Xeoma is a free web security application with screen capture support which you can use in order to turn your PC into a video surveillance station with the help of cheap web cameras. Web cams these days are dime a dozen, even those that have better quality and wireless support, wireless being most important because it will gonna make the installation and setup of your security grid a lot more easier.
Free version of Xeoma comes with limitations, you can only have 1 video camera or 1 audio source installed, and you can also only have 3 additional modules in use. Modules are what various different security functions that Xeoma offers are called, and they are what makes this free video surveillance software great. Some of the more interesting ones are:
- Motion detection – web camera only records if something moves on the video
- Day detector – if you want to shutdown the recording during the day
- Scheduler – setup various other conditions when the cameras will work
- Screen capture – record your desktop
- Network connectivity – connect cameras with your local network
- Internet connectivity – check on your computer at home from work
Both free and commercial versions of this free web security suite are offering all of the features listed above, only with the free version we have previously mentioned limitations of only being able to show 1 camera or play 1 microphone at a time. Short 48hr trial of the full version is also available, and here’s how Xeoma looks like with several cameras and desktop screen capture running at the same time.
Similar software: Free Video Surveillance System, MyScreen Cam Free, ContaCam.
How to setup free web camera security grid with Xeoma
Adding cameras to Xeoma is very easy, you can use three different connection types for web camera setup in Xeoma:
Those three connection types can be seen on the image above, they are:
- Random IP world camera, which is what you can see on previous images
- IP or Wi-Fi camera – for when you connect cameras from a local network
- USB camera, connect a camera using the classic USB connection
Camera setup can be reached by clicking on the + sign in the lower left corner of the main Xeoma window. There you can also setup all of the advanced features, the modules, that this free video surveillance system offers. Things like Motion Detection, the module for movement detection is located in filters, and from there you can enable it:
Sensitivity can be set, so that the program doesn’t react on every gust of wind that causes tree branches to swing. Remote access to the computer that’s doing the video surveillance is also available:
Remote system that you’re accessing is gonna have to have a static IP address, open port and of course Xeoma running with the Repeater setup, which is the server side of Xeoma.
Conclusion
With increasing crime rates, installing video surveillance on your property is a very good idea. Burglars might notice that you have cameras installed, and give up on trying to rob you. With Xeoma, the web camera surveillance system, price of your investment goes down, like we already mentioned, cameras aren’t that expensive, and Xeoma is free, so make sure to give it a try, free download.
