Anyone Used a "Nanny Cam" in your Coach to Keep Eye on Pets?

[RickO]

Now that the hot weather is here, we find we really hate leaving the dogs in the coach alone for any length of time for fear that the power will go out and the coach will over heat. An auto start for the generator is on my list of things to do.

However, I'm about to mount a netbook with built in web cam on the dash to use with VMSPC and GPS and I'm wondering if I'd be able to use some kind of smart phone to call the netbook, activate the web cam and check out how the dogs are doing. Does anyone have any experience with this type of application or otherwise shed some light on this?

I know I can do it using Skype from another computer but don't know much about internet enabled cell phones.

[MonacoMama]

RickO..It may also depend on what your cell phone is.... Can you use a Skype App with it? (ie..Droid)
Some folks may also need that info too!

[Izzyblueye]

If the dogs aren't d doing well then what? Information is just that,( information), action is what is needed. A good neighbor that is willing to take care of things until you return is your best bet.

[RickO]

I'm going to need to change phones I'm sure... that's a part of my question and I assume I'd need to upgrade.

Homer; if the dogs aren't doing well I'll get my butt back to the coach. Neighbors are great but I can't see leaving a key with someone at all the different parks we visit.

[TandW]

Many of your neighbors woud be glad to have your dogs over while you are gone. Good luck!!

[HD4Mark]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Homer If the dogs aren't d doing well then what? Information is just that,( information), action is what is needed. A good neighbor that is willing to take care of things until you return is your best bet.

This is true. At our winter getaway CG we have the same site and same neighbors that are great folks. We just hide a key and show them where it is. This works great if we ever get locked out too.

On the road is a different story. Wouldn't trust stranger with the key and unlike our yearly spot don't know how reliable the electric is in an unfamiliar CG is.

The cam does sound like a good idea if you didn't get far enough away to be able to quickly return and having a lamp on or thermometer in view so you could easily tell if the power went out.

[RickO]

Quote:

On the road is a different story. Wouldn't trust stranger with the key and unlike our yearly spot don't know how reliable the electric is in an unfamiliar CG is. The cam does sound like a good idea if you didn't get far enough away to be able to quickly return and having a lamp on or thermometer in view so you could easily tell if the power went out.

Exactly. Having the thermometer in view is part of the plan. We don't yet have established seasonal locations where we stay so we're on the road all the time. Actually, that's why I posted this on the technology forum and not the Traveling with Pets forum. I'll continue to pursue this... if for no other reason than I LOVE GADGETS...

[a k]

I also post a note in my windshield with my cell phone #.

[Lorna]

Back when we had pets, we would keep a "Beware of" sign on the door and put our cellphone numbers on the sign under "In case of Emergency". When we no longer traveled with our kids (the human ones, not the furry ones) we would include their cellphone numbers as well in case we were not able to be reached. The girls would keep calling us where as a stranger most likely wouldn't. We never had a need for the info to be used.

[rf4]

Droid does have an app for Skype - I have not used it, but I did look it up on the market.

[Noelj]

All good ideas, but all depend on having cell service available. We have ben at MANY campgrounds that do not have a cell phone signal at all. (Roan Mountain state park, TN, LBL, KY/TN COE CGs, MS for a few.

[Ed S]

I use a wirelessUniden Surveillance System to montor Dogs as I go down the road.

I have the UDW20000 Series. Great for our needs to see and hear whats going on back in the rear garage of the coach. Now, this can be hooked up to our lap top for recording but have not used it for this. I am thinking if there was internet at the camp ground and a guy had internet on his phone some how some way you could view real time whats going on in the coach where ever you are with internet coverage.

[RickO]

Hey, this generated a great list of ideas. Thanks all. I've already added the cell #s to our sign and now I'm going to add our daughter's number too.

I guess nothing is going to be foolproof but added peace of mind is valuable.