Want to display your SecuritySpy cameras as a screensaver on your Mac? This tutorial will walk you through the process step by step.
WebViewScreenSaver is a free screensaver that display web pages. The easiest way to install it is to open Terminal (which you’ll find in your /Applications/Utilities folder) and execute the following command:
brew install –cask webviewscreensaver –no-quarantine Continue reading
SecuritySpy, our macOS CCTV software, has built-in HomeKit integration that allows it to control, and be controlled from, accessories like sensors, switches and lights, across your Apple Home automation system.
But, what about making live video from SecuritySpy’s cameras available to Home? This blog post explains how to do this. Continue reading
[Note: this list is now outdated – for our latest recommendations, please see Our Camera Picks]
Here are our network camera picks for 2022. They are listed in no particular order (they are quite varied in terms of cost and feature set, which makes them difficult to rank as a “top 10″ list), however they are all cameras that, due to their impressive features, we recommend to our customers for use with our SecuritySpy CCTV software for the Mac.
Some abbreviations used below are as follows:
All “outdoor” cameras can be used indoors, however they tend to have larger form factors due to their waterproof housings. This isn’t always the case though – many of the cameras listed below are compact and absolutely suitable for both indoor and outdoor usage – we have marked these “indoor/outdoor”.
B&H Photo Video is a good source for buying cameras in the USA. Amazon is another option, however it lists many “grey market” products (e.g. those designed for the Chinese market but sold in the USA against the manufacturer’s rules), which should be avoided due to lack of manufacturer support.
We are not affiliated with any outlet or manufacturer mentioned on this page, and we get no financial incentive for recommending them.
This is a basic, inexpensive outdoor camera with 4 MP resolution, good low-light performance, IR night-vision, and a compact form factor. It has a fixed 2.8mm lens, which produces a wide-angled view covering 102° horizontally. At only $100, this camera is great value and can make an effective addition to any CCTV system.
The IP camera market is replete with bullet-style cameras, with Dahua Technology being one of the major manufacturers of cameras of this type. Basic Dahua bullet cameras are well-designed, inexpensive, and generally provide good quality video, however it doesn’t cost too much more to get a model like this one, which has some key features that allow it to perform much better than basic models.
Dahua Technology IPC-HFW2831T-ZAS IP Camera
Dahua Technology have such an extensive range of IP cameras that it can be difficult to choose between them, especially between models that are superficially similar. Generally, Dahua cameras work very well with our macOS CCTV software SecuritySpy, and this particular model, the IPC-HDW5831R-ZE, looks like it could be something special.
This is an “eyeball” type camera, which is a form factor with some significant advantages: they are generally compact in size, easy to swivel and rotate to the correct position, and, unlike dome cameras, there is no curved perspex dome in front of the lens to reduce quality.
Dahua Technology IPC-HDW5831R-ZE
[Note: this list is now outdated – for our latest recommendations, please see Our Camera Picks]
Here are our camera picks for 2018. They are listed in no particular order (they are quite varied in terms of cost and feature set, which makes them difficult to rank as a “top 10″ list), however they are all cameras that, due to their impressive features, we recommend to our customers for use with our SecuritySpy CCTV software for the Mac.
Some abbreviations used below are as follows:
Hikvision has a huge range of IP cameras, with quite a few outdoor bullet-type models at very good prices. This particular models offers a good all-round feature set, with 4 MP resolution, great low-light sensitivity, PoE support and 30-meter IR night-vision. It’s also great value, retailing at around $100.
Hikvision is a big name in the IP camera industry, offering a wide range of cameras that cover the whole spectrum from small home-use cameras to professional high-resolution industrial models.
The DS-2CD2432F-IW is an inexpensive ($130) compact camera suitable for indoor use, with an impressive feature set. The 3 MP sensor offers higher resolution than many competing products from other manufacturers (Hikvision themselves also produce a DS-2CD2412F-IW model with a lower 1.2 MP resolution, but the price difference is not large, so we we would recommend going for this 3 MP model). It has both WiFi and Ethernet connectivity, and can be powered either by PoE (Power-over-Ethernet) or by a 12v power adapter, making it easy to install in any network environment. The sensitivity of 0.07 Lux, combined with built-in infrared (IR) illumination, allows it to function well in low-light situations, and it has a built-in microphone and speaker for two-way audio.
Hikvision DS-2CD2432F-IW Front View
Siselectron Technology is a new player in the IP video security market, with a limited but impressive range of IP cameras designed for demanding applications.
The SCI1132 is a box-type camera that is suitable for indoor usage, with some impressive features that you won’t easily find elsewhere. To start with, it has a built-in 3x zoom lens (3-9mm), which provides a very useful zoom range, from wide-angled to moderately telephoto. It has an impressive 4 MP resolution (twice the number of pixels as 1080p), and it can stream at its full resolution at up to 30fps. In addition, it has auto-focus (rather than the fixed-focus lenses found on lower-quality cameras) as well as an audio input (to be used with an external powered microphone), and power-over-ethernet.
Siselectron SCI1132 Side View
[NOTE 15 June 2022: the information in this post is outdated, please see the newer post Using an iPhone or iPad as a CCTV Camera]
Most Mac users have an old iPhone or two lying unused in a drawer. One great way to repurpose these devices is to turn them into security cameras – all you need is an app that does a good job of capturing and streaming video from the iPhone’s camera. In this blog post we review a few such apps, which work with our Mac NVR software SecuritySpy. To turn an iPhone into an effective CCTV surveillance camera it should be permanently connected to a power supply, and have access to a good WiFi signal for reliable transmission.
1. Wireless CameraThis is a well-designed app that has some nice features, such as control over the camera’s flash LED, a range of resolution options, and the ability to switch between front-facing and rear-facing cameras. It’s very easy to configure and provides good video quality – from 640×480 at 10fps to 1920×1080 at 5fps.
Pros
Cons
Merit LILIN is an established manufacturer of quality IP surveillance products, and has an extensive array of network cameras available for sale, from inexpensive consumer-level cameras to top-quality professional models.
The LILIN LD2222 and IPD2220 are both dome-type indoor 2 MP cameras with very similar feature sets. They are small and discreet, and can supply 1080p HD video as well as audio via a built-in microphone. Both support Power-over-Ethernet, making them easy to install when using a PoE-enabled switch. The main difference between the two models is the low-light performance: the LD2222 is rated down to 0.6 lux while the IPD2220 is specified to produce useful images at down to 0.2 lux, due to what LILIN calls “Sense UP+” low-light technology. This potentially makes the IPD2220 particularly useful for installation in locations with poor lighting.
Here we are testing the LD2222E4, which has a 4mm lens (there is also a LD2222E2 model available with a 2.8mm lens), and the IPD2220ES2, which has a 2.8mm lens (there is also a IPD2220ES4.3 model available with a 4mm lens). The shorter the focal length the wider the angle of view, however lenses with very short focal lengths (such as 2.8mm) tend to exhibit significant barrel distortion, resulting in a mild fish-eye effect.
LD2222 IP Camera