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  1. Home
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  3. Camera as a sensor

Camera as a sensor

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  • M Offline
    M Offline
    Mickey
    wrote on last edited by Mickey
    #20

    http://www.aliexpress.com/item/LYNEW-Portable-Mini-Wireless-wifi-Router-3G-4G-Hotspot-Wifi-Hotspot-support-3G-USB-modems/32257312139.html
    Today there are openwrt enable modules on aliexpress that start from below 8$ that can be attached to mjpg usb camera and can take pictures and streams with less than 10$ price tag.

    Moshe LivneM 1 Reply Last reply
    0
    • M Mickey

      http://www.aliexpress.com/item/LYNEW-Portable-Mini-Wireless-wifi-Router-3G-4G-Hotspot-Wifi-Hotspot-support-3G-USB-modems/32257312139.html
      Today there are openwrt enable modules on aliexpress that start from below 8$ that can be attached to mjpg usb camera and can take pictures and streams with less than 10$ price tag.

      Moshe LivneM Offline
      Moshe LivneM Offline
      Moshe Livne
      Hero Member
      wrote on last edited by
      #21

      @Mickey this device is a gsm hotspot generator. it connects to a USB GSM dongle and allows you to connect to it either wired or wirelessly. I have never seen devices like the ones you mention. they could be a good solution

      axillentA 1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • Moshe LivneM Moshe Livne

        @Mickey this device is a gsm hotspot generator. it connects to a USB GSM dongle and allows you to connect to it either wired or wirelessly. I have never seen devices like the ones you mention. they could be a good solution

        axillentA Offline
        axillentA Offline
        axillent
        Mod
        wrote on last edited by axillent
        #22

        @Moshe-Livne said:

        @Mickey this device is a gsm hotspot generator. it connects to a USB GSM dongle and allows you to connect to it either wired or wirelessly. I have never seen devices like the ones you mention. they could be a good solution

        do not stick to it's original application
        the idea is that open-wrt can run on this small things. Open-wrt is a linux type system, you can program it very similar to RPI
        it is very cool if any camera working example exists for open-wrt

        sense and drive

        Moshe LivneM 1 Reply Last reply
        0
        • bjornhallbergB bjornhallberg

          I have one (soon two) RPi with camera modules that take pictures and store / send to Pushbullet when a certain MySensors PIR is triggered. Has worked pretty well for the past year. and a Pi + Camera is still reasonably cheap plus it's a "real" computer so it can do anything with the camera and images. And the Pi camera is still pretty good, unless you happen to get a real bad clone from Ebay or something. Hardly worth it. I don't know how good these cameras in the store are, but I doubt they come anywhere near the simplicity and guaranteed quality of the Pi camera module.

          IMG_20140618_194231.jpg

          If you like, you can also use the "motion" package on the Pi, but that will be a real hassle with false triggers and all. The cheap PIR motion sensors have worked surprisingly well. It's more a question of positioning them right so you don't have problems with sunlight, fireworks, curious magpies etc.

          I have my RPi inside camera housings I got from AliExpress. There are a couple there that are pretty good. I think finding a bracket can be more of a challenge. I have J-brackets that fit under the eaves.

          I have the raspimjpeg script running on the Pi btw. You could just use raspistill I suppose but it's nice to be able to manually view the camera feed from the browser and have remote control at your fingertips. Hell, you could even get one of those motorized RPi things that are able to turn the camera.

          I have a sort of Power Over Ethernet going for my cameras btw.

          axillentA Offline
          axillentA Offline
          axillent
          Mod
          wrote on last edited by
          #23

          @bjornhallberg very nice setup! my congratulations!
          for DIY you did it pretty well
          but cost vise I do not see how this can be more efficient comparing to foscam

          sense and drive

          bjornhallbergB 1 Reply Last reply
          0
          • axillentA axillent

            @Moshe-Livne said:

            @Mickey this device is a gsm hotspot generator. it connects to a USB GSM dongle and allows you to connect to it either wired or wirelessly. I have never seen devices like the ones you mention. they could be a good solution

            do not stick to it's original application
            the idea is that open-wrt can run on this small things. Open-wrt is a linux type system, you can program it very similar to RPI
            it is very cool if any camera working example exists for open-wrt

            Moshe LivneM Offline
            Moshe LivneM Offline
            Moshe Livne
            Hero Member
            wrote on last edited by
            #24

