Camera

[Chris Hammond]

I’ve been pondering the possibility of fixing a wildlife camera up using one of those high res security cameras. They are reliant on an internet connection so on the face of it not really suitable, but I have a cunning plan.

So before I lay out a lump of cash I thought I’d run the idea by you chaps so that someone can point out why it won’t work.

I’m thinking about buying a cheap phone contract and then using the associated phone to provide the internet connection. This would involve leaving the phone out in the woods close to the camera. Of course recording time would be determined by the longevity of the phone charge but I reckon I might get a couple of days filming between charges. Maybe longer if I set up one of those power packs to be included in the phone’s hidden location.

I’m nearly always missing something with my cunning plans, so I’m hoping someone can point out the obvious to me?

[Cyprio]

Or you get a cellular one.
https://spypoint.store/en/spypoint-flex-e-36

Reads, 100 photos free or monthly subscription for more images or video.

[Chris Hammond]

Or you get a cellular one.
https://spypoint.store/en/spypoint-flex-e-36

Reads, 100 photos free or monthly subscription for more images or video.

That looks very interesting mate, thank you. Could you expand on that at all?

[Cyprio]

This is a better link.
Looks like once purchased download app and register.
Then choose options of subscription if required.
Connects itself via mobile reception.
Loads on the US market but couldn’t find many for here.
https://spypoint.info/en/homepage/

[Andrew]

Way it works is you have a "client" at home which is an app or software on the pc, cctv camera acts as a "server" waiting for the client to connect to it.

One of the issues I can see coming up is connecting to it remotely from the house. With the wifi you would be sharing from a phone to the CCTV camera is a shared connection so your ip address on tue phone will he the same for many people and you would not get a direct connection to the server.

A way ring doorbell get around, if I try to explain it really sinply is they have a service in the middle of client and server you connect to the middle. Hope that makes sense.

In short, it's hard to do that reliably and easily with public type wifi without doing some macgyvering or paying g for a service.

What I'd do is use a raspberry pi to save images and video and go get it physically. It's all open source and theres a specific OS geared for CCTV where you can get the server to even send data rather than the other way around.

As for your camera it might not even need wifi as some I've seen just record to sd card and it's own local wifi so you can connect to it being near it.

Is remote viewing definitely needed ?

[Andrew]

I’ve been pondering the possibility of fixing a wildlife camera up using one of those high res security cameras. They are reliant on an internet connection so on the face of it not really suitable, but I have a cunning plan.

So before I lay out a lump of cash I thought I’d run the idea by you chaps so that someone can point out why it won’t work.

I’m thinking about buying a cheap phone contract and then using the associated phone to provide the internet connection. This would involve leaving the phone out in the woods close to the camera. Of course recording time would be determined by the longevity of the phone charge but I reckon I might get a couple of days filming between charges. Maybe longer if I set up one of those power packs to be included in the phone’s hidden location.

I’m nearly always missing something with my cunning plans, so I’m hoping someone can point out the obvious to me?

just pondering over this again. Do you already have a cctv camera you want to try and repurpose ?

if not i'd think the cost involved buying a camera, a phone and contract, and everything else would end up more and be a bigger pain in the a**e to do than to just buy an already existing trail camera. then im thinking about the power needs which i dont think will be really efficient given the needs of a cctv camera with built in wifi and a mobile phone etc.

if you're just after a wee project and have the cash to spare id look at raspberry pi solutions that has all the bits and pieces you need to make a trail cam but reckon in the end that would be more expensive than a bog standard trail camera you need physical access to view. Pi solution you can do what you want.

Pi way roughly speaking;

£20 for the Pi, smallest you could get away with imo
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Raspberry-Pi-Z ... B09KLVX4RT

camera module id budget £30-60 theres lots of options to choose from with or without infrared. you could even use a usb webcam if you have one sitting around in a junk box but tbh they are s**t. need to take into consideration how strong the IR is on these and might need to bodge additional IR emitters..
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=raspberry+ ... era+module

operating system for the pi is free. the community made a cctv one which can definitely be repurposed to be used as a trail cam and can be set up to notify you of motion along with a screenshot and can upload directly to a google drive account or dropbox etc. so really you dont need to connect to the device if you want the videos remotely and avoids the issue i spoke about before.
https://github.com/motioneye-project/mo ... i/Features

still haven't got to buying batteries and ive not got a clue bout battery prices just now or what you'd even need to get. also weather proof housing but thats an easy one.

you could test it out at home for no more than £50'ish with just a pi, camera module, sd card for the pi os (you might have one in an old phone/drawer) then bodge together internet, battery, extended storage, better motion detection bodging a PIR sensor from alarms and housing for it all at some point if you're happy.

in the end you could have a more advanced system for more or less than the cost of a dumb standard trail camera you need to physically go to just to get the footage. with pi you still need to go there to configure it (we could MacGyver remote commands though, somehow, like emailing the device in the woods to do something).

just buy a trail camera

[Chris Hammond]

This is a better link.
Looks like once purchased download app and register.
Then choose options of subscription if required.
Connects itself via mobile reception.
Loads on the US market but couldn’t find many for here.
https://spypoint.info/en/homepage/

Thanks again mate. I will definitely investigate that.

