.
Then, still at the camera level, open the “Settings…” menu, which gives you access to a whole series of parameters. By default, recording only starts on detection of movement and / or sound. It is possible to adjust the detection sensitivity for these two types of events, from “low” to “high”. Sound detection can also be deactivated.
It is also possible to limit the recording to certain time slots.
Once you have completed all these settings, just press the “Start” button to start your video surveillance. Remember to plug your laptop into the mains and configure the power options so that the machine never goes to sleep. The screen, on the other hand, may turn off after a while. To avoid attracting the attention of a possible burglar, stick a sticker on the indicator light of the webcam (but not on the webcam, eh!).
If an event is detected, the software will record the sequence locally as long as there is movement or sound. The first ten seconds of each event will be available for 24 hours, through the iVideon website, under “Events”. Note that on the website, iVideon considers as an “event” any new sequence of movement or sound after 5 minutes of inertia. The aim of this rule is not to increase the number of online registrations.
Receive notifications
With iVideon, it is also possible to be alerted in real time on your smartphone. All you have to do is install the “iVideon” mobile application – available on Google Play and Apple App Store – and identify yourself. You must activate notifications in the “Account settings” menu of the application and, possibly, in the device settings. It will depend on your smartphone model.
Like the website, the mobile application gives access to the first ten seconds of each event.
For further
Nothing prevents you from adding automations later, through other tools. We can for example automatically trigger the detection when the user leaves the geographical area of his apartment or the field of action of his Wi-Fi access point. To implement this, it is first necessary to install the TriggerCmd software on the computer and program the command (start detection). This command can then be activated automatically through the IFTTT service.
Finally, be aware that iVideon also offers paid offers. They allow access to complete recordings on the iVideon site, extend archiving time and increase the number of users who can access the cameras.