Mobile (Kid-Watching) IP Camera

[booch]

So, after my failure to make battery-operated, radio-controlled, flameless candles (though I did find a great hardwired solution), ha, wanted to share a recent project that actually worked: A mobile IP camera w/ audio fully connected with C4, etc.

• Use case: We use our security cams to watch our 3-year-old play inside/outside. He now loves the woods behind our house, slightly beyond the range of our backyard cams. It'd be a pain to run PoE/CAT6 there, plus he has/will have other 'spots' like this in unexpected places. COTS webcams don't have the WiFi range, sound capability or imaging specs to meet the need.
• Solution: Rigged up a self-contained, weatherproof unit with a nice-spec Hik IP cam. (DS-2CD2387G2-LU; 4K, mic./audio, 24fps, low-light), wireless transceiver, a 12Ah battery (so it gives us 1.5 weeks of use between charges at 2hr/day) and an Arca rail on the bottom for easy mounting in multiple places, on tripods, etc.

Happy to post specific parts if anyone's interested in building for themselves. In finished form, you just flip the switch to turn it on, wait 60 seconds and it connects to the network/all integrations automatically (including natively to the C4 and Luma apps.). Here's a few pics (forgive the crap image from the cam. -- just finished the build and it's pitch black out -- but it's a sweet cam.):

 

[ERDrPC]

Very cool

[IamFodder]

yes, very cool and a some pictures with a bit of breakdown of what you did like your candles would be great!

 

[booch]

On 3/21/2022 at 8:18 PM, IamFodder said:

yes, very cool and a some pictures with a bit of breakdown of what you did like your candles would be great!

 

You got it.

Parts list is below:

• Hikvision DS-2CD2387G2-LU (link)
• TP Link Nano AC750 (link)
• 12V to Micro USB Buck Converter (link)
• Battery Capacity Monitor (link)
• Lighted Rocker Switch (link)
• Female Charging Connector (link)
• 12V 12Ah Battery (link)
• Battery Charger (link)
• 2.1x5.5mm connectors (link)
• 6.3x6.3x3.5 Project Box (link)
• Arca Quick Release Plate (link)
• Arca Quick Release Clamp (link)
• 1/4"-20 Cheese Plate (link)
• Various screws/nuts/bolts for mounting
• Short (~6") CAT6 patch cable

In summary, you need to:

• Connect to constant power within box
  • Monitor
  • Switch
  • Charging Connector
  • Battery
• Connect to switched power within box
  • Camera
  • Wireless AP (via Buck)
• Other notes 
  • Put TP Link Nano into client mode
  • Waterproof cutouts with glue gun/sealant

A few pics of the inside:

Last note: The battery is lasting so long for me (like 48h+), if I could easily find a smaller box/battery fit, I'd probably do it in exchange for weight/bulk. May do this as a follow up with a custom build (cells + BMS). So if anyone does it and finds a great solution, please LMK!

Lastly, if any of the above is unclear, please reach out, as I'd be happy to help. My wife is loving it/we've been using it every day!

[IamFodder]

Mate, that is a great idea & thanks for detailing it.

Also if you replace the SLA battery with a LIPO ( and the converter back to 12v) that will make it smaller with a probably keep your run time.

 

Great work and cant wait to see what you come up with next.

 

[cjh]

Question- can you hear the audio from a T3 or T4 screen?

I'm using some fixed amcrest cameras and the video works great on our T3 screens, however, I can't get audio to be heard. Is that possible on a T3? FWIW I'm using the annex4 amcrest driver. Would love to know if you can hear the audio on your t3/t4 or c4 mobile app.

Thanks

[msgreenf]

32 minutes ago, cjh said:

Question- can you hear the audio from a T3 or T4 screen?

I'm using some fixed amcrest cameras and the video works great on our T3 screens, however, I can't get audio to be heard. Is that possible on a T3? FWIW I'm using the annex4 amcrest driver. Would love to know if you can hear the audio on your t3/t4 or c4 mobile app.

Thanks

Controls doesn't support audio on any IP cameras. 

[cjh]

7 hours ago, msgreenf said:

Controls doesn't support audio on any IP cameras. 

Thanks for that. I was suspecting so. 
 