[Chris Hammond]

I’ve been pondering the possibility of fixing a wildlife camera up using one of those high res security cameras. They are reliant on an internet connection so on the face of it not really suitable, but I have a cunning plan.

So before I lay out a lump of cash I thought I’d run the idea by you chaps so that someone can point out why it won’t work.

I’m thinking about buying a cheap phone contract and then using the associated phone to provide the internet connection. This would involve leaving the phone out in the woods close to the camera. Of course recording time would be determined by the longevity of the phone charge but I reckon I might get a couple of days filming between charges. Maybe longer if I set up one of those power packs to be included in the phone’s hidden location.

I’m nearly always missing something with my cunning plans, so I’m hoping someone can point out the obvious to me?

just pondering over this again. Do you already have a cctv camera you want to try and repurpose ?

if not i'd think the cost involved buying a camera, a phone and contract, and everything else would end up more and be a bigger pain in the a**e to do than to just buy an already existing trail camera. then im thinking about the power needs which i dont think will be really efficient given the needs of a cctv camera with built in wifi and a mobile phone etc.

if you're just after a wee project and have the cash to spare id look at raspberry pi solutions that has all the bits and pieces you need to make a trail cam but reckon in the end that would be more expensive than a bog standard trail camera you need physical access to view. Pi solution you can do what you want.

Pi way roughly speaking;

£20 for the Pi, smallest you could get away with imo
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Raspberry-Pi-Z ... B09KLVX4RT

camera module id budget £30-60 theres lots of options to choose from with or without infrared. you could even use a usb webcam if you have one sitting around in a junk box but tbh they are s**t. need to take into consideration how strong the IR is on these and might need to bodge additional IR emitters..
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=raspberry+ ... era+module

operating system for the pi is free. the community made a cctv one which can definitely be repurposed to be used as a trail cam and can be set up to notify you of motion along with a screenshot and can upload directly to a google drive account or dropbox etc. so really you dont need to connect to the device if you want the videos remotely and avoids the issue i spoke about before.
https://github.com/motioneye-project/mo ... i/Features

still haven't got to buying batteries and ive not got a clue bout battery prices just now or what you'd even need to get. also weather proof housing but thats an easy one.

you could test it out at home for no more than £50'ish with just a pi, camera module, sd card for the pi os (you might have one in an old phone/drawer) then bodge together internet, battery, extended storage, better motion detection bodging a PIR sensor from alarms and housing for it all at some point if you're happy.

in the end you could have a more advanced system for more or less than the cost of a dumb standard trail camera you need to physically go to just to get the footage. with pi you still need to go there to configure it (we could MacGyver remote commands though, somehow, like emailing the device in the woods to do something).

just buy a trail camera

Blimey I appreciate the detailed info there Andy, but you’re familiar with that old bit of script,
“And some fell on stony ground.”
Tbh I wanted the same level of detail I’m getting with some recently purchased security cameras. I.e sensor triggered push notifications and a constant live picture from a wildlife cam.
I have three trail cams but, of course, they only provide me with recorded stuff that I collect later. I was hoping for the ‘ring doorbell’ of wild life cams.

[Andrew]

I’ve been pondering the possibility of fixing a wildlife camera up using one of those high res security cameras. They are reliant on an internet connection so on the face of it not really suitable, but I have a cunning plan.

So before I lay out a lump of cash I thought I’d run the idea by you chaps so that someone can point out why it won’t work.

I’m thinking about buying a cheap phone contract and then using the associated phone to provide the internet connection. This would involve leaving the phone out in the woods close to the camera. Of course recording time would be determined by the longevity of the phone charge but I reckon I might get a couple of days filming between charges. Maybe longer if I set up one of those power packs to be included in the phone’s hidden location.

I’m nearly always missing something with my cunning plans, so I’m hoping someone can point out the obvious to me?

just pondering over this again. Do you already have a cctv camera you want to try and repurpose ?

if not i'd think the cost involved buying a camera, a phone and contract, and everything else would end up more and be a bigger pain in the a**e to do than to just buy an already existing trail camera. then im thinking about the power needs which i dont think will be really efficient given the needs of a cctv camera with built in wifi and a mobile phone etc.

if you're just after a wee project and have the cash to spare id look at raspberry pi solutions that has all the bits and pieces you need to make a trail cam but reckon in the end that would be more expensive than a bog standard trail camera you need physical access to view. Pi solution you can do what you want.

