Podcast: Play in new window | Embed
Tech News and Commentary
Dave and the team discuss spending on games and streaming, Europe’s USB-C requirement, WWDC news, Instagram addictions and damage, a new checkout system a Circle K, and more.
Samuel in Jackson, Tennessee listens online and is participating with the free IT App and asked: “I have a question regarding my outside security cameras. I can view them inside the mobile app on my smartphone but I was wondering if there was a way I could view them on my laptop at home. I can’t find any information from the manufacturer.”
Samuel, unfortunately we wont be able to tell you without knowing the make and model.
The real answer is that any camera that can broadcast to an app has the capability to broadcast to a browser and thats most likely how it was tested during development, but whether that ability is exposed to the end user is another matter.
Some manufacturers send all of their data straight to their servers with no options to reach the local network to make it easier for an end user to access the cameras from anywhere, others do it to be able to charge a subscription fee to make them available anywhere.
Of those some will only provide an app, others will allow you to log into their website to see the camera.
And there are others that will allow you to playback the video on your home network without requiring it to go out anywhere else. Those can typically be played easily on laptops but require more of a setup on mobile apps (think setting up servers, and ports, and port forwarding, rather than just logging in).
Depending on which cameras you bought, the manufacturer may fall into any of those categories, so without knowing more we wont be able to tell you if you can access your cameras from a laptop but if the manufacturer isnt advertising the feature, odds are it doesnt exist.
When you participate on the show – anytime 24/7 – and we HEAR you with any consumer tech question, comment, help for another listener, tech rage or just share your favorite App these days … you could win prizes.
The 2022 COOL “Into Tomorrow” HOT Summer Giveaway:
The 2022 COOL “Into Tomorrow” HOT Summer Giveaway: Call anytime, 24/7 – 800-899-INTO (4686), click the Ask Dave button on the website, or use the “Message to Studio” option on the FREE Into Tomorrow App!
All CALLERS — using the AUDIO option on our Free App or 1-800-899-INTO(4686) – automatically qualify to win prizes.
Audio archived for at least 6 months