            @axillent Oh, still not used to thinking this way. This is beyond the (very limited) limits of my knowledge.... can be great.... total setup fee of ~15$

            1 Reply Last reply
            0
            • M Offline
              M Offline
              Mickey
              wrote on last edited by
              #25

              @Moshe-Livne said:

              @axillent Oh, still not used to thinking this way. This is beyond the (very limited) limits of my knowledge.... can be great.... total setup fee of ~15$

              I have an example of this just with tl-wr703n but the one I posted from aliexpress is just the same:
              openwrt webcam

              Moshe LivneM 1 Reply Last reply
              0
              • M Mickey

                @Moshe-Livne said:

                @axillent Oh, still not used to thinking this way. This is beyond the (very limited) limits of my knowledge.... can be great.... total setup fee of ~15$

                I have an example of this just with tl-wr703n but the one I posted from aliexpress is just the same:
                openwrt webcam

                Moshe LivneM Offline
                Moshe LivneM Offline
                Moshe Livne
                Hero Member
                wrote on last edited by
                #26

                @Mickey very good and detailed article. I have several of the GSM modems (that I now understand are not GSM modems at all) somewhere so i'll see if they can be flashed with openwrt. should be fuuuunnnn.

                M 1 Reply Last reply
                0
                • Moshe LivneM Moshe Livne

                  @Mickey very good and detailed article. I have several of the GSM modems (that I now understand are not GSM modems at all) somewhere so i'll see if they can be flashed with openwrt. should be fuuuunnnn.

                  M Offline
                  M Offline
                  Mickey
                  wrote on last edited by Mickey
                  #27

                  @Moshe-Livne said:

                  @Mickey very good and detailed article. I have several of the GSM modems (that I now understand are not GSM modems at all) somewhere so i'll see if they can be flashed with openwrt. should be fuuuunnnn.

                  Notice that the one I posted from aliexpress have its own procedure to flash openwrt on. Be careful not to brick your module...

                  1 Reply Last reply
                  0
                  • axillentA axillent

                    @bjornhallberg very nice setup! my congratulations!
                    for DIY you did it pretty well
                    but cost vise I do not see how this can be more efficient comparing to foscam

                    bjornhallbergB Offline
                    bjornhallbergB Offline
                    bjornhallberg
                    Hero Member
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #28

                    @axillent
                    @Moshe-Livne

                    Yeah, it is perhaps not the most economical solution. Probably closer to $100 per unit. Foscams have probably become better and cheaper since last I looked. Personally I'd rather have more control over my setup. Like how the housing is ventilated. Plus all the fun of building and figuring things out. Of course I don't get night vision, but I figured it is better to trigger a relay to turn on some floodlights or whatnot that will give intruders some warning. No use being sneaky about it.

                    But yes, it would be really interesting if someone could come up with a really cheap battery powered solution.

                    M 1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • bjornhallbergB bjornhallberg

                      @axillent
                      @Moshe-Livne

                      Yeah, it is perhaps not the most economical solution. Probably closer to $100 per unit. Foscams have probably become better and cheaper since last I looked. Personally I'd rather have more control over my setup. Like how the housing is ventilated. Plus all the fun of building and figuring things out. Of course I don't get night vision, but I figured it is better to trigger a relay to turn on some floodlights or whatnot that will give intruders some warning. No use being sneaky about it.

                      But yes, it would be really interesting if someone could come up with a really cheap battery powered solution.

                      M Offline
                      M Offline
                      Mickey
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #29

                      @bjornhallberg said:

                      @axillent
                      @Moshe-Livne

                      Yeah, it is perhaps not the most economical solution. Probably closer to $100 per unit. Foscams have probably become better and cheaper since last I looked. Personally I'd rather have more control over my setup. Like how the housing is ventilated. Plus all the fun of building and figuring things out. Of course I don't get night vision, but I figured it is better to trigger a relay to turn on some floodlights or whatnot that will give intruders some warning. No use being sneaky about it.

                      But yes, it would be really interesting if someone could come up with a really cheap battery powered solution.

                      openwrt as battery powered solution wont last much but they can be attach to cheap 5v solar pannel by day and run on lipo by night so no need for external power source. also
                      Its possible to install Motion on thoes modules and have state of the art motion sensors.

