Please suggest a spy camera for in-home use

This is a bit creepy. I have been locking my door because my roommate likes to come in when I am not at home and just look at my stuff. I have started to lock the door, but I think he found a way to open that. He denies doing anything like that, but I just know that some things have been misplaced. My lease will not expire for another few months, so I am now looking for a high-tech solution.

I need to catch him in action of breaking in, so I plan on hiding a spy camera in my room. I know little about them. Is there a motion-activated kind? I obviously do not want to look through gigabytes of useless video. I want this thing to record just what I need.

Now, what are my storage options? If you were to do it, how would you implement this? I am hoping to shell out less than $100 for everything.

Is there an option of attaching a USB device such as a portable 250GB USB hard drive (they are tiny now)?

How would you set this up? Thank you very much!

Fantomas

Posted 2010-01-17T03:39:32.340

Reputation: 399

2Spending a hundred bucks just to prove a point ... I'd just put a bucket of water on top of the door ... – Rook – 2010-01-17T03:51:32.920

2I intend to send those videos to my landlord and get him to break the lease for me. It really is that bad. Thank you though. – Fantomas – 2010-01-17T03:58:51.950

you want to look into cameras for home security, since this is very much what they're designed for. you'll particularly want the easily-concealable ones. if i had a specific recommendation i'd post as an answer, but i don't know details beyond "yes, they exist". :) – quack quixote – 2010-01-17T04:23:52.003

Say I am looking at this device: http://www.amazon.com/Instapark-Wireless-Hidden-Pinhole-Microphone/dp/B000PHYSLK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1263736111&sr=8-1

How can I set it up to do what I want though?

– Fantomas – 2010-01-17T13:51:34.967

Answers

Try ugolog... http://ugolog.com/

Jonesome Reinstate Monica

Posted 2010-01-17T03:39:32.340

Reputation: 1 680

If you've got a computer and USB webcam in the room, you could set up motion-triggered recording with software YawCam.

screenshot

Jared Harley

Posted 2010-01-17T03:39:32.340

Reputation: 11 692

Thank you, I actually have a MacBookPro with a built-in camera, I guess I could use that with some software for Leopard. I want to look at different options, including a hardware-only solution. – Fantomas – 2010-01-17T04:07:02.727

I use to have a labtec (made my logitech) webcam, USB, that cost me $20 about 5 years ago, It had exactly what you wanted, snapshots or movies when motion was detected, and adjustable senseativity. While this model is long gone, i'm sure theres cheap solutions out there.

alpha1

Posted 2010-01-17T03:39:32.340

Reputation: 1 638

Thanks ... some specific suggestions would be nice, of course. – Fantomas – 2010-01-17T13:45:54.090

I only have built in webcams in my laptops, so I can't offer any from expirience, but Check out Logitech, they make good stuff. – alpha1 – 2010-01-19T02:58:07.643