DIY WiFi Cam Tutorial

[I Like Cake]

4 hours ago, Epictek300 said:

Are you using the Pi as a hub? Have you tried portforwarding port 80?

https://github.com/ccrisan/motioneyeos/blob/master/board/common/overlay/etc/motioneye.conf shows the default port as port 80

Yep. even tried changing the default port in the motioneye software and forwarding that port instead but it didn't work.

[Sleeepy2]

8 hours ago, Epictek300 said:

The Pi should be set as fast network cam and recording should be done on the hub itself.

I can't set the Pi to use fast network cam because I am actually using 2 USB cameras and the original post say that fast network cam doesn't work with USB cameras.

The recording on the hub is the problem I am having. Maybe I set up the hub wrong... I created a debian VM on my windows pc and mounted the windows share and that works fine.

I open motionEye on the Hub, and added my 2 cameras as Remote motionEye Cameras and I can see them fine. From the hub motionEye web interface I select my camera and then open File Storage. It has 2 options SC16G 0x1c62ce00 (/dev/mmcblk...) and Custom Path. I selected Custom Path and then typed in my folder path in the Root Directory section.

But when videos or images are saved, they get saved to the Pi and not to the hub folder.

 

I assume I am missing a step or something...

 

[Epictek300]

On 06/06/2018 at 11:05 PM, I Like Cake said:

Yep. even tried changing the default port in the motioneye software and forwarding that port instead but it didn't work.

In the Expert Settings section of the settings panel you will find a few log files, could you share them with hastebin, preferably after you get the error. Also maybe make an issue in the github repo.
https://github.com/ccrisan/motioneyeos/wiki/Reporting-An-Issue

 

 

On 07/06/2018 at 2:51 AM, Sleeepy2 said:

I can't set the Pi to use fast network cam because I am actually using 2 USB cameras and the original post say that fast network cam doesn't work with USB cameras.

The recording on the hub is the problem I am having. Maybe I set up the hub wrong... I created a debian VM on my windows pc and mounted the windows share and that works fine.

I open motionEye on the Hub, and added my 2 cameras as Remote motionEye Cameras and I can see them fine. From the hub motionEye web interface I select my camera and then open File Storage. It has 2 options SC16G 0x1c62ce00 (/dev/mmcblk...) and Custom Path. I selected Custom Path and then typed in my folder path in the Root Directory section.

But when videos or images are saved, they get saved to the Pi and not to the hub folder.

 

I assume I am missing a step or something...

 

Hmm this is very confusing, unless something has changed with motoneyeos since I last used it you shouldn't be seeing the file storage system of the camera, are you sure you are accessing the corret motioneye host? Also the connecting to the windows share sounds a bit unnecessary you should probably save locally to the VM and share that folder with the host.

[RickVJF]

OK I dug down and  built this (took 3 days with myself and son doing it.  We built two cameras which work great with moderate overclock nice frame rate.  The Rasp 3 is our hub and it hooks to a spare desktop i had with 4TB USB storage to fill.  I am experiencing long periods of working ~15-18hours followed by  hangs of the pi3  how should i engage to debug?  Suggestions appreciated and thanks Linus and crew for the suggestion of my new security rig!

 

-RickF

[Epictek300]

6 hours ago, RickVJF said:

OK I dug down and  built this (took 3 days with myself and son doing it.  We built two cameras which work great with moderate overclock nice frame rate.  The Rasp 3 is our hub and it hooks to a spare desktop i had with 4TB USB storage to fill.  I am experiencing long periods of working ~15-18hours followed by  hangs of the pi3  how should i engage to debug?  Suggestions appreciated and thanks Linus and crew for the suggestion of my new security rig!

 

-RickF

Attach a display, see if any errors appear. Maybe look at the log files? Is the Pi cool enough?

[Sleeepy2]

On 2018-06-08 at 12:57 PM, Epictek300 said:

Hmm this is very confusing, unless something has changed with motoneyeos since I last used it you shouldn't be seeing the file storage system of the camera, are you sure you are accessing the corret motioneye host? Also the connecting to the windows share sounds a bit unnecessary you should probably save locally to the VM and share that folder with the host.

Maybe that's the difference, I am not using motioneyeOS I am just using the motioneye software as I have my pi doing other things as well. Using the motioneyeOS can only do motioneye stuff... 

