Publisher's Description
From Ben Bird:
This software will enable you to set up a comprehensive and effective surveillance system quickly and easily. The motion detection feature means that you can choose to capture footage only when there is some activity to record. In addition, you can use the timelapse feature to record continuously.
Unlike traditional analog CCTV systems, there is no need for bulky tapes to change nor for spending hours viewing the captured video. SecuritySpy also offers better image quality and much more convenient access to your captured footage.
A major advantage of using SecuritySpy is the Remote Viewing feature, which allows you to access your surveillance system over the internet or over a local network using a web browser.
If you are building a video surveillance system from scratch all you need is SecuritySpy, a Macintosh computer, and one or more cameras (digital cameras, analog cameras with video input devices, or a combination of the two). If you have an existing system using analog cameras, SecuritySpy will enable you to upgrade to a computer-based digital system whilst still retaining your existing cameras and cabling.
SecuritySpy's flexibility will allow you to set up a system tailored for your individual needs. Whether you want a single camera or many dozens, SecuritySpy is ideal, for both domestic and business purposes.
What's new in this version:
- A built-in Dynamic DNS name system for easier setup of remote monitoring
- More reliable and efficient automatic removal of old files
- Support for the Allnet ALL2298 network camera
- Support for the Axis 16-channel video servers
- Support for the AVS HD212VIR1 and HD212WIR1 network cameras
- Support for the D-Link DCS-7110 and DCS-7410 network camera
- Support for the Elro C903IP network camera
- Support for the Foscam Fl8910W network camera
- Support for t... See all new features
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All versions:
4.7 starsout of 34 votes
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Current version:
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"Best software I have purchased in my life, seriously"
Version: SecuritySpy 2.1.0
Pros
Communicates with a wide variety of cameras and DVRs
Eliminates the need for expensive DVRs
Incredibly easy to set up and replicate across 16 cameras
Cuts through NIH attitude of the security camera industry
Presentation Professional
Affords flexibility without being confusingCons
Only allows for 16 total cameras
Remote browser could be upgraded
Needs to integrate FTP or Dropbox to make it simpler to access data.
Need to keep computer running when power is out to keep it functioning
Add even more obscure cameras and DVRs to devicesSummary
I spent one fourth on my camera system for my property using SecuritySpy as compared to three bids with the same functionality. I was ready to give up on a camera system that I could run from my mac after I began tio deal with the security industry. then I found SecuritySpy and actually had a great deal of fun installing my system. As I tell everyone who wants to put together a network camera security system. I tell them to buy SecuritySpy first, hands down, then spend a great deal of time going through which cameras will work for them. The only given in my whole system is SecuritySpy. every other component faces obsolescence every day.
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"The Best cam manager out there"
Version: SecuritySpy 2.0.9
Pros
Effective it just works
Scalable, cost effective - I have 16 cams on one mac mini with this
You don't have to read the manual.Cons
I guess Motion features could be better - but thats the case with most cams or motion lights probably.
Summary
This mac software is a reason to own a mac. Using 6 different types of cam hardware from $70 to 400, I use securityspy to create one simple seamless and reliable solution - monitor contractors, nosy neighbors and pets. I run on a older macmini, sends me immediate emails with photos, and record longer clips on hard drive. Couple with remote patrol on an iphone there is more to watch than exists on network tv. Checking your cams is so easy you do it before you surf or check email. It's the hardware that can be the work (reboots and lens etc), but this software makes it manageble.
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"serverspy"
Version: SecuritySpy 2.0.5
Summary
This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.
this software is just great loads of cameras to use, nice easy interface, better than other software that you pay much more for. web server is also great. -
"Security Spy is the best on market"
Version: SecuritySpy 2.0.3
Summary
This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.
I have been using this product on my Macs for almost two years now. Before that I had bought just about every other highly rated security program for my PC computers and was not ever satisfied with any of them. I run over 20 cameras in SS and find it to be the most simple and user friendly program of all.The support is fast and personable And proffesional. Remote viewing is easy for iPhone or other handheld devices. Thanks Security Spy. -
"iPhone Client"
Version: SecuritySpy 2.0
Summary
This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.
I have been a long time user of SecuritySpy and it just gets better and better. If you are looking for the best iPhone client to view your SecuritySpy cameras from your iPhone check out Remote Patrol in the Apps Store.
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=310628670&mt=8
or
http://web.me.com/robb18/RemotePatrol/RemotePatrol.html -
"amazing software"
Version: SecuritySpy 1.6.2
Summary
This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.
amazing software -- does everything I can imagine it doing. Cameras are easy to set up and configure, the web server is great -- even works on my Iphone (although I hear that there's an iphone app coming from a different party -- which should be awesome!)
The developer even responded to my scripting questions quickly -- al around great software.
