Cheapest Way to Video Record Yourself Sleeping

What's the cheapest way to video record an entire night of sleep? Has anyone here done this? What I'd like is to be able to associate my APAP therapy data with my sleep position. I suspect that most of my events occur on my back, but I am not sure. Even something as simple as a series of photos captured once every five minutes or so would be sufficient. What can you come up with?

Thanks!
-Bob3000

I downloaded yawcam webcame software (free) and got a $5 webcam with LED lights from Amazon.com

You can set it up to take a picture every few seconds or you can set it to motion sensing mode so it will take a picture every time you move.

The file timestamps can be used to match up with data from your machine.

Thanks, just ordered one.

Will any webacm do, or are the LED's necessary?
O.

ozij wrote:Will any webacm do, or are the LED's necessary?
O.

If the room is dark, you need the LEDs to give the camera night vision

OK I've gotten a few PMs asking about the camera. Here is the web cam often on sale for 5$-$7, it does not record sound.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001M5 ... irect=true

I got my office as dark as I could to do a couple of comparison shots (LEDS off/on) with the camera about 8 feet away from my door. The final shot taken from my iPhone is the camera with the LEDS fully on (as they are adjustable).

ozij wrote:Will any webacm do, or are the LED's necessary?
O.

Thats a good question and it depends what you want to do.

If i simply want to see if I'm side or back sleeping i set the camera on my nightstand with the LEDS on about half way and set the motion detect to on. That way i can still sleep with my covers and i can determine my sleep position based on the position of my shoulders.

If i want to see any body movement (legs etc) I set the camera on and slightly behind my bed head (that way i do not see the LEDS shining when i'm on my back). With the LEDS fully on the motion detect can detect any body movement, at least i think it can. I've only done it once as i hate sleeping without covers.

You could also use any web cam and find another light source.

Thank you very much for the detailed reply and photos. That makes everything very clear.
O.

If you want something that sees in the dark but doesnt use light you can see, you can get a video baby monitor. they have proper night vision using light spectrum you cant see. so your room can be pitch black but the camera can still see everything fine. (similar to what most sleep labs use.) It would cost more that the webcam option already mentioned, but it doesnt shine light in your room either.

blakepro wrote:If you want something that sees in the dark but doesn't use light you can see, you can get a video baby monitor. they have proper night vision using light spectrum you cant see. so your room can be pitch black but the camera can still see everything fine. (similar to what most sleep labs use.) It would cost more that the webcam option already mentioned, but it doesnt shine light in your room either.

i couldn't find one that records though. They seem to be designed to just look at. Even if it did record you would have to watch your whole nights sleep in order to note the amount and times of your movements.

Uncle_Bob wrote:

blakepro wrote:If you want something that sees in the dark but doesn't use light you can see, you can get a video baby monitor. they have proper night vision using light spectrum you cant see. so your room can be pitch black but the camera can still see everything fine. (similar to what most sleep labs use.) It would cost more that the webcam option already mentioned, but it doesnt shine light in your room either.

i couldn't find one that records though. They seem to be designed to just look at. Even if it did record you would have to watch your whole nights sleep in order to note the amount and times of your movements.

Yeah, it would require a different set-up for sure. The baby monitor we have has a audio/video out jack that can be plugged into a VCR or computer video capture card so you could record that way. You would need to either keep your alarm clock in view of the camera, or set up the VCR / computer to timestamp the video feed to make it worthwhile.

The one we have is wireless so you could actually have the camera in your room, and the receiver next to your vcr or computer to make things a bit simpler.

ozij wrote:Thank you very much for the detailed reply and photos. That makes everything very clear.
O.

Uncle Bob sure posts interesting stuff.

I wonder if something like this would work. Kinda pricey (so doesn't belong in a "cheapest way to" thread, I guess), but interesting. It claims to have night-vision and motion-detection activation and to record standalone (without a computer) to an SD card, if I read the ad properly. . . .

http://www.brickhousesecurity.com/night ... amera.html

jnk wrote:http://www.brickhousesecurity.com/night ... amera.html

Oooo, Jeff, all the "spy stuff" on that website got me excited! When I was a kid, back in the days when secret agent television shows were all the rage, my friends and I had a Spy Club. I was the president. I should've pursued a career as a private investigator. I did work for the PI state licensing agency at one time. Not quite the same though.

DreamOn wrote:

jnk wrote:http://www.brickhousesecurity.com/night ... amera.html

Oooo, Jeff, all the "spy stuff" on that website got me excited! When I was a kid, back in the days when secret agent television shows were all the rage, my friends and I had a Spy Club. I was the president. I should've pursued a career as a private investigator. I did work for the PI state licensing agency at one time. Not quite the same though.

I can neither confirm nor deny any knowledge of the use of any such equipment, or similar equipment, past or present, for any purposes connected to, but not excluding, the diagnostic process of any medical condition, nor for the purposes of surveilance of possible nefarious activities outside my home or in the workplace. Upon the advice of counsel, I have decided to have no further recollection of information that may, or may not, relate to the subject at hand, and I must therefore, henceforth, assert my fifth amendment privilege in said matters.

lol... wont it be freaky if you start recording and you notice "paranormal" activities like in the movie