JumiCam, from Jumi, is one of several utilities in the App Store capable of streaming video from a Web cam to the iPhone (via Wi-Fi, 3G or EDGE) and to iPod touch (via Wi-Fi only).

Home-oriented Web cam apps like JumiCam require your installing a video server (invariably free) on your PC. I haven’t reviewed a version with a video server that runs on Mac or Linux, but I’d be surprised if none existed but you need to check that out for yourself.

JumiCam is no different than any other Webcam app that I’ve seen intended to stream video from a Web cam attached to a home PC. Dare I mention you almost always need a Web cam plugged into one of your your PC’s USB ports?

Once the server software is installed and the Web cam jacked in,  you can view live video and take single-image snapshots using JumiCam.

If you would like to be able to remotely stop and start your Web cam and record video, then you’ll need to step up to an app such as Sunray Networks’ AtHome Camera, which I liked quite a bit when I reviewed it in February. You’ll pay for the added features (no surprise, I guess) but the complementary (and free) server is more capable. AtHome Camera is $5.99.

There’s a free Lite version of AtHome Camera (no remote start/stop recording) that makes for a balanced comparison to JumiCam’s free Lite version (Wi-Fi only), so you might want to give those a try too.

If you want to look through at IP-based network cameras—typically in public locations—which you can also pan, zoom and tilt, that’s a separate category of app. In that instance, give Live Cams (Spy Camera—Pan Tilt Zoom) a try for $0.99. If you want to take in the view from a few IP cameras at the same time, check out IP Vision for $7.99.

The typical Web cam apps won’t work with IP-based network cameras but a couple of apps serve double duty with Web cam and IP-network cams. Mobile Cam View Standard is one option if you have $99.99 to drop.

Here’s a demo of Jumicam from the Jumi website:

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category: Editor's Picks, Round-Up, Utilities