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Spy on friends and family with your iSight-enabled Mac

This post could also have been titled: "how to lose family and friends quickly with your iSight-enabled Mac." A poster over at macosxhints discovered that you can start a new video recording session in QuickTime Pro on an iSight-enabled Mac (for that low-profile surveillance look), and invoke Fast User Switching while the QT Pro session keeps on recording. For more stealth surveillance, you can set your display to shut off and, aside from the green light, most people will be none the wiser.

Ethics and exclamations of 'how dare you?!' aside, I wonder if this 'built-in webcam' feature is going to inspire a new niche of unique video recording software.

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This post could also have been titled: "how to lose family and friends quickly with your iSight-enabled Mac." A poster over at...
 

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Pick

#11 "how long til someone finds a way to turn the isight on remotely and stream it over a network? I hope soon...er i mean, I hope they fix it soon.", That's pretty much exactly what I said in post #9, I even said I hope they release a patch. :)

April 25 2006 at 1:22 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Uncle Jerry

iPorn!!!!

April 25 2006 at 9:50 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
ij00mini

You may want to look at this. A program that revolves around what you are all talking about.

http://orbicule.com/undercover/

April 25 2006 at 7:21 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Mort

I used to use evocam too, but now use security spy http://www.securityspy.com/
the newest version has audio capture too, but it's a little buggy. The older version though is rock solid, VERY configurable, and just all round peachy. Give it a shot. The licenses are a little steep, but if you need them, they are worth every penny.
(true story time: some little sods came into our [temporarily empty] office one lunchtime, and the chancers, having spotted a laptop, picked up and walked off with it. All caught on a fire-i, attached to a snow imac running security spy. The police loved the video I was able to provide, recognised the perps, and all the little buggers did time.)

April 25 2006 at 5:36 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
brian

The iSight would make a great security device for a laptop. Have software on the laptop that can be triggered remotely (ie, after it is stolen), to take a snapshot and email it to a certain address, and you a picture of the thief!

how long til someone finds a way to turn the isight on remotely and stream it over a network? I hope soon...er i mean, I hope they fix it soon.

April 25 2006 at 4:41 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
AV

Anyone heard of IveZeen? Motion detection recording has been a part of that program for a while. Works with iSight, DV cameras... hide the program and you're pretty much doing the same thing. Haven't tried it with fast user switching. Actually have tried it at all on anyone. I have more respect for people than that. Though there are legit uses: freshman in college? Make sure your roommate isn't stealing your stuff while you're out. I knew a buddy that caught his friend getting it one with his sister in his room while he was out. Not with IveZeen, but another PC program like it.

April 25 2006 at 2:54 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Pick

Could you do the same with iChat? Like, start a video chat between two macs then use fast user-switching? If so, I think Apple should release a patch for it.

April 25 2006 at 12:57 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
wheels

"I posted this hint on OSX hints, and I still haven't heard from anyone on how to disable the green light. Any ideas?"

A piece of white tape, silver for the MacBook?

April 25 2006 at 12:24 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
McMac_05

I have tried this with my Sony Hi8 and it works great. I started recording and left the computer at the login window. I was gone for about 4 hours and it was still working. The file size amazingly was under 300mb's. Now do I dare to use this on my girl friend?? I gotta think about that long and hard. lol

April 24 2006 at 11:09 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
MOR

I posted this hint on OSX hints, and I still haven't heard from anyone on how to disable the green light. Any ideas?

send them over!

spymac@fieldgallery.org

April 24 2006 at 11:02 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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