Would love to know if/how anyone has a workaround or alternative way to hear audio tracks off an IP camera on a t3/t4?

[msgreenf]

1 minute ago, cjh said:

Thanks for that. I was suspecting so. 
 

Would love to know if/how anyone has a workaround or alternative way to hear audio tracks off an IP camera on a t3/t4?

There is no alternative way. It is not supported today.

[booch]

On 3/28/2022 at 6:38 AM, cjh said:

Thanks for that. I was suspecting so. 
 

Would love to know if/how anyone has a workaround or alternative way to hear audio tracks off an IP camera on a t3/t4?

Unfortunately, I haven't figured out how to do T3/T4 audio as well. What I do have is a Luma with all my cams hooked up to distributed video/audio, so between that and the app., it's really nice for kid-watching on the house's TVs or outside.

I've never tested whether the T3/T4's web browser can support audio, but a potential workaround could be doing it via broadcast server that way (though even if it worked, it'd be a pain). C4 really needs to step up on the camera integration and fix this IMO!

[cjh]

1 hour ago, booch said:

C4 really needs to step up on the camera integration and fix this IMO!

+1

[DanITman]

On 3/28/2022 at 7:39 AM, msgreenf said:

There is no alternative way. It is not supported today.

Unless the camera is able to make a SIP call.  If it can make or accept a SIP call, you can get video and audio through the intercom proxy. 

[Ram Siva]

Regarding audio from IP cameras, if it’s an absolute must, it can be done at the NVR level with audio out. You could even get cameras with straight audio out which would be easier if the choice is there.

Alternatively, depending on how important the project is, you could utilize a smaller 4 channel nvr with audio out that supports onvif. Essentially it’s own device and now you have rca out which can be inserted into c4 for that particular IP camera. 

There are other software methods but those are not cost effective when you take into reliability, time and effort to setup.

Ram

Symmetron

[DanITman]

I've seen some cameras in C4 now show an audio speaker icon at the bottom of the iOS app.  I have a feeling audio via camera feed might be supported in the future.  I agree, that kid cams and having audio or even 2-way audio is a must.   The issue I've seen with the  Camera on the T4/T3 is the timeout.  Sometimes I like to keep the camera up as I watch the kids but I can't. 

[booch]

10 hours ago, Ram Siva said:

Regarding audio from IP cameras, if it’s an absolute must, it can be done at the NVR level with audio out. You could even get cameras with straight audio out which would be easier if the choice is there.

Alternatively, depending on how important the project is, you could utilize a smaller 4 channel nvr with audio out that supports onvif. Essentially it’s own device and now you have rca out which can be inserted into c4 for that particular IP camera. 

There are other software methods but those are not cost effective when you take into reliability, time and effort to setup.

Ram

Symmetron

This is what I do — have a Luma 16CH running though distributed video — works great, including for the mobile/kid cam above. While the Luma app does it too, my nit is not having it in the prime C4 app/all in one place.

[booch]

4 hours ago, DanITman said:

I've seen some cameras in C4 now show an audio speaker icon at the bottom of the iOS app.  I have a feeling audio via camera feed might be supported in the future.  I agree, that kid cams and having audio or even 2-way audio is a must.   The issue I've seen with the  Camera on the T4/T3 is the timeout.  Sometimes I like to keep the camera up as I watch the kids but I can't. 

Do you recall which driver that was? Would be interested in checking it out/possibly experimenting a bit.

[dreres]

this is a great setup!

[booch]

On 5/8/2023 at 8:57 PM, dreres said:

this is a great setup!

Thanks, man!

We use it so much, I recently upgraded it/did a v2 -- now using a Shelly Uni as the control/status radio and a Vonets VM5G as the online/video radio, which allows me to measure voltage/battery level (for alerts) and stream 4K with audio at massive distances, respectively. We usually keep ours in the woods behind our house and it triggers when our backyard cameras sense a line cross in that direction, then it incrementally stays on with continued motion (with a 5 minute base). Battery has been lasting ~2 months even with my kid out there seemingly everyday, which is great. Such a nerd project, ha.

For fun, below is my new icon (off state) with the battery meter. I get an alert when it goes low, of course!