Please Help - I need to set up a ome survelliance system as cheaply as possible.

[P'edOffInMaidenhead!]

Hi There, (have tried to edit the title - but for some strange reason I can't - sorry I meant "home"!) :-) )

I've had my car broken into (back window smashed) 3 weeks ago and it keyed a few days ago, the police have been absolutely useless on both occasions - not even bothering to come out and look at the car, so I'm thinking off setting up my own survelliance system, which I'll hook up to my pc. The only problem is I was made redundant a few months ago, so I have to do it as cheaply as possible.
With the window I had to fork out £60 excess, and with the keying I'll have to pay £150 excess, plus I'll lose my no claims and my premium will go up next year - so I think setting up something like this is my best option.
I was just wondering if anyone could point me in the direction of somewhere to get the bits and pieces required to set up a home survelliance system that works - but is cheap
(I was made redundant a few months ago - so don't need this aggro or outlay at the mo).
Ideally I'd like something I could hook up to my laptop.
Thanks in Advance.

[iStorm]

A lot depends on what you want the system to do, The first problem i see that you will have is finding a good quality Usb Video Card, As your hoping to use your laptop you cant install a standard video card to record the images, You can get the usb one of ebay for about £20.00 but im not sure how good they are and what compression rate they are!! If your looking for an affordble home cctv system that will do a job, May i recomend you buy a Skart Camera, Black & White , Buy a 250watt Halogen P.I.R Light ( you may think more light is better and go for a 500w but in the wet the wet floor out side acts like a mirror when the light comes on and all the camera will see is white!!) An External P.I.R & Video Activator, The camera plugs into the Video or DVD'R, The P.I.R is out side with the camera, (Some times the best place for he camera is NOT the best place for the P.I.R, You need to set it up so that the video starts to record as they walk on to the Camera) The Activator on top of the Video, you now have an activation only recording system for approx £125.00, Hope this helps in some way, And i'm sorry to hear about your car problems.

[Jim]

The cheapest thing for video surveillance is download some free software and set up a webcam. If you're running Vista you can get a free logitech gadget (download from logitech) that does motion detection and recording. I've used it and it works very nicely.

The drawback to webcams is lighting. Most webcams can't see well without plenty of light so that's where you have to beef things up outside as previously suggested by iStorm. Once you get good lighting a webcam is cheap and easy. It isn't the answer to everything but you did say you were made redundant and this can be an effective low-budget solution.