How to Use a Mac Camera for Security

The iSight camera built into your Macintosh can be used with iChat software and an Internet connection to turn your Mac into a security camera. If you do not have a built-in iSight camera, any USB webcam that can operate with iChat will work.

Instructions

1. Open the iChat application and create a new iChat account. You will be prompted to do this if you have not used iChat before, or you can find it by opening "Preferences" in the iChat menu and clicking on the "Accounts" tab.

2. Create a second new iChat account (or AIM for a Windows computer) for the computer you will use to monitor the security camera.

3. Click on the "Privacy" tab for your first new account and select "allow specific people." Enter the account of your monitor computer.

4. Select "Alerts" and "Video Invitation." Turn off the default value of "play a sound." Turn on "Run an AppleScript script" and select "Auto accept" from the menu.

5. Add iChat to your auto-login items by opening the "Accounts" preference pane in "System Preferences," clicking on "Login Items" and dragging the iChat application to the list. iChat will now run whenever you are logged in to this account.

6. Turn your monitor backlight off, so it is not obvious that the computer is on.

7. Connect to the iChat account of this computer from any other Macintosh running iChat, or any computer running an AIM video-chat client. The security Mac will automatically accept the invitation and display the video captured live by its camera.