                      Moshe LivneM 1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • M Mickey

                        @bjornhallberg said:

                        @axillent
                        @Moshe-Livne

                        Yeah, it is perhaps not the most economical solution. Probably closer to $100 per unit. Foscams have probably become better and cheaper since last I looked. Personally I'd rather have more control over my setup. Like how the housing is ventilated. Plus all the fun of building and figuring things out. Of course I don't get night vision, but I figured it is better to trigger a relay to turn on some floodlights or whatnot that will give intruders some warning. No use being sneaky about it.

                        But yes, it would be really interesting if someone could come up with a really cheap battery powered solution.

                        openwrt as battery powered solution wont last much but they can be attach to cheap 5v solar pannel by day and run on lipo by night so no need for external power source. also
                        Its possible to install Motion on thoes modules and have state of the art motion sensors.

                        Moshe LivneM Offline
                        Moshe LivneM Offline
                        Moshe Livne
                        Hero Member
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #30

                        @Mickey how quickly do they boot up? might boot it when pir is triggered.

                        M 1 Reply Last reply
                        0
                        • Moshe LivneM Moshe Livne

                          @Mickey how quickly do they boot up? might boot it when pir is triggered.

                          M Offline
                          M Offline
                          Mickey
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #31

                          @Moshe-Livne said:

                          @Mickey how quickly do they boot up? might boot it when pir is triggered.

                          I thought about it but openwrt is a full linux and it takes 15-20 seconds to boot up so it will be half a minute delay between trigger and response

                          Moshe LivneM 1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • bjornhallbergB Offline
                            bjornhallbergB Offline
                            bjornhallberg
                            Hero Member
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #32

                            Speaking of battery powered cameras, there already are commercial products such as Arlo and Homeboy:
                            http://www.cnet.com/products/netgear-arlo-smart-home-security-kit/
                            http://www.cnet.com/products/homeboy/
                            Not cheap enough, and battery times will surely vary depending on use, but they are a nice proof of concept.

                            1 Reply Last reply
                            0
                            • M Mickey

                              @Moshe-Livne said:

                              @Mickey how quickly do they boot up? might boot it when pir is triggered.

                              I thought about it but openwrt is a full linux and it takes 15-20 seconds to boot up so it will be half a minute delay between trigger and response

                              Moshe LivneM Offline
                              Moshe LivneM Offline
                              Moshe Livne
                              Hero Member
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #33

                              @Mickey they are so small!!!!

                              M 1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • Moshe LivneM Moshe Livne

                                @Mickey they are so small!!!!

                                M Offline
                                M Offline
                                Mickey
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #34

                                @Moshe-Livne said:

                                @Mickey they are so small!!!!

                                what is so small?

                                1 Reply Last reply
                                0
                                • Moshe LivneM Offline
                                  Moshe LivneM Offline
                                  Moshe Livne
                                  Hero Member
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #35

                                  the tiny 3g routers from aliexpress. just got one. do you happen to have the openwrt firmware pre-compiled?

                                  1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • M Offline
                                    M Offline
                                    Mickey
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #36

                                    which one exactly did you buy?

                                    Moshe LivneM 1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • M Mickey

                                      which one exactly did you buy?

                                      Moshe LivneM Offline
                                      Moshe LivneM Offline
                                      Moshe Livne
                                      Hero Member
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #37

                                      @Mickey http://www.aliexpress.com/item/LYNEW-Portable-Mini-Wireless-wifi-Router-3G-4G-Hotspot-Wifi-Hotspot-support-3G-USB-modems/32257312139.html

                                      M 1 Reply Last reply
                                      0
                                      • Moshe LivneM Moshe Livne

                                        @Mickey http://www.aliexpress.com/item/LYNEW-Portable-Mini-Wireless-wifi-Router-3G-4G-Hotspot-Wifi-Hotspot-support-3G-USB-modems/32257312139.html

                                        M Offline
                                        M Offline
                                        Mickey
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #38

                                        @Moshe-Livne said:

                                        @Mickey http://www.aliexpress.com/item/LYNEW-Portable-Mini-Wireless-wifi-Router-3G-4G-Hotspot-Wifi-Hotspot-support-3G-USB-modems/32257312139.html

                                        start from here:
                                        http://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/unbranded/a5-v11

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                                        • Moshe LivneM Offline
                                          Moshe LivneM Offline
                                          Moshe Livne
                                          Hero Member
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #39

                                          Been there.... just wasn't keen on compiling it. Oh well.

                                          M 1 Reply Last reply
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