Using computer as a recording devise?

[Mr. Jones]

I looked at the VA12A on X10's site, and it's more of a package. All I need is that adaptor. All the other stff I have. $80 for a video adaptor seems a bit high. It also mentions that it comes with the Vanguard software. Which we talked about doesn't work. So, I'll not use Vanguard and just download PCC instead? Tuicemen, you created that software (PCC)? Very impressive!!!! If I do get stuck, would you guys be willing to help? Also, as I mentioned before that I don't have internet access up there but it will store stills and or video on the hard drive? Does PCC run on Windows 98? I'll look at that old computer this weekend to see what I have again. Then I'll plug it in and download PCC.

[Tuicemen]

LOL thanks!
It has been awhile since I test ran PCC on 98 you'll need net.framework 3.5 not sure if that will load on 98.
If I remember right net.framework stopped support for 98 at version 3
You may need to find a copy of XP to load on that machine.
Also if you decide to get a usb capture device your machine most likely won't support USB 2.
A trip to a used PC shop may be in your future!
Once windows stopped supporting 98 others soon followed.

[Tuicemen]

I just looked on e-bay and you can get a VA11A USB1 capture device for $39

[Mr. Jones]

I fired up the windows 98 system (my first computer from 2001) and found out it is working.  It has 128MB of Ram lol Could this old system from 2001 handle a program like windows XP? I have all the disc.'s from my second computer (from 2005) that was running XP, can I just use those to load on my 2001 machine?  Or is that illegal? Also, can someone post a link that would show me how to reimage a computer?

[Tuicemen]

You Don't state which version of XP you have.
nore do you state the specs for your old PC other then ram.
The  min specifications for XP Home  and Pro are:
min 64mb ram(though you need much more for video)
min 1.5 gig hard drive
(The biggy is the processor) Min pentium 233MHZ
Reimaging

[hawk1]

Another thing that needs to be clear is that if your XP is a Dell or other brand name cd/dvd it probably won't work.  If it is a Genuine Microsoft Boxed Version of XP and as long as you meet the system requirements for XP (as Tuicemen stated) then it should work as long as your not using the same XP cd on another computer. (unless you have a multi-license cd).

Also a lot people think that their recovery cd's are the actual Microsoft product.  They do have the operating system on them, but they also look for the components that came with the computer that is was made for.  In other words, if you insert a Dell XP cd in your HP computer it will most likely tell you "NO".  Just my 2 cents.

[Tuicemen]

Good point Hawk1!
I often forget that even though I experianced it my self with my brother inlaws PC.
We tried to place the OS on a new PC as the old one had blew up!.

[Mr. Jones]

Wow guys, I can't thank you enough. Really! You guys hit the nail on the head. The 2001 computer was a Dell (running 98 because 2000 was running like crap) so was the 2005 computer running XP. So much for that. Any suggestions?

Also I was looking at the properties (right clicked on "my computer") on the 2001 computer. That is where I got the 128MB ram info...How do I find out the rest of the info on the computer that you guys are asking about. I kind of remember something under the "Run" command? 

[Tuicemen]

Usualy when a PC boot it supplies this info. but it should also be found by right clicking the MyComputer and under Computer first should be the Processor then memory.
for the drive space Right click on your C: and go to properties it will show you used and free space as well as total.
You use to be able to get a oem XP disk if you bought a new Harddrive although I think XP is hard to find  now.
In anycase check your local used PC shop.
Take the info about your PC and see how you can update it you may not be at the max mem or CPU for that machine and they may have a copy of xp floating around. In any case you most likely will want a larger hard drive.
They may also have a cheep XP box that will be cheeper then updating your old PC.

[hawk1]

They may also have a cheep XP box that will be cheeper then updating your old PC.

I think Tuicemen hit it on the nose!  Finding a used XP pc would probably be your best bet.  You'll probably end up spending the same amount or less than you would upgrading and trying to get it all to work.   

[Mr. Jones]

I'll look at my now 2001 PC and post the spec.'s to see if it'll even run XP like you guys suggested. Then I'll look around and see what I can find on my end as an old PC.

[Deemar]

Just install Linux, Apache and Zoneminder, done. Zondeminder is a complete video security solution and has X10 integration so you can have it run X10 events whenever motion is triggered. This is what I use.

[hawk1]

Deemar, do you have a va11 driver for linux?

[Deemar]

I'm not really sure what a VA11 is, is it some sort of video converter cable? I just have my cheap $5 webcam plugged directly into my computer via USB, nothing more to it. Zoneminder takes care of everything.

www.zoneminder.com

[hawk1]

The va11 is X10's usb video capture adapter.  They also have a va12.  That's the problem with using Linux and Zoneminder is trying to find/and install a working device driver for it.

Don't get me wrong here, I love Linux and am using Mochad driver for the cm15, along with another cm15 and iHouse.  But  getting X10's va11 or va12 has always been a pain to try and setup in Linux.

If anybody has an easy way of doing this I would like to know.  But as far as I know this is not for the average Windows user to tackle.  Just my 2 cents.