Best microcontroller camera? (Raspberry pi, Arduino etc...)

[Safari]

When I came to this board, one of the first things I read here was, "security cameras are like rabbits, they reproduce rapidly". Which I quickly found to be accurate information. My initial plan was 2-3 cameras for a small warehouse. I'm now up to 5 cameras and looking to expand once again

But I'm now interested in building my own security camera/bodycam/webcam with a Raspberry Pi, Arduino or one of the 15 -or more- of the Raspberry Pi alternatives. Partly because it's slightly cheaper to build your own, and allows me to buy and add/update modules later. But aside from it being a nice hobby, it would also be nice to be able to cheaply repair broken down cameras instead of buying new ones. Why toss a good $100-$200 camera if a $20 part can simply be replaced?.

I want the board to be capable of adding a Sony IMX low light camera module, or something similar, and view the camera locally over a Android app or web browser. I think most of these boards run Linux, so free software will be endless

The question is.... which microcontroller board makes the best security camera?.

Any advice is appreciated

 

[samplenhold]

So basically you are contemplating building a cam, much like building a desktop PC, except that you will have to build the firmware also.

I can't answer your question about the board, sorry.

 

[Safari]

So basically you are contemplating building a cam, much like building a desktop PC, except that you will have to build the firmware also.

I can't answer your question about the board, sorry.

No problem. There are specialized experts here that can extensively answer it. I started to research it myself, but thought it would be far less time consuming to come here and get specific questions answered, than sift through the pages of information.

 

[Safari]

So basically you are contemplating building a cam, much like building a desktop PC, except that you will have to build the firmware also.

I can't answer your question about the board, sorry.

I believe all the firmware/ software is free

 

[samplenhold]

I believe all the firmware/ software is free

Firmware is very cam specific. I doubt that you can find firmware that will run your self-designed cam. What about a web interface? Those are quite specialized also.

 

[Safari]

Firmware is very cam specific. I doubt that you can find firmware that will run your self-designed cam. What about a web interface? Those are quite specialized also.

I'm not familiar with any of this, I'm presuming hypothetical problems -which always arise-, and looking for answers to them before I even start.

Everyone familiar with building cameras with these microcontrollers will understand what specific problems im referring to, even if I don't. They will be common systems related questions.

I presume the Sony IMX camera module will come with it's own software. But even if it does not, there has to be a way use it with 3rd party software.

For example I have used TinyCam Monitor with every camera I have, even with ad-hoc Android phone cams used with the IP Webcam app, that turns your phone's camera into a IP camera.

My question is clearly stated. "Which microcontroller board (there are about 15 that lm aware of) is best suited for building a IP security camera."

I will concern myself with software after I chose my microcontroller. There are many hundreds of free apps I can test out after I get the most expensive part of this problem out of the way.

 

[garycrist]

Here look this over. The people that make the cameras we recommend the most, have floors of engineers
working on the software /firmware.

Dahau just opened up their new headquarters because of expansion.
Here is a link to some board cams etc.
I do not think you will be able to make a better and cheaper mouse trap.

IP Camera Board

Network Camera Solutions

ipcameraboard.com

 

[Safari]

Here look this over. The people that make the cameras we recommend the most, have floors of engineers
working on the software /firmware.

Dahau just opened up their new headquarters because of expansion.
Here is a link to some board cams etc.
I do not think you will be able to make a better and cheaper mouse trap.

IP Camera Board

Network Camera Solutions

ipcameraboard.com

Thanks, those are some of the Sony Starvis modules I'm looking for. But I will buy them on Amazon. I'm actually looking for the proper PC board to plug those cameras in to. Maybe I'll just get a Raspberry Pi and hope for the best results

 

[ipcamuser11]

If you want to build a camera by yourself, buy standard 38x38mm camera modules and housing, there are many choices, with different SoCs, sensors and lens, much cheaper than a rasberrypi

 

[Safari]

If you want to build a camera by yourself, buy standard 38x38mm camera modules and housing, there are many choices, with different SoCs, sensors and lens, much cheaper than a rasberrypi

I'll look into that. Thanks

After discussions on YouTube it appears one of my best choices is a Arducam camera module connected to any microcontroller. The Raspberry Pi (or one of the many other Pi's) will work fine since its easily within my budget, and the endless software is free. The Pi also functions as a mini Linux PC in your pocket. Nice added benefit for the price

Arducam utilizes the Sony Starvis IMX sensor, very impressive in low light. And it comes with a USB connection option so it can be used in any USB port, including a PC as a webcam, or a android phone using a OTG adapter cable and special software like "USB camera".

