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Got an old phone? Homeowners turn old cell phones into home security cameras

DALLAS -- It is common day crime fighting. A camera, capturing people on your porch and making it possible to share and shame them online. Home surveillance can be costly, and it takes time to set up. To protect her home in the Cedars, Linda Garner is using something most of us already have inside our house, collecting dust. "I was listening to the radio and they were talking about what you can do with your old smartphones, and you can re-purpose them as surveillance," said Garner. This is the next wave of security run through apps. Find one you like and download it on two phones. The one you use daily becomes the 'viewer', and the old phone becomes the 'camera.' All you need is WiFi and an outlet. Several of the apps are free, though you can buy more video storage space or pay to not see advertisements. But just like the big name systems, the app we tried sends alerts to the main phone when there’s motion, at a cost of zero dollars. Garner says her HOA is considering looping all neighbors into the system, so they can look out for each other. All they need to do is remember where they stashed that old phone. "I just figured I’d go the easiest and cheapest route, and I’m pleased," said Garner.
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