Here's a recipe for a security camera based on the bifferboard

[Willem van Doesburg]

For all the bifferboard enthousiasts. I've had some tremendously helpfull suggestions in this group. Time to give something back. I've started a series of posts describing my security camera project. I've used the Bifferboard to build my own web-connected security camera. With the help of the bifferboard it has become a low-cost, low-power security camera with all the features you'd expect from expensive professional security camera's.

You can find the start of the series here: http://www.iot-maker.nl/?p=424

Let me know what you think of the project and if you have suggestions for improvements!

-- Regards

[Andrew Scheller]

> You can find the start of the series here: http://www.iot-maker.nl/?p=424

Nice :)

> Let me know what you think of the project and if you have suggestions for
> improvements!

A few comments on what you've written so far:
Might be nice if in the introduction you explained why it needs two
webcams and two USB hubs? Similarly it would be nice if you mentioned
what a "Sweex LW053" is.

BifferBoard *does* work with the 'standard' OpenWRT repositories, it's
only the kernel-specific packages (those starting with kmod-*) that
you'll need to custom-compile.

The instructions for using the Serial pins as GPIO were actually
written by Razvan, not Biff ;)


Looking forward to "part 2"...

Lurch

[biff...@yahoo.co.uk]

The biggest problem is finding a decent USB camera where you can
remove the IR filter. I recently got myself a Logitech C270 and found
this virtually impossible, it seems the filter is either built into
one of the lenses, or built into the CCD module. I sort of gave up
trying to put together a security system with the Bifferboard for this
reason.

I would like to know which camera is:
1) Hi-def
2) Has removable IR filter
3) Has price tag of less than £15.

I know the Foscam cameras are good value for money, but I prefer to
have an IR floodlight outside, with cheap IR-capable camera inside (if
that can still work and the window doesn't obscure the picture). I
get physical security over the camera (it can't be stolen or damaged
without breaking the window), and it doesn't have to be waterproof.
With the Foscam it seems pointless to pay for IR Leds, Pan + tilt and
wifi, when all you want is a cheap USB IR-capable camera that can
stream to zoneminder via the Bifferboard.

I too look forward to the next parts :).

regards,
Biff.

[Willem van Doesburg]

Thank you all for the feedback!

The second part was already on the blog. In case you could not find it, check it out: http://www.iot-maker.nl/?p=462 it is in the "security" category.

@Biff: I used very cheap webcam for my IR cam. What would you classify as a "decent" camera? 

The next part (part three) will deal with  the webcam setup.

For the last part in the series I plan to discuss the software I built to run the camera. I'd expect this would be of most interest to you guys.