The advantage of small computer systems like Raspberry pi is that they can be implemented in several areas where budget and size are major constraints. When it comes to CCTV monitoring systems, you can find that high-quality systems are very costly and you may not have much budget.
Also, if you go for multiple camera systems, their connectivity requires tedious wiring and again the cost goes higher. But with Raspberry Pi, you can install an excellent CCTV system without spending a lot of money. Let’s begin with How to connect CCTV camera to Raspberry Pi step by step.
How to connect CCTV camera to Raspberry Pi?
First of all, you require the following things to get started and you have to set up the camera system with Raspberry pi by following certain procedures.
Things Required
- Any Raspberry Pi model
- Raspberry Pi Camera Module
- microSD card
- Power supply
- Monitor
- USB cables, power cable, HDMI cable
- Your PC
Setting up motioneyeOS
- First of all, you have to install a software called motioneyeOS to use the camera which we are going to connect to the raspberry pi.
- You can download it from the Github page which shows up when you do a google search with your computer for motioneyeOS.
- After downloading it, insert the SD card to your computer in which you downloaded the software.
- Download the Raspberry Pi imager application from the official website and install it.
- After installation, launch the application, and in the setup choose custom. In the custom option, select motioneyeOS which will be a .img.xz. file.
- Under SD card, select the card you have inserted. Make sure the SD card is empty because all the files in that will be erased in the next step.
- Click write in the imager application and the OS will be written on the SD card. After that, the SD card will be automatically ejected. Re-insert the SD card to create another file.
- Create a text file with the name, wpa_supplicant.conf and type the following text in the file:
country=us
update_config=1
ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant
network={
scan_ssid=1
ssid = “NETWORK NAME”
psk= “PASSWORD”
}
Setting up Raspberry Pi and the Camera
- Take the SD card and remove the microSD.
- Insert the microSD into the Raspberry pi.
- Connect the camera, monitor, and power supply to the Raspberry Pi and power on.
- On the Pi screen, you can find the IP address.
- Copy the address and paste it into your computer browser.
- The motioneyeOS will start streaming.
Setting up CCTV
- In the browser, you will find a profile icon in the top left corner.
- Click on it to open the login page.
- Type admin in the username space and leave the password space blank.
- Enter to get into the settings.
- Here, select a time zone so that your videos are timestamped properly.
- After selecting, click apply and go to motion detection settings.
- In this setting, adjust the frame change threshold in such a way that it can record a change in the movement of people and not capture other things. The percentage must be low and not too high.
- Then click the arrow near motion detection and change it to still images. Here, change the capture mode to motion-triggered and the Preserve picture option to one week.
- Similarly, go to movies settings and perform the same changes.
- In the camera settings, give a name to your camera and set the resolution.
- Apply the settings and your Raspberry pi CCTV module is ready for action.
- You can view the captured videos on the browser interface and also upload the videos automatically to google drive using the file storage settings.
Also, read these posts,
- How to Power Raspberry Pi with Batteries?
- How Raspberry Pi is different from a desktop PC ?
- How to install MySQL on Raspberry Pi?
- Installing Unifi Controller on Raspberry Pi (8 Steps)
- Best Raspberry Pi Monitors and Displays
Is it good to use CCTV Camera on Raspberry pi?
Yes, raspberry pi is compact and doesn’t consume a lot of electrical power. This makes it a viable candidate for CCTV purposes. It can also be concealed easily with a cover.
Since raspberry pi has Wi-Fi capabilities, you can connect multiple cameras with several raspberry pis and it doesn’t cost you much like an original CCTV setup.
You can get a live feed anywhere if you know the IP of your raspberry pi. Therefore, it is better to use the raspberry pi as a CCTV module for your security purposes.
Advantages of CCTV Camera in Raspberry Pi
There are a lot of benefits of using a CCTV camera in Raspberry Pi. It is a great option for surveillance and monitoring. Here we go
- A compact setup can be achieved
- The wireless capability enables you to set up multiple cameras around your house for complete surveillance. This avoids wiring and other difficulties that are imminent with normal CCTV.
- Using the IP, you can view the live feed from any browser.
- You can choose to upload the files automatically to google drive to free up space.
- Adjustable frame threshold and resolution.
- Low-cost setup
- Doesn’t require technical expertise. You can set this up by yourself.
Can I connect the existing CCTV with Raspberry Pi?
Yes, you can connect your existing CCTV camera with your Raspberry Pi using one of two methods: using cables or using Wi-Fi. There are also two different ways to connect your camera: through HDMI or composite video cable (RCA).
Can I connect any type of CCTV with Raspberry Pi?
No, you cannot connect any type of CCTV with Raspberry Pi. You can only connect CCTV cameras that are compatible with the Raspberry Pi. You can find
Conclusion
Raspberry pi is an excellent computer that can be utilized as a CCTV easily. By following the above procedure, you can set up a motion detected CCTV camera with raspberry pi.
By creating a hub with this computer, you can also set up multiple cameras which give you complete surveillance at a very low cost.