 

The windows share is being shared with the VM host and that is the issue.

 

Play around a little I think I understand what happens and it might be different if you are using motioneyeOS. Basically the hub just allows you to view and change the settings of various motioneye cameras. All of the motion tracking and file saving is done at the actual camera OS. The hub just makes it easier to see and manage more than 1 at a time however all processing and saving is done at the camera.

If you use motioneyeOS it has 3 options to save images the first in the drop down I believe is the SD card SC16G 0x1c62ce00 (/dev/mmcblk...), the second is a custom path, and the third is a network share.

If you use just motioneye software on a different OS then there are only 2 options and that does not include the network share. 

So in my case I would need to mount the windows share on the camera (not the hub) and select the custom path and save it to there.

[Merdonissane]

Hello,

 

After getting this all set up and running, how do i safely turn off the Raspberry pi running MotioneyeOS?  I have a single Pi 3 with camera running, and using a browser on my desktop computer.  I have the Raspberry Pi plugged into its own monitor and the "googled" shut off commands do not work.

 

Kindly advise,

M

[Epictek300]

19 hours ago, Merdonissane said:

Hello,

 

After getting this all set up and running, how do i safely turn off the Raspberry pi running MotioneyeOS?  I have a single Pi 3 with camera running, and using a browser on my desktop computer.  I have the Raspberry Pi plugged into its own monitor and the "googled" shut off commands do not work.

 

Kindly advise,

M

There is no need to, The system partitions are set to read-only so will not corrupt.

[JRsz]

Hi,

 

the 3D models do not really work for me, they are a tiny bit too small. Is it possible to provide the files and maybe a software recommendation (free preferred) to alter the model slightly and adjust a few things?

 

 

[jakethetechy]

Anyone know what kind of fake CCTV housing was used? I want to make sure everything will fit and to have an enclosure that can withstand some rain.

[kgft36]

Thank you guys for this. Made my account just to post my thanks! I got my old Pi 2b+ setup as a hub server, with two pi 0/w kits coming with wide angle IR cams. I plugged in a webcam into the hub server for testing and it worked flawlessly. Gonna make my own mount for this, if it works out I'll post them.

[Mayoraladrian]

On 5/15/2018 at 11:46 AM, mlow said:

If you are going to wire it in, why not use a real PC of some kind with an actual CPU. Like even an old laptop with a broken display, those are super cheap on eBay. The benefits of a SBC are marginal and niche when you commit it to a wired connection. May as well use a full x86 CPU that can do work. Or in my case I'd just make a Docker for it, and use old cheap broken screen phones for the cams, 3d print a case/mount. Benefit is built in everything you could need including backup battery. Bet you could get better quality setup for several cams under $50 total.

I would like to see that attached to the corner of the front door!

[TheBean]

if i use a pi 3b+ as only device for encoding and recording etc, what is the max frame rate/res that i can get if i oc the pi? i wanted to reduce cost, but also get good frame rate/res so instead of pi zero w/ pi 3b+ i was going to do just the pi 3b+. 

@jakkuh_t

[Redsky1404]

i get an error, it says, configuring wired network: false, then reboot, loops, with the same problem everytime.

 

[Surufka]

Question:

 

I have a D&D game that has been running with a single player that plays remotely via Google Hangouts.  Its a pain because we need 2 separate computers, 1 computer using its on-board webcam and the other using an external webcam to view the tabletop, as well as a microphone from one of them.

 

Is there a way to follow this guide, but implement it so that someone off network (i.e. in another state) could access view of these cameras?  Would it be possible for 2 people to access them at the same time?

 

Thanks a bunch.

 

EDIT: It would only be used for live video, no recording.

[kgft36]

So I got my old Pi 2B wired into my router as a hub, and got my first Pi 0/w setup and its all working fine. The FPS seems a little slow-- averaging 5 instead of the targeted 10. But that's ok. My real problem is being unable to connect my hub to my PC shared drive on the same network. So right now I only have a live cam and not any constant recording. Can anyone walk through getting the hub server connected to a Windows or Mac over the netwrok for storage?

[imajared]

Has anyone got this working with Google Home voice control streaming to chromecast? Only thing stopping me from doing this myself.