Pi way roughly speaking;

£20 for the Pi, smallest you could get away with imo
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Raspberry-Pi-Z ... B09KLVX4RT

camera module id budget £30-60 theres lots of options to choose from with or without infrared. you could even use a usb webcam if you have one sitting around in a junk box but tbh they are s**t. need to take into consideration how strong the IR is on these and might need to bodge additional IR emitters..
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=raspberry+ ... era+module

operating system for the pi is free. the community made a cctv one which can definitely be repurposed to be used as a trail cam and can be set up to notify you of motion along with a screenshot and can upload directly to a google drive account or dropbox etc. so really you dont need to connect to the device if you want the videos remotely and avoids the issue i spoke about before.
https://github.com/motioneye-project/mo ... i/Features

still haven't got to buying batteries and ive not got a clue bout battery prices just now or what you'd even need to get. also weather proof housing but thats an easy one.

you could test it out at home for no more than £50'ish with just a pi, camera module, sd card for the pi os (you might have one in an old phone/drawer) then bodge together internet, battery, extended storage, better motion detection bodging a PIR sensor from alarms and housing for it all at some point if you're happy.

in the end you could have a more advanced system for more or less than the cost of a dumb standard trail camera you need to physically go to just to get the footage. with pi you still need to go there to configure it (we could MacGyver remote commands though, somehow, like emailing the device in the woods to do something).

just buy a trail camera

Blimey I appreciate the detailed info there Andy, but you’re familiar with that old bit of script,
“And some fell on stony ground.”
Tbh I wanted the same level of detail I’m getting with some recently purchased security cameras. I.e sensor triggered push notifications and a constant live picture from a wildlife cam.
I have three trail cams but, of course, they only provide me with recorded stuff that I collect later. I was hoping for the ‘ring doorbell’ of wild life cams.

It's a good idea and can be done 100%. Giving it enough power though will be a challenge for sure. I dont even think a leasure battery would last the day. Having done stuff like this for a long time though there will definitely be some other pain in the a**e to throw a spanner in the works.

[Chris Hammond]

I’ve been pondering the possibility of fixing a wildlife camera up using one of those high res security cameras. They are reliant on an internet connection so on the face of it not really suitable, but I have a cunning plan.

So before I lay out a lump of cash I thought I’d run the idea by you chaps so that someone can point out why it won’t work.

I’m thinking about buying a cheap phone contract and then using the associated phone to provide the internet connection. This would involve leaving the phone out in the woods close to the camera. Of course recording time would be determined by the longevity of the phone charge but I reckon I might get a couple of days filming between charges. Maybe longer if I set up one of those power packs to be included in the phone’s hidden location.

I’m nearly always missing something with my cunning plans, so I’m hoping someone can point out the obvious to me?

just pondering over this again. Do you already have a cctv camera you want to try and repurpose ?

if not i'd think the cost involved buying a camera, a phone and contract, and everything else would end up more and be a bigger pain in the a**e to do than to just buy an already existing trail camera. then im thinking about the power needs which i dont think will be really efficient given the needs of a cctv camera with built in wifi and a mobile phone etc.

if you're just after a wee project and have the cash to spare id look at raspberry pi solutions that has all the bits and pieces you need to make a trail cam but reckon in the end that would be more expensive than a bog standard trail camera you need physical access to view. Pi solution you can do what you want.

Pi way roughly speaking;

£20 for the Pi, smallest you could get away with imo
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Raspberry-Pi-Z ... B09KLVX4RT

camera module id budget £30-60 theres lots of options to choose from with or without infrared. you could even use a usb webcam if you have one sitting around in a junk box but tbh they are s**t. need to take into consideration how strong the IR is on these and might need to bodge additional IR emitters..
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=raspberry+ ... era+module

operating system for the pi is free. the community made a cctv one which can definitely be repurposed to be used as a trail cam and can be set up to notify you of motion along with a screenshot and can upload directly to a google drive account or dropbox etc. so really you dont need to connect to the device if you want the videos remotely and avoids the issue i spoke about before.
https://github.com/motioneye-project/mo ... i/Features

still haven't got to buying batteries and ive not got a clue bout battery prices just now or what you'd even need to get. also weather proof housing but thats an easy one.

you could test it out at home for no more than £50'ish with just a pi, camera module, sd card for the pi os (you might have one in an old phone/drawer) then bodge together internet, battery, extended storage, better motion detection bodging a PIR sensor from alarms and housing for it all at some point if you're happy.

in the end you could have a more advanced system for more or less than the cost of a dumb standard trail camera you need to physically go to just to get the footage. with pi you still need to go there to configure it (we could MacGyver remote commands though, somehow, like emailing the device in the woods to do something).

just buy a trail camera

Blimey I appreciate the detailed info there Andy, but you’re familiar with that old bit of script,
“And some fell on stony ground.”
Tbh I wanted the same level of detail I’m getting with some recently purchased security cameras. I.e sensor triggered push notifications and a constant live picture from a wildlife cam.
I have three trail cams but, of course, they only provide me with recorded stuff that I collect later. I was hoping for the ‘ring doorbell’ of wild life cams.

It's a good idea and can be done 100%. Giving it enough power though will be a challenge for sure. I dont even think a leasure battery would last the day. Having done stuff like this for a long time though there will definitely be some other pain in the a**e to throw a spanner in the works.

I think the only real issue is getting localized wifi near to the cam? When I mentioned the mobile phone idea I had it in mind that it would probably be good (in terms of battery power) for no more than two or three days at best, but I could live with that.

I will have a proper look at the option Cyprio has highlighted too when I have a spare minute or two and see if that would work how I want it to.