SRSeedBurners Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 Anyone use a petcam to monitor their birds while away/at work? Our bird room is nearing completion and I'm wanting to put an IP netcam (standalone) in the room to check in on them during the day. Wife stays home with them most of the time but we're coming up on a situation where she may need to be away for a few weeks and I don't want them to have to stay caged all day since they're not used to that. Any recommendations? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffNOK Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 I am going to be getting one in the next couple of weeks. I will report on my findings as I get closer to choosing one and installing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michellec Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 Jeff, I'm also interested in what you find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MKparrot Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 You can use any ordinary web cam (no matter if HD or not) your computer and good internet connection. You don't need to have permanent live feed/link to watch over birds - just create new Skype "parrot-account" and set the auto-answer-video option when income calling. This way you can "skype-call" your home any time you want and Skype will automatically answer and video will automatically turn on so you can watch your birds and they will see you (if you have monitor or lap top in their room). Also you can interact with them. This si cheap and convenient solution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 I use a Foscam F18919W. I have been very pleased with it. There are probably newer models out now, I've had mine about a year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRSeedBurners Posted December 21, 2013 Author Share Posted December 21, 2013 I need something that is standalone. I will have no computer or laptop in their room. Timbersmom, do you have any trouble with the birds messing with the camera? I also need to access the feed via smartphone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 No, but Timber doesn't fly so doesn't get up where the camera is. Also, since I have cats I am always with him when he is out. The cam connects wirelessly through the router. I access it from my work desktop and from my cellphone and Kindle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted December 22, 2013 Share Posted December 22, 2013 I have a few standing wireless web cam. D-Link, it cost me $99 at Best Buy over a year ago. It is very easy to set up, my birds ignore it now and the best part, it as a mobile app so I can watch them anytime I want. It only has one way sound, I didn't want 2 way because I didn't want them thinking I was how and not coming to see them, but you can get 2 way audio. My daughter also watches them on her phone as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted December 23, 2013 Share Posted December 23, 2013 SterlingSL The camera idea sounds great! I also would suggest hiring a teenager in the neighborhood to introduce in your birds life. If they can come after school and spend some time playing.... it truly helps. Not only does it help with bird socialization, it helps us parents when we are gone over eight hours. Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michellec Posted December 24, 2013 Share Posted December 24, 2013 https://mobiscope.com/pet-monitor I was looking at this one. I think in addition to bringing in a pet sitter, if we had a camera system, I'd feel ok going somewhere overnight eventually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted December 24, 2013 Share Posted December 24, 2013 I would go with the one time fee of purchase vs. a monthly fee...dont see the need to pay someone else . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted December 24, 2013 Share Posted December 24, 2013 I just use ipcam's free software to view my cam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRSeedBurners Posted January 14, 2014 Author Share Posted January 14, 2014 Finally got my camera setup. Bought the Foscam FI9826W. Not sure how anyone who is not tech minded would ever get through the configuration on one of these. I guess they have really good tech support. Took me a while beating on my router and the camera to get them to work together. Finally have it up and running in the bird room. Found out Greycie is not as innocent as we believe she is. Within the first hour I caught her walking around on the floor and poking her head under the closet door to see what was in there. She tried pulling on the door but it would open. Then she went under my desk - previously I thought she never went near my desk as I keep it covered with a blanket. Now I know she's into every thing when I'm not looking. She actually keeps checking the entrance door, I'm guessing to see if she's going to get caught because she's definitely doing stuff I never see her do when I'm present. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 Ah...well when the cat's away...the mice do play! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 Glad you got it set up! I was sweating, thinking I was going to have to call tech support, but finally "got'r'done." Fun isn't it? That is the only way I hear all the things Timber can say, since he doesn't talk much when I'm in the room. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRSeedBurners Posted January 14, 2014 Author Share Posted January 14, 2014 Timbersmom or anyone else - any recommendations for a WAN client? Foscam definitely does not have their sh*t together with the software on this device. - The chrome extension they publish is causing extension crashing issues on Windows7 boxes with the latest Google Chrome browser. - Their IP camera client 'Super Client' is providing an intermittent still but no live video stream (I'm hooked up to the router directly - no wireless - not yet). - IE requires you run in compatibility mode and I still can't get a feed on that. Any ideas on another client to try? It's kind of silly, once I leave my LAN, all I can get to the camera with is my smart phone and the free app they provide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 Jeez, I don't think I can help, other than to say my D-link was inexpensive, simple to set up and I access it on all computers and any cell phone anytime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 I use IPCam on my android devices (free version works fine for viewing). I bought Blue Iris so I could record. It is OK, but I might look at others if I hadn't bit the bullet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRSeedBurners Posted January 14, 2014 Author Share Posted January 14, 2014 Jeez, I don't think I can help, other than to say my D-link was inexpensive, simple to set up and I access it on all computers and any cell phone anytime. I went with Foscam to get the zoom feature. With a 70-degree field of view (similar of 66 in the DLink model) sometimes I cannot find my Caique unless I zoom in. This is on my HTC phone mind you where the resolution is pretty crappy. I can see him without zoom on a PC but I bought this for use with my phone. The D-Link with zoom starts at $900+ (there goes Greycie's college fund). Just for gits and shiggles, I checked D-Links support forum. There's no shortage of Do's and Don'ts and I can't connects, and just general whining about stuff not working. It goes with the territory - technology. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 Wow, I would love a zoom in one, but its out of my budget. I will have to live with what I have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRSeedBurners Posted January 14, 2014 Author Share Posted January 14, 2014 The Foscam with zoom is $190 (msrp $250). Non-zoom model was $104 (msrp $150). I splurged and glad I did. We were wondering if the zoom feature would be a waste - it wasn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 With 3 cages, I probably couldn't turn it to zoom in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 Actually, they are easy to rotate and manipulate remotely. Mine is the cheaper one and it does 300 degree pan, 120 degree tilt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRSeedBurners Posted January 14, 2014 Author Share Posted January 14, 2014 I want one to spy on my wife now. This thing has all kinds of uses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 LOL, that they do! My college age son forgets the cam... I will be upstairs in the bedroom sometimes when he comes home. I bring the cam up and have seen all sorts of interesting things! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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