SecuritySpy for Mac

User Reviews

• SecuritySpy offers users great features and support

  nprkfjm19*876November 25, 2016

  Pros

  SecuritySpy continues to be great software, through the new version 4.0.9. I have used the analog cameras for over 10 years and have been able to continue using the now somewhat-outdated cameras and a/d converters all along. SecuritySpy seems to offer an endless set of ways to use the program. Lately, as a new user of network cameras, I find the features even more interesting. The ability to drill down into settings to set up a camera is impressive. But, most of the time a given network camera has already been set up in the SecSpy profiles; this makes it very easy to get the camera working. SecuritySpy offers the ability to easily look at camera video and audio on smartphones. I use an iPhone and now and am running the new SecuritySpy for iOS, Apple TV, etc. This free companion really broadens the usefulness of the security system.

  Cons

  One of the points SecuritySpy notes is its efficient use of Mac resources. I have one new camera that is a little demanding on file size, but I'm pretty sure the problem can be resolved.

  Summary

  A bit about software support should be noted. BenSoftware has a lot of easily understood explanations of issues, setup, problem solving on their website. I go through them carefully and usually get my answers there. But, if I'm stuck, I have had very helpful replies quickly from the company.

  ---

• More expensive than others but worth it!

  Siskel & EbertApril 9, 2013

  Pros

  Works with every camera I threw at it. Records with motion detection. EXEMPLARY DEVELOPER SUPPORT!

  Cons

  Price per camera.

  Summary

  Been using this app for several years; since OS 9 days. Works flawlessly.

  ---

• Superior support!

  W. R. Van WyckOctober 31, 2012

  Pros

  Needed a tweak for my particular camera and within a day a beta version that could handle it arrived.

  Cons

  Not one...everything works!

  Summary

  ---

• Everything I wanted in security camera system software.

  no kiddingJuly 17, 2012

  Pros

  Very easy to set up. SecuritySpy allows me to view and record from a series of ip cameras to external storage. Makes browsing the recorded images very easy. Runs continuously on my MacBook Pro which I continue to use for all the normal applications.

  Cons

  I can not think of anything the software doesn't do well.

  Summary

  I've used this software for just over a year now. It had performed flawlessly. With this software I can remotely check for package deliveries even when I'm out of town. I have used the recordings to find out when during the night a neighbors car was broken into (4:53 am) and who didn't do it (it was some guys driving through the neighborhood, not a local). After a neighbor sent an email about his home being burgled during the day, I was able go back and review footage to provide him photos of a guy who approached my house looking very furtive, then when on to look around a couple more homes before moving down the street toward the burgled home. The police recognized the fellow as a burglar. Too bad my neighbor didn't have a camera system to deter the thief along with SecuritySpy in case the thief broke in anyway.<br /><br /><span class='notifyMsg'> Updated </span>on Jul 17, 2012<p/>oops, a typo in my original review - It still performs flawlessly.

  ---

• Best software I have purchased in my life, seriously

  cyclops124February 4, 2012

  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 confusing

  Cons

  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 devices

  Summary

  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.

  ---

• The Best cam manager out there

  WPA, LLCMay 14, 2011

  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.

  ---

• serverspy

  smegmeJune 7, 2010

  Pros

  Cons

  Summary

  This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.<br />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

  jerkwaterusaFebruary 3, 2010

  Pros

  Cons

  Summary

  This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.<br />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.

  ---

• amazing software

  codymc01March 13, 2009

  Pros

  Cons

  Summary

  This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.<br />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

  bigcranecompanyJanuary 30, 2009

  Pros

  Cons

  Summary

  This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.<br />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.

  ---