Netcam Studio

If you are worried that someone may steal something from a warehouse or break into your home, you should not waste any time in setting up a security system. Rather than buying expensive equipment and paying someone to install it, you can use Netcam Studio to improvise a discreet and effective surveillance system yourself. The software comes equipped with many useful features, like sound and motion detection, email and SMS notifications and more. It allows you to monitor one or more spaces, from any computer, with an Internet connection or from your smart phone.

Netcam Studio is free for personal use. Although the free version has a few limitations, you may find them more than acceptable. The software can be used on Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7, as well as the 2003, 2008 and 2012 Server editions. You will need .NET framework 4.0 if you are using Win XP or Server 2003 and .NET Framework 4.5 if you are using a later version.

After installing the software, you will have to work with two modules. You must run the server module on your own computer, where your cameras are connected. The client module can be used on any computer, to access the camera feeds and make various adjustments. You can add up to four sources with the free version, which can be network cameras or local webcams.

You can view one or more camera feeds on the client module's user interface. Each camera feed is displayed with a series of options, for manual capturing or recording, activating motion and sound detection and more. These features can be activated automatically, according to a schedule. The software can activate the motion and sound detection features or record at specific times of each day.

Recordings and snapshots can be found in the program's library, where you can view and play them and filter the files by their creation dates. You can access other sections, on the same interface, in which you may configure email and SMS notifications, create additional user accounts and more.

While monitoring, the software will follow a series of rules, which you can establish. If someone gets caught on camera or in a specific area of the camera's field of view, the software will start recording automatically, send you notifications, run an application and more. You can make various combinations, by selecting conditions and actions.