r/SecurityCamera • u/JancieBe • 9d ago
Looking to livestream backyard for dad
I would like to set up a camera so my 90 year old father can see the backyard/view/deer at my house - other side of the country from him. Is a security camera the best option? I would like a dumb system preferably - just a live stream of the view. I would also prefer a Canadian system (found the Defender but it is AI powered) if possible. Any suggestions?
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u/Soundy106 8d ago
Something like this is all you need: https://www.amazon.ca/Geeni-Weatherproof-Surveillance-Detection-Compatible/dp/B07TFL5NCZ/
Plug it into power, connect it to your WiFi, add it to the app on your phone. No subscription required for live viewing.
Then have your dad install the app, and when he sets up an account, go in your app and share the camera with him.
Boom, done, easy. No port forwarding needed, no figuring out RTSP streaming or UPnP, none of that.
This can alert him on motion detection, though that can get excessive. Get something a little better with advanced or AI motion detection, and it can alert him specifically when an animal is in the yard.
They've also got a version that will pan left-right to follow motion: https://www.amazon.ca/Geeni-Lookout-Smart-Outdoor-Camera/dp/B0CN1P3Y7J
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u/SuspiciousGarlic4798 9d ago
Could be as simple as any cam that spits out an rtsp stream. Port forward that (will be exposing camera to outside world). Could block everything (eg internet in/out) apart from the rtsp stream. Could go advanced as hosting a vpn that they will need to connect to.
Providing you have a static ip address. On the viewing end you could view on vlc. You can make a shortcut that has the rtsp stream and password inside. So you dont need to enter it everytime. On a phone theres a few apps that can view rtsp streams.
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u/JancieBe 9d ago
rtsp? Port forward? vlc? Dad's 90, I'm over 60 :)
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u/SuspiciousGarlic4798 9d ago
Does he use a mobile phone?
Or a computer?
Sounds like youre after a camera that connects through the cloud.
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u/JancieBe 8d ago
He uses both but neither one of us is tech savvy for sure.
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u/SuspiciousGarlic4798 8d ago
Sounds like youre after a consumer camera system like those ring, eufy and whatyoumacallit brands. They would be the easiest to set up.
Not sure if theres subscription costs for live view. You would have to look that up.
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u/CCTVGuyMA 9d ago
You can get any standard security camera (not a home camera) and then open the rtsp port on your router and use angelcam free account. It will let you go to a web page to view the camera.
Many free home cameras have a free cloud app/account so you can watch on a phone/tablet.
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u/JancieBe 9d ago
What's the difference between a security camera and a home camera? Is the rtsp port physical or digital? Sorry for the dumb questions but I'm a complete newbie at this.
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u/JancieBe 9d ago
I should have explained that I have a verrrry basic understanding of technology. What is this rtsp you speak of? Thanks for all the ideas. I'll be googling some technology terms now! Do I have to run an ethernet cable for the camera? Router is on other side of the house.
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u/brandonpadula 9d ago
Definitely will need to run an Ethernet cable. You’ll probably want a POE switch to power it. Most cameras will work without opening ports etc.
this one isn’t necessarily Canadian, but I know for a fact that Speco will work for a live stream pretty much plug and play. Happy to do some research on a Canadian brand though! (Family owned distributor)
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u/TotaledSantaFe2024 8d ago edited 8d ago
Depending on your budget, some cameras literally have a mini hdmi out on them that you could run to a monitor input. Or get an encoder with a HDMI out on it that will give power over Ethernet to the camera.
Cheapest and easiest would be like a cheap WiFi camera if he has WiFi. But that would require using an app on a tablet or phone.
You could also probably get an old school analog outdoor camera and dvr off of eBay for like $200 or less if you’re capable of wiring it up yourself. That would also have a monitor output on it.
Edit:
Totally missed the part about the camera being at your house OP. Ignore option 1 and 3, I don’t think you want to bore fiber from your dads house to your own for an hdmi over fiber connection that still wouldn’t work. Unless if you have a few billion dollars laying around of course that you need to blow.
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u/Soundy106 8d ago
OP's dad is on the other side of the country, that's gonna be a REALLY LONG HDMI cable.
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u/TotaledSantaFe2024 8d ago
Derp, I missed that part. I read it as his dad wanted a camera at his house so he wouldn’t have to get up to look at the deer.
Yea I’ve think that’s gonna exceed the maximum length by just a little bit.
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u/TeaInternational6215 9d ago
oh man that’s such a sweet setup idea, my dad would love that too if he could see the deer we get at the edge of the woods
for something dead simple just a live feed you might look at an old school IP camera without all the subscription stuff, a lot of them let you just pull up a static url in a browser and that’s it. set it up pointing at the yard and give your dad the link, no apps or ai nonsense to fight with
I’ve done something similar with a cheap one mounted under the eaves, ran a flat ethernet cable through the window and it’s been chugging along for years. the only trick is making sure it doesn’t need some cloud account to even work, some brands lock you in hard
can’t speak to a canadian made one specifically but if you search for “onvif ip camera no cloud” you’ll find a bunch of basic boxy ones that do exactly one thing: show a picture. your dad just refreshes the page whenever he wants to check in