SurveillanceSaver is a screensaver which shows live images of over 400 network surveillance cameras worldwide. Yep, when your computer is idle you’ll get to see a live feed of what’s going on in other parts of the world. It’s quite fascinating because of the voyeuristic element involved but also surreal because it compresses time-space.
Something is happening right at the moment elsewhere and you are a witness to it. It is real but since it’s only an image, you tend to question its verity a little more than what you see with your eyes. Sometimes I can’t bear to look away from the screen because I’m always expecting something to happen just that moment, maybe a car accident or a cute girl would enter into the frame.
It’s these thoughts that make this screensaver (and surveillance) quite an intriguing process.
Download Links
1. OS X version
Since I’m running a Windows setup, I installed the screensaver for a test. Ran a check and there weren’t any spyware or viruses. Everytime the screensaver runs, it shows a different image. It cycles through the cameras so you can actually sit down at your desk and look at multiple cities/locations at once.
I really like that fact that city, location and longitude/latitude is included in the bottom of the screensaver. The images aren’t very clear and some of them are difficult to see in the night but most of them are rather interesting. You’ll get to see traffic stops, shopping malls, residences, playgrounds, pools, churches and backyards.
It’s definitely a lot more interesting than the usual screensavers, especially when you get to see people walking around and doing stuff.
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what countries are the various scenes located in
It would be great to know the cities
this is really addictive.. I have groups of folks around my machine taking bets on what city or country is coming up next. and the camera has to be active for the bet to validate. love this, going to try and add my own cameras, or find a site that can add cameras.
There are few things i love more than this. My girlfriend watch this on our plasma for hours. Bravo.
Can only hope more feeds will be added.
It is not about voyeurism to me – it is just so interesting to see time zones, weather conditions and what is really going in the world in real time.
Much more like watching 16 lanes of trafic at the I5 405 merge in LA and knowing that every car is a life, story… universe.
Thank you!
i have a mac. i downloaded and installed as per the instructions and it doesnt work for me. the screensaver test just keeps saying there are no pictures in the folder. :( what am i doing wrong?
Same problem here on the Mac front. Downloaded, copied to screen saver library and then activated in System Preferences. Screen stays black. What’s up?
I am running Mac OS 10.5.2 on a 1.6G Intel Core Duo MacBook Air.
sa marche pas
will not work on my mac OS X 10.4.11. Same problem as Adam.
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Works.. Pretty Cool (OSX 10.5)
Is there any way to select the locations or times through them. Seem to get the same ones at the same times.
I have the imac running Leopard 10.5 and it is great. I wish it had a setting for the time limit to switch. Sometimes is seems a while before it changes.
The Screen Saver is an awesome concept. The basic idea reminds me of statements made a few years ago by local author, William Gibson, when the hot topic was “500 Channels Of 24/7 TV.”
William suggested that some of those channels be devoted to the CCTV
dedicated to the x-raying of airport luggage. Endless pans across the
contents of endless luggage bags being x-rayed. Wonderful idea, I thought….
An OSX Widget would also be nice.
Thank you for the cool software!
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