question about using the right tool for the job

[philtre]

I need to setup a camera focused on one specific cabinet in a bar. The camera needs to be activated when somebody opens that cabinet and shut off when it gets closed or 30 seconds after closing. I have a few wireless cctv cameras already (from a different application and now un-used) but no DVR. I was wondering if there was some sort of wireless magnetic relay activation that could be used with a PC running linux/zoneminder. I'm looking for ideas at this point since motion activation of the camera would be ludicrous. I'd be going through 18 hours of video a day to try and find the right 15 seconds. Unfortunately, the location of the cabinet precludes cables to it. Any ideas at all would be very welcome. Thanks in advance.

[cordel]

There are some X10 capable wireless alarm systems I realize it some what over kill but is the only thing that comes to mind.

[philtre]

So, the x10 alarm could trigger the camera to start recording when it receives the alarm signal from the wireless door relay? I searched X10 in the forum and got some info on how to do this but it was from 2005 and 2006. Has anything changed since then? For me the linux install and ZM install are easy, but the scripts are a little out of my league without some more experimentation. Anybody know exactly what hardware I'd need? All I see on x10 are the absurd packages. I just need 1 magnetic door device (or that little black motion detector could be disguised with the LED covered by elec tape in the cabinet) and whatever receives the signal and a way to tell ZM about it... heh, help?!

[robejrm]

Hi,

You could use motion on a linux box. Configure motion to record whenever it detects some changes in the image (when cabinet opens)

Greetings,
Juanra

[jameswilson]

lol or use that feature in zm