IP camera for bird box?

alan_d

Can anyone suggest a cheapish way to put a camera inside a bird box that is network attached?
Ideally something POE...
Wired cameras like this exist however i'd still need a method to network attach it - but what? Proper CCTV servers are very expensive.
I could use a Raspberry Pi with a suitable interface (suggestions?)
As i'd have to run power to any wireless camera I'd rather just run either ethernet or power+video and skip the troubles that go with wireless.
I assume the focal length of most 'normal' CCTV camera would result in blurry images for stuff too close. (They are also too big)

DavidFx

Just finished one!
Raspberry Pi zero W running MotionEye
Raspberry PI camera 160degree fish eye lens (off Ebay) will focus down to < 5cm
Used a ring of IR LEDs (off Ebay) - camera in centre -- gives wide angle illumination
Small switching regulator - 12V upto box for LEDs - dropped to 5V for RPi
MotionEye can be set up for motion capture so can be triggered when a parent enters.

The camera is mounted inside the roof apex looking down.
Now just waiting for some birds to arrive.


https://www.dropbox.com/s/xthfn6b8t21r7yo/BirdBox.jpg?dl=0

alan_d

Thanks David, I have a PiZ here I could play with. Did you enclose the Pi at all?

hd216

This looks like it should give you the general gist if you want to go down the Pi route:
https://www.instructables.com/id/Raspberry-Pi-Birdbox-Camera/

Using a Raspberry Pi NoIR Camera you can adjust the focal length and also use infrared LEDs to illuminate the bird box.

If you've got a Pi 3 Model B+ then you can go down the route of using proper POE and buy one of these too: Raspberry Pi POE Hat

DavidFx

Alan
Used one of these - nice fit for the Pi Z


https://www.toolstation.com/junction-box-ip55-mini/p82706


The camera is pushed through a 20mm back box grommet mounted on the top


https://www.toolstation.com/rubber-grommet/p66249


This box is for the PiZ W version - if you're going to add a WiFi dongle then it won't be wide enough

alan_d

OK, i've ordered another PiZ and a fisheye camera to get going - I hope this will work with IR lighting:
I didn't think of the NOIR version until hd216 above suggested it

I'll get an IR ring from ebay and play with it.
Hopefully the PiZ can pickup WIFi OK outside, and I just need to run power to it. 12v and local reg as David suggested seems sensible.

alan_d

DavidFx wrote: »

Raspberry Pi zero W running MotionEye

David,
I'm following the MotionEye guide here, but hitting issues with these packages:

pi@bird-pi:~ $ sudo apt-get install libx264-142
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
E: Unable to locate package libx264-142
pi@bird-pi:~ $ sudo apt-get install libavcodec56
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
E: Unable to locate package libavcodec56
pi@bird-pi:~ $ libavformat56
-bash: libavformat56: command not found
pi@bird-pi:~ $ sudo apt-get install libavformat56
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
E: Unable to locate package libavformat56
pi@bird-pi:~ $ sudo apt-get install libmysqlclient18
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Package libmysqlclient18 is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source

E: Package 'libmysqlclient18' has no installation candidate
pi@bird-pi:~ $ sudo apt-get install libswscale3
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
E: Unable to locate package libswscale3

How did you get around this?

DavidFx

I didn't bother trying to build a version, I just downloaded an image from here:

https://github.com/ccrisan/motioneyeos/releases


You'll need the Rpi 1 version for the zero.


Connect to WiFi using this info:

https://core-electronics.com.au/tutorials/raspberry-pi-zerow-headless-wifi-setup.html

alan_d

Ahh

I got it going with the info here.
I 3D printed this case however it doesn't fit the fisheye camera I have!
I'll modify the case design to fit, but I also need to see if it works in IR light...

alan_d

It's looking like the fisheye camera I have has an IR filter
So I may have to get the noir camera...
Which lens did you use? Do you have the ebay item number?

DavidFx

I think all the fish eye cameras will have a filter added otherwise the visible colour fidelity would be bad - the NOIR camera is pretty bad in daylight.

It will however, still have some sensitivity at IR (like phone cameras).
The light source I'm using has 36 LEDs and only needs to illuminate a distance of 100-200mm - I chose a 850nm wavelength as this would also help.
So it's a brute force approach - try it, see if it works
If you feel brave there is plenty of info on the web regarding removing the filter from the camera.