Turn your PC into a CCTV video surveillance system.
Camera Viewer turns your PC into a CCTV video surveillance system. Aimed at the home and small business user, the system allows the capture, storage and playback of images from multiple USB Web cams, or Axis, VStarcam, Foscam and Panasonic IP cameras in JPEG and MJPEG modes. The software incorporates advanced features, such as a drag and drop user interface, graphical scheduler, motion detection with notification via e-mail, remote viewing of images over the Internet, uploading images with FTP, as well as storing video clips for playback in AVI format with media players.
Actually works without crashing (major + in this category)
Easy to install and set up; can in fact be removed (see manufacturer reply to last comment)
Cons
Motion detection doesn't work, even when overridden. Always continuous records. Try holding mouse down ahead of seeker to review it all faster.
No online functions; you must sync it yourself.
Saturday often overwrites Friday. Delete your files often.
Summary
(Cons continued)
Also beware that if you "copy schedule," your radio button settings won't carry over. Do that manually.
The files are a weird XML/JPEG hybrid of picture and video I have not seen before. Luckily they have a viewer I mentioned above.
Also, if you start up the program with a camera disconnected, you'll lose all your customized settings for that camera. Make sure you don't do that.
All in all, if you can combine this with a form of Online file sync, maybe with FTP, you can make a reliable yet cumbersome security system for your home. I haven't seen it crash, but it has overwritten some files near the weekend, so if you don't delete files daily, you can lose a little peace of mind.
Many of the other "free" options are in fact worse, often are not free and may not function at all, so at the time this is the software I am using.
WARNING!!!
SaintlyMic
Pros
NONE!!!!!!
Cons
This will install to an unknown directory without warning!
Difficult to remove!