Foaling camera help

[LostandFound]

I need some technical advice for dummies. I wonder if they sell that book? Anyway I'm thinking how nice it would be to have a camera on my mare this year. But I don't think I can do it. My barn has electric and lights. I have a tablet that has it's own internet, a flip phone, and cable internet in the house. That's it. What would be the easiest and cheapest way to get some sort of camera system? Or can I not even get one? I've thought about a halter monitor, but I'm not really into false alarms every time she rolls or sleeps.

 

[elizabeth.conder]

It is actually very doable!!! I do it every year and at this point is a must for me. My good friend actually works with the tech for Marewatchers to help get cameras set up for people. If you are interested in possibly doing that I can get you connected to her!

 

[LostandFound]

I'm not familiar with marewatchers, and it looks like their website is down or closed. If it's something like marestare I might be interested. What do I need to do it if I'm going to do it myself? Ps, I just felt what was probably a tiny kick for the first time, so I'm grinning like a lunatic.

 

[1roadtoad]

I have 2 cams in my barn and 3 around my property. They do require being plugged into outlets. I put a wifi booster in a window in my house which is closest to my barn so that the cameras can pick up the wifi from my house. I have been using them for 5 yrs. and I love them. I am not tech savvy at all, but it truly was not hard to set up. MY cameras are made by Amcrest, but I'm sure that there are many other comparable models out there. I can watch my animals on my phone, iPad and computer. They make things so easy to set up these day. When I go away on vacation, I can see my animals anytime I want. Good luck.

 

[elizabeth.conder]

The site is currently down while they are updating it. It is very similar to the old mare stare. Kinda what people went to after mare stare closed. For me I bought an outdoor security system. Mine is hardwire to a big monitor and then I have the security system app to watch from anywhere as well. When I use Marewatchers, I hook up an extra receiver instead of the monitor and then I’m good to go. Makes it easy to switch as needed.

 

[LostandFound]

So if I get a hard wired system that hooks up in the barn and then get an app on the tablet to watch it I should be ok? That doesn't sound too hard.
1roadtoad I don't have wifi in my house so I can't boost it.

 

[1roadtoad]

If you get a camera that has bluetooth and your phone is bluetooth capable you don't need wifi. They will connect to each other via bluetooth. You just have to be mindful of the distance between the camera and your smartphone. What ever camera you're interested in, will have the bluetooth distance in the specs.

 

[1roadtoad]

I forgot to add that if you shop on Amazon, there is a well rated outdoor security camera by a company named Blink, I am not suggesting that you should purchase this camera, as I have no experience with it, however, if I had no wifi, I would be looking at this Brand or something else like it. You may want to query "outside security camera, no wifi" reviews on line to learn a bit about them before purchasing one. I am confident that you will be able to find one that suits your needs and one that you will be able to install by yourself. Just as a side note: if you have cable in your house, it typicially doesn't cost more monthly for wifi. Cable companies make a ton of money renting a router to customers, but if you buy your own router (about $75) you can get a wifi signal for a couple hundred feet all around you. You can also set up a router by yourself, it's pretty easy. There's a YouTube on everything. Forgive me, if I've given more than my 2 cents worth, I just know that if you want a camera to watch your animal (s), there's a way you can do it.

 

[LostandFound]

If you get a camera that has bluetooth and your phone is bluetooth capable you don't need wifi. They will connect to each other via bluetooth. You just have to be mindful of the distance between the camera and your smartphone. What ever camera you're interested in, will have the bluetooth distance in the specs.

I have a flip phone. I'm not entirely sure what bluetooth is but I'm sure I can't watch video on my phone. I might be able to do it on the tablet but that might be too far. I know I used to have the wifi thingy but it broke and honestly I'm scared to have to change it. It seems like every time I touch something I have to replace something else. I'm googling the heck out of it but they use big words I don't understand, like router and bluetooth and receiver and I'm not sure that I'm finding what I need. I keep seeing things about cameras that need a subscription, which sounds like maybe what I would need, but it's only on cameras that don't need a subscription.

 

[1roadtoad]

You may be right that your flip phone may not be able to connect with a camera so that you can watch your mini. I'm thinking that your tablet may have bluetooth, so that would be the way to go. I've never heard of a camera subscription that you have to pay for monthly. I bought my cameras outright, about $125 a piece and have had them over 5 years, so they have more than paid for themselves. I'm sorry that you're scared to change out your router, but I can understand it, if you feel that every time you touch something, you have to replace something else. Perhaps you know someone that could help you navigate with the research, purchase and installation of a camera. Teenagers or young adults are great with this stuff. I think my grandchildren know way more about this tech stuff than I do. What I know, I did look up on the internet and then when I had to install things, I watched a YouTube on it.
Years ago, when I was going on a 5 week vacation, I was freaking out about not being able to see my horses to make sure that they were ok. My farrier, who raises percherons, told me about webcams and I've had them ever since. Maybe you know someone else that has cameras in their barn or on their property that could give you a hand. It's hard to help you from Connecticut, though, I wish I could.

 

[LostandFound]

I hadn't even thought about seeing them if we go on vacation. That would be really cool. I looked into the ring cameras, as far as I can tell, they don't do constant video, they are motion activated with a lag. I think for them you need a subscription if you want to have anything recorded? My neighbor is very into tech, and I asked him 2 or 3 years ago but he wanted to sell me $1000 system and said I needed wifi. But every bit of new information I get gives me something else to research and hopefully I will get there. Looking for answers about ring gave me arlo and now I will try to research them today.

 

[elizabeth.conder]

A friend of mine uses Arlo, but hers require WiFi. To be able to use an app and watch from anywhere you will likely need a system that requires wifi. There are some systems where you can pay a monthly fee for satellite service I think. I’ve never used them but heard good things about them. Hardwiring to a monitor would work as well.

 

[1roadtoad]

Most outdoor cameras have Bluetooth in addition to Wifi, but if you rely on the Bluetooth only, you do have to be relatively close to the camera to watch it on your tablet and you won't be able to see your animals when away from the area, as noted by the above post. I think it sounds like if you want to monitor your barn, you probably should consider getting a new router, so that you have Wifi (as I said under $100 to purchase and own with no monthly fees) and whatever camera you choose, which should cost around $100-$150. Depending on how far your router is from your barn, you may also need an extender (another $50 or so). Specifications on all these types of items will tell you how far they transmit their signal. You should be able to find and install what you need for under $300 and have no additional monthly fees. I recognize that $300 is not chump change, but if you can manage it, it is such a joy to be able to see your animals anytime you wish. I look at my animals on my phone or tablet, every night before I go to bed.