I've also used BTV for years-- it's nice to have software that does what it says it will do and does it well -
"The best software from a knowledgeable programmer"
Version: SecuritySpy 1.6.2
Summary
This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.
I have never gone out on the web to leave a review of any product, or service. The fact that the software is really good is one reason I write this review, But the extraordinary support is what makes this a 5 Star product. I don't understand all of the reviews on this website stating that people had issues with the software and that Ben or Milo didn't get back with them. I have contacted them multiple times since we started using the software and they have gotten back to me every time within 1 day. As far as I am concerned that is exemplary. I email many different vendors from many different lines of products and am lucky to get a response within a week, let alone ever. I truly believe that these people leaving a bad review and saying that they got no response from the team at SecuritySpy, had fat fingered a key on the email address or didn't really even try to contact them in the first place. I know first hand at least two other people that I have turned on to SecuritySpy and they have never had or told me of any issue where they couldn't contact Ben or Milo. To the people leaving negative reviews, please try to email them before leaving a negative comment. You are throwing people off of a really good product for no reason at all.
We have been using SecuritySpy since 10/2/06, and started with version 1.3.1. We only had an Axis 232D+ installed at that time and didn't have a dedicated computer to use to run SecuritySpy so we ran it for free on each of our computers for monitoring only to test the software until 10/29/07, when we determined that it would be the software we would use and we purchased an unlimited camera license. We sat on that license and we set about installing more camera's in addition to the 232 we already had installed. The following is a list of the installed cameras (all are Axis products):
1) 232D+
1) 233D
1) 223M
2) 212
1) 207MW
20) 207
After all cameras were installed, we purchased a 1.42 Dual G4 Mac and began recording. We purchased Axis products because we were real happy with the 232 that we had and because they simultaneously stream both Motion JPEG and MPEG-4. The MPEG-4 stream would be the stream that the SecuritySpy server used to record both audio and video, and the Motion JPEG would be the stream we would use on our computers for monitoring.
Once the computer that would be used for a server was setup and actually began recording we noticed massive file sizes! We had the compression turned off in SecuritySpy figuring that the Axis cameras would handle all the compression, and overlays and that all SecuritySpy had to do was handle motion detection, and record. That led us to purchase a cheaper computer due to the fact that all of the computer horsepower to handle video processing wouldn't be required due to the fact that it is handled by the cameras. Unfortunately we were incorrect and Ben sent an email back to me telling me that SecuritySpy will only use the JPEG stream from the camera, not the MPEG-4 stream, and in addition it will always decompress the incoming JPEG video because it needs the uncompressed video internally for processing (doing motion detection, adding text overlays etc). Therefore, if you specify no compression in SecuritySpy's Compression Settings window that is exactly what you get: no compression and therefore massive file sizes. This clearly wouldn't work for us and the G4 we purchased was now a brick who's little dual 1.42 processors would never handle doing compression on 26 cameras. I was worried that we would be spending 10,000 on a new 8 core G5 mac.
I emailed Ben and asked for help, THE NEXT DAY I had an email from Ben containing Beta version 1.6.3b3! Now if that's not service I don't know what is! The Beta version came with instructions to set the compression in SecuritySpy to JPEG, and don't enable the text overlay or transformation features in SecuritySpy, then it will capture the raw JPEG data directly from the camera to the movie files. Any way the Beta version has been running for a week now, there is a Terabyte drive hooked to the G4 and the files record onto it, that drive filled up with a couple days video before the Beta version. Now with the Beta version running we have only burned up about 240 gig to motion record on all 26 camera's for 8 days of recording. I couldn't be happier.
Another of the really great things about SecuritySpy is it's set up so that you can purchase a license for the server to run on and still have full functionality on an unlimited number of computers for personnel who need to monitor without recording without the additional cost of multiple additional license purchases. That was probably the initial number one factor in our decision to utilize this software.
There are still things that I would like to see implemented into future versions of SecuritySpy. Things like mouse click PTZ (virtual joystick) on video windows, the ability to capture the streamed MPEG-4 directly from the camera without needing to decompress and recompress back into MPEG-4, and audio support. But I have never had software that did all the things that I thought it should do, and the simple fact that the team at SecuritySpy is so willing to listen, and make improvements to their product based on customer feedback speaks volumes.
To the fine people at SecuritySpy, Thanks for the excellent software, the great support, and please keep up the good work.
To anyone who has personal or business need for Mac based surveillance software, look no further. You have found the best program out there. Download SecuritySpy and try it for free, I think you will be really glad you did.
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"Great All-Around Mac Program"
Version: SecuritySpy 1.6.2
Summary
This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.
