How to turn an old smartphone into an IP camera for video surveillance

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Provide additional protection from thieves at home or monitor your child's safety remotely.

The programs listed below can broadcast the image and sound from the smartphone camera to another mobile device or computer. They also know how to save video to the cloud so that you can revise it if necessary. Moreover, these programs can record movements near the smartphone and warn the owner about this by sending notifications to his other gadgets.

Setting up these applications comes down to a few simple steps. First, you install one of them on your smartphone and the device that will receive the video signal. Then you connect both gadgets to a shared account and activate the surveillance mode on your smartphone. You can then connect to the smartphone camera via the linked device at any time. Moreover, the roles of gadgets are very easy to change.

Of course, this method has weaknesses. The smartphone may freeze, thereby cutting off the signal. Motion sensors do not always work correctly, and the signal quality strongly depends on the workload of the servers and the wireless network. And the smartphone itself must always be kept connected to an external battery or an outlet. But even such security measures will not be superfluous. Plus, you can give your old device a second life.

5 apps that make smartphones IP cameras for video surveillance

Programs in this category work in a similar way. The differences come down to the number of platforms supported, tariffs and additional features. Let's consider these nuances in more detail.

1. Alfred

This application impresses with its laconic interface. No redundant controls and settings - everything is intuitive and simple. Among the additional chips, it is worth noting the ability to open access to your camcorder for other users. Alfred does not support continuous video recording, but it automatically saves short clips that contain motion.

Optionally, you can turn off ads with a one-time payment. And with a paid subscription, the app unlocks enhanced video quality and additional cloud storage for recordings.

Alfred Web Version →

2. TrackView ("Surveillance and Security")

TrackView notifies the user not only about movements in front of the camera, but also about suspicious sounds. In such cases, recording starts automatically, but you can also turn it on manually. The application is able to determine the location of the smartphone in case it gets lost.

Videos created by the software are copied to Google Drive, so there is no need to pay for their storage to TrackView developers. But there are still in-app purchases: you can subscribe to a premium subscription to disable ads and unlock private mode. The latter disables access to the camera of your current device through a smartphone left at home.

3. AtHome

This application is divided into two parts. The first one (AtHome Video Streamer) needs to be installed on the smartphone that will broadcast the video. The second (AtHome Camera) - to any other gadget that will show the broadcast. All other apps in this article are universal and can do both of these functions.

Another feature of the program: through AtHome Camera, you can receive a signal from several IP cameras at once. That is, you can install AtHome Video Streamer on several smartphones and watch the video transmitted from them on one screen. But this feature is only available to subscribers, and with it the cloud storage space for recordings.

4. WardenCam ("Home Security Camera")

The video quality produced by WardenCam is higher than that of many similar programs. You can use HD mode for free, while competitors usually only have this option as part of a subscription. But the sound quality is not the best here.

The program can store records on Google Drive and Dropbox - depending on which cloud you connect. Recording turns on automatically in response to movements, but it can also be activated manually. A special planner allows you to choose the time when the user is usually at home so that the camera does not react to movements during these hours.

WardenCam displays intrusive full-screen ads, but you can get rid of them for a few hundred rubles.

WardenCam Video Surveillance Listudio LLC

WardenCam Web Version →

5. Manything

Manything is another program that monitors movements and sounds. You can program its operation using smartphone sensors and the IFTTT service. For example, you can configure your app to automatically turn on recording as soon as you leave home.

In the free version, you can only connect one camera to Manything. Choosing a tariff plan, you will increase this number and get the opportunity to permanently record video with storage of files in the cloud for up to 30 days.

During testing, Manything persistently delayed the broadcast for a few seconds. But for video surveillance of the house, such a disadvantage is unlikely to be critical.

Manything Videoloft Inc

Manything Videoloft Ltd

Manything web version →