By Paul Taylor

Remote access video camera security systems are great for monitoring homes when you are out. But many systems aimed at the consumer market are fiddly, flimsy and unreliable. Moreover, setting them up can often be a nightmare.

Typically, cameras can only be set up where there is a power socket and wired or wireless network access, and navigating through the techno babble to connect to the network and enable remote access can be complex.

Even then, accessing network-based videocam systems remotely is notoriously problematic and image quality is often poor, especially if lighting is poor or bandwidth is limited.

But as I have discovered, if you can set up a reliable video camera monitoring system that can be accessed over the web from an internet-connected PC, laptop or smartphone, the rewards can be substantial.

I have been using my system while in India to monitor my 91-year-old mother-in-law, who is granny-sitting my youngest daughter, two dogs and five cats at home near New York. Other uses might include keeping an eye on a second home or monitoring an empty property.

The system I have been using is called the Vue Personal Video Network and was developed by Avaak, a San Diego-based start-up backed by venture capital. Avaak was founded in 2004 by Gioia Messinger and Bar-Giora Goldberg after they collaborated on a project to develop an ingestible diagnostic wireless pill camera.

Since then, the company has emerged as a pioneer in the market for ultra-low-power, easy-to-use, wire-free video technology.

The Vue system was launched earlier this year but has only just gone on sale in the US. A starter system, consisting of two mini wireless cameras and a gateway device that attaches to your home network router and handles wireless communications to and from the cameras using a low-power technology called FrameMesh costs $300. Extra cameras cost $100 each.

The most appealing feature of the Vue system is its plug-and-play simplicity. There are no wires, because it uses batteries to power the camera for up to a year and a wireless mesh network (with a range of up to 300 feet). The gateway device automatically configures the network, and there is no software to download or install.

It took me about two minutes to set up my system and the bulk of that time was spent finding suitable positions for the mini wide-angle cameras, which are lightweight and resemble tiny webcams rather than bulky security cameras.

They attach magnetically to peel-and-stick silver coloured mounts. The starter system actually comes with four magnetic mounts so you can move the cameras from one position to another quickly and easily.

To complete the set-up, you plug the gateway device into the mains and the router, position the cameras within 12 inches of the gateway and press then release the single “sync” button on the gateway. Blinking light-emitting diodes (LEDs) on the cameras confirm a successful pairing at which point the cameras can be returned to their mounts.

The final step is to register the system on a personalised website (my.vuezone.com) with your e-mail address and password and a code found on the bottom of the gateway.

Then you simply select “Watch”, drag-and-drop one of the active camera icons into the viewing area, click on the “start” button and begin viewing the live video stream over the internet. (The web-based service works with the latest versions of the main browsers including Internet Explorer 8, Firefox 3 and Apple’s Safari 3, and with flash-enabled mobile devices.)

In addition to live viewing, the system also enables users to record live video streams remotely (the Vue web service also includes two gigabytes of online storage free for the first year), take still snapshots and adjust image brightness over the internet.

smooth images

Image quality is surprisingly good in bright light and reasonable in dim conditions. Video streaming tops out at eight frames per second but is reasonably smooth provided you have a broadband connection at both ends.

It becomes noticeably choppy, however, when viewed over slower or congested networks. Unfortunately, the system lacks the ability to detect movement and automatically record it - something that I think should be offered in a system costing this much, and the cameras are not weatherproof so they have to be mounted inside.

One alternative system that incorporates these missing features is Logitech’s WiLife, which has been available for several years and is the leader in the consumer-installed home video security market.

Instead of using Ethernet cables or wireless connections, the WiLife system uses a technology called Home-Plug that utilises a home’s existing electrical system to transmit signals to and from the system components and stream video over the internet.

An indoor “master” system, which you need to start building your video security system, comprises the WiLife “Command Center” software that runs on a PC connected to the same home network, a camera that can be freestanding or attached with a suction mount to a window and plugs into a regular power socket and the HomePlug receiver, which plugs into the a USB-port on the PC. It costs $299 (£280 in the UK).

Once the base system is set up you can add up to six additional indoor or weatherproof outdoor cameras, which cost $230 (£230) each, or a “spy” camera built into a clock, which costs $250 (£230.)

Setting up the software is straightforward provided you follow the steps carefully. Perhaps most usefully, the system can be set up to detect movement and automatically start recording (The sensitivity can be adjusted for the family pet). Users can also opt to receive an e-mail or SMS alert when movement is detected.

However, Vue is the easiest remote access video camera system to set up that I have come across and delivers on its promise to enable users to “see what you’re missing”. And yes, my mother-in-law and pets are all just fine.

The verdict

Vue Personal Video Network

The main benefits are the plug-and-play simplicity and the ability to place cameras anywhere in the house. But the system does not detect movement and although the cameras are easy to mount, they are not weatherproof. The system is not yet available in Europe.

The other options

Logitech WiLife

Utilises a home’s existing electrical system to transmit signals to and from the system components and stream video over the internet. Users can also opt to receive an e-mail or SMS alert when movement is detected. Once set up, it is somewhat more flexible than the Vue system, but camera locations are more limited because of the requirement for a nearby power socket.

Professional systems

Professionally installed systems typically use high-quality cameras such as Panasonic BL-C160A or cameras made by companies like Axis or Cisco’s Linksys unit. These systems typically cost more than Vue or WiLife, but often include additional features such as motion detection and built-in lights for night use. Often they can be incorporated into a home-control system.