[Motion-user] [Motion] Outdoor Video Capture

[<dd...@sb...>]

I'd like to design and install a home surveillance system for myself. 
As for the major components, (I think) I'll need: four cameras (one
mounted at each corner of the house), some kind of video capture card
possibly with some type of USB extenders, and the Motion software.  I
might buy a cheap PC and install Linux solely for the home surveillance
system.

Now, it's not quite clear to me how exactly I go about selecting the
hardware components.  I did begin reading the documentation, but it's
too confusing and it requires too much time to read it all.  It would be
nice if there was an overview pictorial showing how such a system could
be configured.  (Yes, I would be willing to create such diagrams.  But,
of course, I would need to understand how such a system can be designed
in the first place.)

Essentially, is it possible spend under $500US for all the necessary
hardware (excluding the PC)?

I'd also like to hear from those of you out there who already have a
similar system installed: what hardware are you using?  how difficult
was it to get the system running?  what was the cost?

Feel free to add/suggest other tasty tidbits of information.

DPD