Using an old android phone with the Arducam module will consolidate a few of my problems. It functions as a cheap ad-hoc wireless IP security camera (using the IP Webcam app), as a bodycam (preferably with airplane mode turned ON to avoid slowly frying myself in wireless cellular radiation), or as a dashcam.

So I think step 1. will be to get the Arducam module and set it up on one of my 10+ old android phones to test it out. Step 2. will be to connect it to a Raspberry Pi or similar microcontroller and see how that works.

 

[TonyR]

It functions as a cheap ad-hoc wireless IP security camera (using the IP Webcam app), as a bodycam (preferably with airplane mode turned ON to avoid slowly frying myself in wireless cellular radiation), or as a dashcam.

You're kidding about the "frying myself in wireless cellular radiation", right?

 

[eggsan]

maybe that's why I forget so many things…but wait, I'm turning 65

 

[TonyR]

maybe that's why I forget so many things…but wait, I'm turning 65

I hear ya.
I can name the names of a dozen or more kids in my first grade class but not sure what I had for breakfast yesterday....a year ago I could remember breakfast TWO days ago....not now, not without a lot of thought...I turned 74 in Feb. myself.

"Use it or lose it", they say....I'm tryin' to use it but it seems I'm losing it anyway.

 

[Safari]

You're kidding about the "frying myself in wireless cellular radiation", right?

Of course I'm not kidding

I'm not too worried about talking on a cellphone a few times a day for 10-20 minutes (I mostly text). I'm worried about walking or riding around all day with a cellphone bodycam against by body while it emits cellular radiation into my body. That's just basic common sense.

Although the famous OJ Simpson attorney Johnnie Cochran died of brain cancer, and those close to him said he was talking on his cellphone for hours every day.

Google

Moskowitz: Cellphone radiation is harmful, but few want to believe it
By Anne Brice, Berkeley News

"A big reason there isn’t more research about the health risks of radiofrequency radiation exposure is because the U.S. government stopped funding this research in the 1990s, with the exception of a $30 million rodent study published in 2018 by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences’ National Toxicology Program, which found “clear evidence” of carcinogenicity from cellphone radiation."

"In 1996, the Federal Communications Commission, or FCC, adopted exposure guidelines that limited the intensity of exposure to radiofrequency radiation. These guidelines were designed to prevent significant heating of tissue from short-term exposure to radiofrequency radiation, not to protect us from the effects of long-term exposure to low levels of modulated, or pulsed, radiofrequency radiation, which is produced by cellphones, cordless phones and other wireless devices, including Wi-Fi. Yet, the preponderance of research published since 1990 finds adverse biologic and health effects from long-term exposure to radiofrequency radiation, including DNA damage."

"More than 250 scientists, who have published over 2,000 papers and letters in professional journals on the biologic and health effects of non-ionizing electromagnetic fields produced by wireless devices, including cellphones, have signed the International EMF Scientist Appeal, which calls for health warnings and stronger exposure limits. So, there are many scientists who agree that this radiation is harmful to our health."

 

[eggsan]

“Cell phones emit low levels of radio frequency energy, a type of non-ionizing radiation. The available scientific data on exposure to radio frequency energy show no categorical proof of any adverse biological effects other than tissue heating.” Nov 3, 2022

Cell Phones and Cancer Risk Fact Sheet

A fact sheet that outlines the available evidence regarding use of cellular/mobile telephones and cancer risk.

www.cancer.gov