The usual way to set up remote access to our macOS CCTV software SecuritySpy running on your Mac is via port forwarding (see Installation Manual – Remote Access). This method allows direct incoming connections to SecuritySpy from the Internet, and is enabled by some configuration in your router (which, for most routers, SecuritySpy can do automatically). This method is great for most users, as it usually allows high-performance remote access with minimal configuration. However, some users may want to consider other methods for the following reasons: Port forwarding only works when your ISP gi ..read more

SecuritySpy, our macOS CCTV software, has built-in HomeKit integration that allows it to control, and be controlled from, accessories like sensors, switches and lights, across your Apple Home automation system. But, what about making live video from SecuritySpy’s cameras available to Home? This blog post explains how to do this. Step 1: Install FFmpeg FFmpeg is a free library used for video processing. The easiest way to install this is to download the latest compiled version from the FFmpeg static binaries for macOS page: You can either download the very latest build (left column) or the las ..read more

With the right app, an iPhone or iPad can make an effective security camera that provides standard RTSP video/audio feeds. This is especially useful for older iOS devices that would otherwise be unused, making for an easy and inexpensive way to add an extra camera to your video surveillance system built around our macOS NVR software SecuritySpy. In order for an iOS device to be used for video surveillance, it should be powered all the time and set to never sleep. Such a device should never be used for a critical CCTV purpose, since things like power outages or app/devices crashes may require m ..read more

SecuritySpy, our fully-featured video surveillance solution for the Mac, offers a built-in web server that you can use to access your CCTV system from the Internet. For ease of setup, SecuritySpy allows you to choose your own free domain name in the form name.viewcam.me, which is used to access your system. SecuritySpy will automatically keep this domain updated with your current public IP address whenever it changes (this is called DDNS), and it will automatically generate and renew a free SSL certificate for secure HTTPS access. However, some users may want to use their own domain name inste ..read more

Here are our network camera picks for 2022. They are listed in no particular order (they are quite varied in terms of cost and feature set, which makes them difficult to rank as a “top 10″ list), however they are all cameras that, due to their impressive features, we recommend to our customers for use with our SecuritySpy CCTV software for the Mac. Some abbreviations used below are as follows: MP – Megapixel resolution – the higher the resolution, the more detailed the image, but resolution isn’t everything: the optical quality of the lens system is also extremely important. PoE – P ..read more

Our macOS CCTV software SecuritySpy saves all recordings to a local drive. By default, the Mac’s internal drive is used, but you can specify any other drive(s) you want to use for this purpose, for example an external drive connected by USB or Thunderbolt or a NAS (Network Attached Storage) drive on the local network. Modern drives are very reliable, and for most users the small chance of data loss due to drive failure may not be too concerning. However, this could be more of a concern for more critical commercial applications, plus there is also the possibility than an intruder could damage o ..read more

The IP camera market is replete with bullet-style cameras, with Dahua Technology being one of the major manufacturers of cameras of this type. Basic Dahua bullet cameras are well-designed, inexpensive, and generally provide good quality video, however it doesn’t cost too much more to get a model like this one, which has some key features that allow it to perform much better than basic models. Dahua Technology IPC-HFW2831T-ZAS IP Camera Features The main feature set is quite impressive: A varifocal lens (there are two options: either 2.7–13.5mm or 3.7-11mm focal length) that provides a good ..read more

Dahua Technology have such an extensive range of IP cameras that it can be difficult to choose between them, especially between models that are superficially similar. Generally, Dahua cameras work very well with our macOS CCTV software SecuritySpy, and this particular model, the IPC-HDW5831R-ZE, looks like it could be something special. This is an “eyeball” type camera, which is a form factor with some significant advantages: they are generally compact in size, easy to swivel and rotate to the correct position, and, unlike dome cameras, there is no curved perspex dome in front of the lens to r ..read more

Video doorbells are becoming increasingly popular, and have the potential to make a useful addition to any CCTV system. Our macOS CCTV software SecuritySpy works with many different video doorbells, but choosing one to use can be difficult, as they vary significantly in terms of feature set, quality, reliability and cost. In addition, many video doorbells (e.g. Ring, Nest, Eufy) are designed as closed cloud-based systems that lock you into a subscription, and specifically don’t work with NVR (Network Video Recorder) software such as SecuritySpy. Features The Axis A8105-E doorbell offers a good ..read more

Here are our network camera picks for 2021. They are listed in no particular order (they are quite varied in terms of cost and feature set, which makes them difficult to rank as a “top 10″ list), however they are all cameras that, due to their impressive features, we recommend to our customers for use with our SecuritySpy CCTV software for the Mac. Some abbreviations used below are as follows: MP – Megapixel resolution – the number of millions of pixels in the image sensor. The higher the resolution, the more detailed the image, but resolution isn’t everything: the optical ..read more