[Zageron]

Got a pi3b + pi0w camera set-up for timelapse on a construction project. It works quite well, though the image quality isn't stellar. Super fun to set up! Have the images saving right to a network storage drive, grab images I want off of it at the end of the day and build a timelapse. Takes maybe 30 minutes tops.

 

Thanks for the guide!

[jakkuh_t]

On 6/28/2018 at 12:11 PM, Surufka said:

Question:

 

I have a D&D game that has been running with a single player that plays remotely via Google Hangouts.  Its a pain because we need 2 separate computers, 1 computer using its on-board webcam and the other using an external webcam to view the tabletop, as well as a microphone from one of them.

 

Is there a way to follow this guide, but implement it so that someone off network (i.e. in another state) could access view of these cameras?  Would it be possible for 2 people to access them at the same time?

 

Thanks a bunch.

 

EDIT: It would only be used for live video, no recording.

 

If you changed the port of the web server via advanced settings, and then port forwarded that port - yes, they could access it remotely.

[Zageron]

On 6/28/2018 at 12:11 PM, Surufka said:

Question:

 

I have a D&D game that has been running with a single player that plays remotely via Google Hangouts.  Its a pain because we need 2 separate computers, 1 computer using its on-board webcam and the other using an external webcam to view the tabletop, as well as a microphone from one of them.

 

Is there a way to follow this guide, but implement it so that someone off network (i.e. in another state) could access view of these cameras?  Would it be possible for 2 people to access them at the same time?

 

Thanks a bunch.

 

EDIT: It would only be used for live video, no recording.

Though be aware, you will have to do some major performance tweaking. (Maybe using a more powerful RP3b for the camera.)

On my set-up there is an 8 second delay to my phone.

 

@jakkuh_t Did you encounter this and have a solution? Feed is 2K video because the 1080p video was too poor quality when post processing.

[jakkuh_t]

22 hours ago, Zageron said:

Though be aware, you will have to do some major performance tweaking. (Maybe using a more powerful RP3b for the camera.)

On my set-up there is an 8 second delay to my phone.

 

@jakkuh_t Did you encounter this and have a solution? Feed is 2K video because the 1080p video was too poor quality when post processing.

Never experienced that, sorry.

[klop2031]

On 5/15/2018 at 1:39 AM, jakkuh_t said:

I think I got everything... if you have any questions, ask below

 

------

 

The first step is to decide what you want your setup to be, as you'll need to know how many parts to order. There is a few different options, and once you've chosen, click on the parts list for your respective setup.

 

1. Single Camera w/o hub server

• Parts list:
    Reveal hidden contents

  1. Raspberry Pi Zero W (kit)
     • If you purchase a kit make sure it includes the accessories below, otherwise you must purchase them separately.
     • Accessories required: 2.5A micro USB power supply, 4+ GB Micro SD card (get a MUCH bigger one if you plan on storing footage on camera), Pi Zero ribbon cable adapter, mini HDMi adapter (necessary to troubleshoot), and a Micro SD reader.
  2. Camera
     • There's several types such as, wide angle, infrared, and just regular ones.
  3. Camera Housing
     • Download ours to 3D print
       • If you don't have a 3D printer, you could have the parts printed by a company like Shapeways.
     • Buy one
• Pros
  • Least expensive setup
• Cons
  • Lower attainable FPS/res

2. Single Camera w/ hub server - *RECOMMENDED*

• Parts list:
    Reveal hidden contents

  1. Camera Parts:
     1. Raspberry Pi Zero W (kit)
        • If you purchase a kit make sure it includes the accessories below, otherwise purchase them seperately.
        • Accessories required: 2.5A micro USB power supply, 4+ GB Micro SD card (get a MUCH bigger one if you plan on storing footage on camera), Pi Zero ribbon cable adapter, mini HDMi adapter (necessary to troubleshoot), and a Micro SD reader.
     2. Camera
        • There's several types such as, wide angle, infrared, and just regular ones.
     3. Camera Housing
        • Download ours to 3D print
          • If you don't have a 3D printer, you could have the parts printed by a company like Shapeways.
        • Buy one
  2. Hub Server Parts:
     1. Raspberry Pi 3 (or better) (kit)
        • If you purchase a kit make sure it includes the accessories below, otherwise you must purchase them separately.
        • Accessories required: 2.5A micro USB power supply, and a 4+ GB Micro SD card (get a MUCH bigger one if you plan on storing footage on the hub server).
     2. An Ethernet cable to plug it in
• Pros
  • allows for future expandability
  • higher attainable FPS/res
  • more reliable vs. no hub
• Cons
  • costs more (you have to buy a second Raspi)