We have been using SecuritySpy at our business for about three years, starting on a Mac mini with 4 cameras and an external hard drive. We have since upgraded to a 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo iMac (2 GB RAM) running 6 cameras. All cameras are set to 640x480 and SecuritySpy was set to record the fastest frame rate possible, with motion detection for each device (each day's video is saved in large single .mov QuickTime files). Video is saved to an external 1 TB LaCie hard drive (930 GB after format) and we have two weeks worth of saved video we can review if needed.
We have purchased 8 more cameras and I am in the process of installing them now. These are the cameras that we will have installed when it is all complete:
(1) TRENDnet TV-IP301 (for dark interior infra-red capture)
(1) Toshiba IK-WB15A (this is our only PTZ camera)
(1) Axis 216FD (our only dome camera, except for the Toshiba PTZ above)
(1) Axis 211A (our only outdoor camera to date; outdoor cameras are a pain to setup)
(1) Axis 207
(9) Axis 206
I suspect we'll have to upgrade to a Mac Pro to handle all of this video compression, but we'll see.
Anyway, the SecuritySpy software itself has worked pretty well. The documentation is very thorough, and I have referred to it many times when planning things out. There are some quirky things in the software that take some getting used to (primarily user interface issues), but the important thing is the software just works.
The weakest part of SecuritySpy is the web server. For starters, authentication is not encrypted. Additionally, the authentication doesn't always seem to clear after a browser session (if I log into the web server, then close the window, someone can click on the history link and get into it without having to authenticate again). Viewing live video is OK, but if you want to switch to another camera, you have to go back to the main menu and choose a new camera. Viewing captured footage is VERY tedious in the web browser. I've trained myself and the other managers to just log into the iMac via VNC and open the saved footage in QuickTime Pro (added bonus with this method is seeing all the cameras in the "Main video window"). I avoid logging into the web server if I can help it.
Special advanced tip:
We use FileMaker extensively here, and I have setup a special layout that allows users to simply click on a value list that lists the cameras, and a Web Viewer object displays the appropriate camera URL of the resulting calculated field. This is the easiest and fastest way to quickly see what's going on in the building, short of logging into the iMac via VNC.
Aside from the web server limitations, I would strongly recommend that the developer improve the update process. Modern applications these days have built-in update notifications, with nearly automatic update routines. I am usually unaware of SecuritySpy updates until several months after an update is released. The 1.6.2 update was yesterday and it's only by coincidence that I'm completely up-to-date.
So, to sum up, SecuritySpy is a very good. This program, in conjunction with the Mac platform, allows me to administer and implement my video security network with GREAT flexibility. -
"Thank you, Bensoftware"
Version: SecuritySpy 1.5.3
Summary
This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.
We've been using SecuritySpy in QLD, Australia for almost a year now, after finding ourselves in the sad position of requiring the protection of security cameras at our home. For us, 'necessity was the mother of invention' -- we sought a value-for-money technical, crime prevention and detection solution on a limited budget: after months of research, we determined the SecuritySpy was the product that fitted the bill. The softwareâ??s ability to harness the power of our existing Mac so as to support a wireless network of cameras promised to offer an optimal crime prevention and detection solution. In my humble opinion, portable cameras maximize the deterrence value of this strategy by prohibiting the development of bypass routes by would-be offenders: in a nutshell, if they changed targets, so could we â?? with a limited number of cameras, and without wrapping our property in cable. Although I am a competent Mac user in my field (psychologist/researcher in academic & policing contexts), my learning has been on a need-to-know basis -- I had next-to-no experience in networking, so we did fear it might be a case of â??easier said than doneâ??. Thankfully, this was not the case. In this review, I wish to acknowledge formally that we are so pleased we took the plunge. The software is powerful, smart and user-friendly. Words fail me as I try to convey that I am truly grateful -- for us, this software offers a community service. So thank you, Bensoftware, for developing such wonderful, life-preserving software, and to Ben and Milo, for your tireless support (I have sometimes felt like the proverbial bottomless pit). It was our pleasure to pay recently for an upgrade license, to support the extension of our system -- only hope it helps to support Bensoftwareâ??s continuance of such a wonderful endeavor. -
"Most Mac software is good,but Securityspy is even..."
Version: SecuritySpy 1.4.1
Summary
...better.
This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.
"It does what it says on the tin" and does it well, but that is not the best part of Securityspy. If you are not into the finer details of LAN and WAN, dynamic IP addresses etc etc, then setting up a home security camera system could be really difficult. However Securityspy has both an online user guide and an installation manual. The manual includes and explains every step with advice on hardware such as cameras and A/D converters through to straight forward explanations of all the difficult bits like how to deal with that dynamic IP and how to set up the firewall of your router. The User guide is equally as good. Its this backup that makes Securityspy a top quality 5 star program.
Dr R J Smith Lancashire UK.
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