Based on this thread: http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=446769&highlight=nanny
I’d like to install a motion detector cam that would take a still pic, or a series of pix, and email them automatically. In the previous thread it was stated that a program in WinXP can be used for this in conjuntion w/ a camera like this one: http://www.trendware.com/products/TV-IP100W.htm
What I want to know is what do I need in addition to the camera and my PC w/ WinXP? Also what is the program in WinXP and, if necessary, how do I access it?
I’m pretty much illiterate about these things, so I’d appreciate any answers to consider that and tell me in simple terms. I don’t speak geek. 
I’m going in the hospital in a couple of weeks and my house will be unoccupied for a week or two. I’m concerned about the possibility of a burglary.
Thanks.
Hope all goes smoothly during your hospital stay. This is more of a bump than anything. I am going to be away for two weeks this January (St Martin :D) and had similar concerns. I found a seemingly trustworthy FOAF who needs a place to stay, and will be living at my place, taking in the mail, etc in exchange for a roof over her head and some cash.
WARNING: I DO NOT OWN THIS DEVICE NOR HAVE EVER USED IT.
I was the guy who mentioned this device. I checked the specs and it is unclear on whether or not you can remotely view the recorded video on your home XP computer from another internet connected computer. I was hoping that TrendNet would have a camera set up that you could check from the internet to see how it works. but they do not. It appears that the software is optimized for streaming to a computer, thus you can connect to the camera remotely via the internet, but you would need a broadband connection to a computer that is accessible to you in the hospital.
You could probably kludge a system using something like GoToMyPC to remotely view your home PC, but this would probably be a nightmare when trying to view realtime video due to the intense data compression going on.
You should read the user ratings on NewEgg to get a feeling about the technical and support issues involved in using the product. It sounds like it is not for the technically unsophisticated. It is implied that there is no motion detection bundled with this camera, although people mention motion detection implemented via software on the XP computer. Trendnet offers motion detection on the more expensive TV-IP 301W camera.
All in all, there are numerous subtle issues that cannot be answered definitively until the camera is set up and the bundled software is installed. It would make sense for Trendnet to offer a message board to allow discussion of these questions, but alas, they do not.
Actually I was thinkung of setting it up to send any pix to my brother, via email. The product description imples that this might be possible. I don’t understand whether my PC and the camera is enogh to accomplish this, or if I need any other devices to connect the camera and allow it to interact w/ the PC?
I won’t have a computer in the hospital and I doubt I’ll be up to using one, for several days at least.
Once again, I don’t know. I read the product description the same way you do. Exactly what triggers the email is unclear, but a motion detection event would be an obvious choice. The product description for the TV-IP100W DOES NOT mention motion detection capability, although one user mentions that capability. I would guess that the email is sent via the host XP computer using the bundled software, just because it’s easier to implement. The camera itself has an IP address and can stream video. The only hardware you need to connect the camera to the PC is a WAP (wireless access point) and a router which usually comes built together. You may already have this if you have more than one computer hooked up at your house.
This whole concept fascinates me. What I notice is that a lot of hardware manufacturers are for-shit software developers. What TrendWare needs to do is to develop software that will send you a text message to your 3G enabled phone and then stream the real time video to your phone, with the capabilty to use VCR controls to fast forward and rewind.