3. Multiple Cameras w/ hub server - *RECOMMENDED*

• Parts list:
    Reveal hidden contents

  1. Camera Parts (multiply by the amount of cameras you want):
     1. Raspberry Pi Zero W (kit)
        • If you purchase a kit make sure it includes the accessories below, otherwise purchase them seperately.
        • Accessories required: 2.5A micro USB power supply, 4+ GB Micro SD card (get a MUCH bigger one if you plan on storing footage on camera), Pi Zero ribbon cable adapter, mini HDMi adapter (necessary to troubleshoot), and a Micro SD reader.
     2. Camera
        • There's several types such as, wide angle, infrared, and just regular ones.
     3. Camera Housing
        • Download ours to 3D print
          • If you don't have a 3D printer, you could have the parts printed by a company like Shapeways.
        • Buy one
  2. Hub Server Parts:
     1. Raspberry Pi 3 (or better) (kit)
        • If you purchase a kit make sure it includes the accessories below, otherwise you must purchase them separately.
        • Accessories required: 2.5A micro USB power supply, and a 4+ GB Micro SD card (get a MUCH bigger one if you plan on storing footage on the hub server)
        • Optional: USB HDD to store footage
     2. An Ethernet cable to plug it in
• Pros
  • higher attainable FPS/res
  • more reliable vs. no hub
• Cons
  • cost (lol, 2 cameras + hub is still cheaper than a Nest cam)

4. Multiple cameras w/ a desktop computer as a hub

• This is a setup that you can build, but I haven't investigated it yet, so stay tuned on this.

 

My recommendation is to have a hub server regardless of the number of cameras to ensure the best possible image quality, but if your budget doesn't permit, a single camera w/o a hub server can still work decently.

 

 

Click on the header for your desired setup to see the actual DIY steps.

Love the tutorial! I actually was able to get about 20fps on my little pie zeros. 

 

Here is my setup:

• 2 raspberry pi zero w (wireless)
• 1 Odroid XU4 (wired)
• 2 IR cameras found in original link
• Hyper Tough Camera (for my front yard) 
• Outdoor Receptacle cover (I purchased a slightly different one) This is for my backyard

 

I have made some improvements over the original video. In the video and tutorial they show them gluing the camera to the dummy camera "leds". I decided I would remove this so I don't damage my camera and can include one of the IR diodes as shown here:https://imgur.com/a/WhJlHvL

Spoiler

 

 

As we can see I pinned the camera to the glass to reduce IR reflection and to keep the camera in place without using tape/glue.

 

 

 

 

I also was able to reach in upwards of 20fps recording at 1024x768 which is slightly higher than 720p

Just follow the tutorial but you set this resolution and fps. Then in each pi zero you must set the quality to a lower value under video device. I have set mine to about 10%. This will greatly improve your FPS. I honestly can't remember where I read about lowering the quality value while still retaining good quality, it was on the github for motioneye. Under movies I set the quality to about 30% so I don't overload my XU4.

 

Here is the settings:

Spoiler

 

 

We can see that I am getting 14 and 11 fps here, but many times I get 20 depending on whats going on and my motion settings.

 

Give it a shot and see how it goes.

 

[jakkuh_t]

22 hours ago, klop2031 said:

 

This is awesome! I'm glad you're happy with the setup

[Xephrew]

I was browsing around for an outdoor enclosure and then came across this software: Kerberos ( https://kerberos.io/ ).

 

Has anyone tried it or know more about it compared to MotionEyeOS?

[jakkuh_t]

On 29/07/2018 at 5:25 AM, Xephrew said:

I was browsing around for an outdoor enclosure and then came across this software: Kerberos ( https://kerberos.io/ ).

 

Has anyone tried it or know more about it compared to MotionEyeOS?

Haven't tried it but that looks pretty awesome.