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My question about this project and the numerous similar projects: where do I get a usb camera suitable for this? Webcams typically have unsuitable enclosures, focus behavior, and low light performance.
What is the difference between this and Frigate? Before clicking the link, I thought this would be a hardware solution (build you own camera from open components).
My question about this project and the numerous similar projects: where do I get a usb camera suitable for this? Webcams typically have unsuitable enclosures, focus behavior, and low light performance.
I am not familiar with this particular project, but generally speaking, you don't want a USB camera for CCTV. You want an IP camera with POE and RTSP support.
In 2018, I had a project where I needed to capture live video of some test equipment that was in an area off limits to humans. I could get measurements remotely but just not fast enough to stop the test if something went wrong. We also had no idea what to expect if something went wrong so there was no way to setup a trigger for a screengrab. We had zero funds for buying anything, PM told me to beg, borrow, or steal what I needed. I got a couple of old laptops and webcams from IT and built my own version of this using a slick ffmpeg one-liner to record locally and stream to another laptop outside the off limits area. I did have to buy a USB 3.0 ExpressCard, which I kept, because turns out you can't run multiple webcams through the single USB hub every port branched off from (even the docking station ports). It worked great.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I am not familiar with this particular project, but generally speaking, you don't want a USB camera for CCTV. You want an IP camera with POE and RTSP support.
With the price of SBCs nowadays, you'll probably save some money just buying an ip camera. In 2018, I had a project where I needed to capture live video of some test equipment that was in an area off limits to humans. I could get measurements remotely but just not fast enough to stop the test if something went wrong. We also had no idea what to expect if something went wrong so there was no way to setup a trigger for…
The post you replied to very specifically mentioned using an IP camera. Unless you are paying “proper” money per camera, these days most of them are limited out-of-the-box in ways that are intended to drive you to paying a subscription service to have the recordings stored and processed (and presumably used for AI training whether you agree or not) on someone else's server.
The point of this, and other similar projects, is to host that target server yourself to maintain control and privacy. Where it says “such as […] a USB webcam” I assume it is using the same components and libraries that other options do and so will support common IP camera outputs easily too (assuming your camera doesn't protect its feed, or protects it badly, or you can flash it with alternate firmware that doesn't try to lock you in that way), and where it says “such as a spare Linux board …” spare here implies the target audience is people who are likely to have a spare board/box (or resource spare on their home-lab to host an extra container/VM) available so don't need to buy one at current prices.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I am not familiar with this particular project, but generally speaking, you don't want a USB camera for CCTV. You want an IP camera with POE and RTSP support.
With the price of SBCs nowadays, you'll probably save some money just buying an ip camera. In 2018, I had a project where I needed to capture live video of some test equipment that was in an area off limits to humans. I could get measurements remotely but just not fast enough to stop the test if something went wrong. We also had no idea what to expect if something went wrong so there was no way to setup a trigger for…
V4L2 (MJPG) -> cap.read() -> CLAHE(night) -> imencode -> _current_frame (web MJPEG)
-> resize .25 -> gray -> blur -> absdiff -> contours -> motion?
-> motion? VideoWriter.write() : pre_buffer.append(jpeg)
-> on stop: ffmpeg remux fps fix -> Telegram/email
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'd just bite the bullet and get proper security cameras. I got a few 4K something or other from Ankke (rebranded HikVision) 5 years ago and they still work fine. They were about €100 each.
For those that don't know, Hikvision is banned in several countries now due to both cybersecurity reasons and human rights violations: https://ipvm.com/reports/hikua-bans I have also tried many other IP camera brands over the years, but it seems none of them have figured out how to output fully compliant RTP/RTMP/etc. streams so I end up always having strange and random problems receiving fluid streams from them into…
Another issue is semi-compliant ONVIF implementations for PTZ cameras and/or not having relative movement implemented. Or you know, just lacking RTSP and ONVIF entirely.
> Coupled with the fact that many brands are just using the same recycled white-label Chinese firmware, I'm not surprised.
SDKs for many of the SoCs not being available is really annoying as well. Some of the Ingenic, Sigmastar, Goke etc. are available, but I think many were just leaks from customers rather than intentional releases.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'd just bite the bullet and get proper security cameras. I got a few 4K something or other from Ankke (rebranded HikVision) 5 years ago and they still work fine. They were about €100 each.
For those that don't know, Hikvision is banned in several countries now due to both cybersecurity reasons and human rights violations: https://ipvm.com/reports/hikua-bans I have also tried many other IP camera brands over the years, but it seems none of them have figured out how to output fully compliant RTP/RTMP/etc. streams so I end up always having strange and random problems receiving fluid streams from them into…
Not too sure if you are looking for non Chinese manufactured though, down here anything else is just way too expensive and lower quality anyway!
What is the difference between this and Frigate? Before clicking the link, I thought this would be a hardware solution (build you own camera from open components).
Frigate is so amazing. The lightweight object detectors plus home assistant automations and notifications are way too fun and powerful. I keep setting up new systems for family members after they see mine.