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Post by matt on Apr 26, 2020 21:16:46 GMT
I was thinking the other day just how good mobile phone cameras are compared to most of the cameras we use in our bird boxes. E.g. the raspberry pi cameras I use have fixed focus, no zoom, not a very high pixel rating, no built in mic etc. So searching around I discovered that it is possible, and very easy, to set up a mobile phone as an IP camera and have it stream video (and audio!) over your local network, so you can watch it on either your web browser or use standard home surveillance type software to view, record, use motion detect etc. Since I have a few old phones with broken screens etc I set one up and so far it is working brilliantly with minimal effort. I am using an app called "IP Webcam" for android, which lets me view the video stream, take high res pics (12MP) at the click of a button and even turn the LED flashlight on and off - which, btw, is bright enough for a nestbox! I set it up to record one of my bird feeders this afternoon, and grabbed a few stills off the videos it recorded to my PC. I haven't set up motion detect to take high res pics yet, but I might try that this week. I think this could be a viable option for a nestbox camera, since IP Webcam has a mode which will make it start automatically, and stay on, when the phone is turned on. All you need is a USB power connection and to be in WIFI range. A few birds from this afternoon - just startlings, bluetits and sparrows so far, although I got a few not so good pics of a great tit as well. I may set it up semi-permanently and see if I can get a shot of the woodpecker that comes some mornings.
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Post by WildlifePaul on Apr 27, 2020 17:07:14 GMT
Lovely pictures Matt!
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Post by petesbox on Apr 28, 2020 12:03:13 GMT
Great Matt, is there a limit to the length of USB cable for powering the phone?
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Post by matt on Apr 28, 2020 12:18:23 GMT
Great Matt, is there a limit to the length of USB cable for powering the phone? Good question Pete, I don't know. I use 5m usb cables for my raspberry pis without issue, and I believe that 5m is the recommended maximum but I do know that you can buy much longer - e.g. 10m are available on Amazon. Since it is just for power (not data), it would probably be fine at those longer lengths, although worth getting a good quality cable if possible.
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Post by elle on Apr 30, 2020 11:37:49 GMT
Matt i thought this was a fantastic brilliant idea...............then you started talking about ‘IP webcam’,! ‘Streaming’! ‘Web browsers’! Then that was it!!! You lost me Told yer I was Illiterate when it came to tech stuff Sounded good anyway, but as always Matt, spot on pictures, so crystal clear Elle xx
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Post by Taz on Apr 30, 2020 21:13:03 GMT
Wow, fantastic pictures. We have just started using an old mobile pointed at the feeder. Still not finished setting it up with streaming though. Had it running overnight, but stopped outputting. We'll get there.
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Post by matt on Apr 30, 2020 22:29:29 GMT
Wow, fantastic pictures. We have just started using an old mobile pointed at the feeder. Still not finished setting it up with streaming though. Had it running overnight, but stopped outputting. We'll get there. Cool - keep us posted on your progress. I have just spent a couple of hours making a (hopefully!) waterproof little box for the old phone I am using. I plan to mount it near the feeder tomorrow, and run a USB cable to it to keep it powered. I think I should be able to schedule it to record during daylight hours, and then review footage to grab any decent pics. I really, really want to get a good closeup of the woodpecker that visits in the mornings. I've seen it 3 or 4 times now, so my guess is it must be coming quite often since I am not usually looking at the feeder.
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Post by Taz on May 1, 2020 9:19:51 GMT
Wow, fantastic pictures. We have just started using an old mobile pointed at the feeder. Still not finished setting it up with streaming though. Had it running overnight, but stopped outputting. We'll get there. Cool - keep us posted on your progress. I have just spent a couple of hours making a (hopefully!) waterproof little box for the old phone I am using. I plan to mount it near the feeder tomorrow, and run a USB cable to it to keep it powered. I think I should be able to schedule it to record during daylight hours, and then review footage to grab any decent pics. I really, really want to get a good closeup of the woodpecker that visits in the mornings. I've seen it 3 or 4 times now, so my guess is it must be coming quite often since I am not usually looking at the feeder. Will do. That would be great to get close up of the woody. Our phone is currently mounted indoors looking through a window, so not ideal. Fingers crossed we get something better going though.
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Post by matt on May 1, 2020 14:14:08 GMT
Made the setup a little more permanent, with power wire and a little plywood box to keep the rain off! Now we wait for the woodpecker - I'll make sure I set it to record from dawn, because he seems to be a morning person.
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Post by matt on May 1, 2020 18:56:44 GMT
Got him! And a little vid as well:
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Post by WildlifePaul on May 1, 2020 19:24:05 GMT
That quality is AMAZING!!!!
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Post by matt on May 1, 2020 20:02:18 GMT
Just an old Moto G6 with a broken screen, running the app "IP Webcam" and I record the video on my PC. Free setup! Will be going in a nest box next year.
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Post by greatbluehopeful on May 7, 2020 5:25:08 GMT
Matt!!!! That's amazing!! So clever!!! Thanks for sharing your set up.
Well done.
It's something I'll definitely like to try my self.
I'm about to upgrade my current phone which only flaw is that it doesn't have enough storage space to keep up with modern apps!!! So the camera is perfect! Delighted to have a good reuse for this outdated hardware which is otherwise perfect!
I've never seen a live woodpecker before other than in books or online. Brilliant!
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Post by matt on May 7, 2020 8:47:39 GMT
I've been running it for almost a week now, 24/7, and recording all footage to my PC on a rotating basis. Just stress testing to see how it will hold up for weeks at a time in a nest, really, and so far so good. I've got two old Android phones now, both capable of streaming 1080p, with microphones as well, of course (being phones!), so they'll definitely be going in boxes next year!
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Post by greatbluehopeful on May 7, 2020 9:15:31 GMT
Now...I am going to try this out.
Not ready to give up my current phone just yet...so I'm just wondering before I bother fishing out an old phone from the attic....do you need to have a SIM card in the phone for it to work over wifi or no?
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Post by matt on May 7, 2020 9:28:33 GMT
No, you don't need a sim, just access to wifi. Give it a go! It is remarkably easy and I surprised we didn't start doing it years ago. Even if you went out and bought a used phone from ebay just for the purpose it could still work out cheaper than buying a camera, but most of us probably have something suitable lying around already,.
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Post by greatbluehopeful on May 7, 2020 9:35:09 GMT
Yes...I didn't think it needed a SIM. Ok great....well, I will give it a go. Bit of craic...something to do. So bored!!!!
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