Repurpose Your Old Android Device As a Security Camera!

[dgstorm]

This seems like a perfect app for @smalltowngirl13! She could turn her house into a giant security network with all of the older phones she has collected over the years!

 

[Mustang02]

Because it's not using the phones camera. The phone is a monitor for a security camera.

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Yes it is. Use your old cell phone as a security camera. This isn't an app to connect to an existing security camera. The old cell is the security camera.

I'm setting this up now on my maxx.

 

[Mustang02]

I'm impressed. You can turn the flash on too.

 

[Jonny Kansas]

I'm impressed. You can turn the flash on too.

!!!!! Your critter got out!!!!!

 

[Mustang02]

!!!!! Your critter got out!!!!!

Yea. He wanted to sleep at my feet.

 

[FoxKat]

how does it have night vision when the camera on the phone doesn't?

These phone cameras are capable of near total darkness photography the way they are now. The camera's sensors are capable of full infrared photography but during the manufacturing process they have an IR filter installed from the factory. This was done to prevent them from being used take near nude photography through clothes via infrared as some early Sony cameras were capable of doing before the filters were installed. Even still, some infrared and near-infrared light gets through to the camera's sensor.

There are several quite impressive apps in the play store that take advantage of this. For instance, the three images below we're just taken by me. I used an app called Night Vision Camera (Night Vision Camera - Android Apps on Google Play), to take the photos that appear in green. These photos were taken in a darkened room with only a very minimal trickle of light coming through the heavily shaded windows. The app pushes the cameras settings to extremes in order to focus near IR and IR light sensitivity and display it at one spectrum level which is green.

The other photo that you see below in black was taken with the regular camera and no flash pointing at the same object in a darkened room. The object that you see is a television at the foot of my bed and the thermostat on the wall is the light that you see up top on the right in the photograph. The other lights that you see lower on the photograph are the red pilot light on the front of the television (bottom right), and the IR detector (just above to the right) which actually puts out a tiny amount of IR light as well.

To prove this, I took my television remote control and pointed at my camera on my phone in a totally dark room and pressed the button on the remote control and took a photo. You'll be quite surprised to see that the camera actually captures the infrared off of the front of my remote control. In the photo below you'll see two lights. The light in the top in Orange is the actual backlighting of one of the buttons and its reflection off my finger, but the Purple light you see lower and to the left is the infrared emitter on the front of the remote control.

Alfred uses the same technique to accomplish the same goal for night vision in its app.

Because it's not using the phones camera. The phone is a monitor for a security camera.

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I have two old Droid Eris, two Droid Razrs, and a Moto X 1st gen. I could have my entire house on lock down!

So if this doesn't use the phones camera, I need a camera for each phone? Or is it optional?

I'm thinking Mark may be a little confused. From the OP and @FoxKat's post, it appears to me that you're using the phone's camera.

Yes it is. Use your old cell phone as a security camera. This isn't an app to connect to an existing security camera. The old cell is the security camera.

I'm setting this up now on my maxx.

This is correct. It uses the old phones as the actual security cameras as well as using your current phone for the remote monitoring capability. It's actually quite incredible especially considering it does sense motion and can do low-light photography and video. Also with the ability to turn on the camera's flash remotely, as well as control it's night vision capabilities remotely, you can take it from seeing something in near total darkness in green cast and quickly change it into a full-blown full-color photographs or video with the light.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

[FoxKat]

The audio works great too, being able to talk between the camera and viewer is pretty handy. So far this is a pretty cool app. My only worry is possible over heating issues with the phone being plugged in all day with the camera in constant use.

Sent from my Nexus 6P

Overheating is not a problem. I have my Moto X phone sitting in a charger doc and the camera is on 24/7. The phone is nice and cool and still functions perfectly.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

[popcenator]

I'm really enjoying this function. It justified for my wife why I keep my old phones.

Sent from my Nexus 6P

 

[Jonny Kansas]

I'm really enjoying this function. It justified for my wife why I keep my old phones.

Sent from my Nexus 6P

My wife doesn't question me. She does the same & likes knowing there's at least one spare in the house if we need it.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

 

[FoxKat]

Here's a couple more night vision shots taken by the software developer. They show you how detailed the photos can be in areas that would otherwise be too dark to make anything out. In these shots the only light is coming from the far end of the room and in a normal photo you would likely only be able to make out those objects in the distance.

Here's a couple nice shots of the status bar drop down showing some of the notifications. They are very nicely laid out and informative.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

[Jonny Kansas]

You're not kidding. The night vision is insane.

Night vision:

Flash:

Nothing:

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

 

[FoxKat]

Every once in a while a developer really hits the mark with a tight cluster. Alfred has done that. It's just that good at everything it does.

I've been in touch with the team (they reached out to me), and they're expressing interest in becoming either a developer for our site or a contributing vendor. They're excited about being contributing members.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

[Jonny Kansas]

If you talk to them again, ask them to support Chrome. The web viewer only works in FireFox, so I had to download it on my work PC just to see my dog napping. Haha!

He didn't even flinch when I switched night mode off and turned the flash on to get a better look. He's out.

 

[Jonny Kansas]

Oh! He's awake and repositioning himself! Just when I thought there wasn't anything else that could distract me at work...Haha!

 

[xeene]

This will go hand in hand with those cheap $10-20 prepaid android phones from slickdeals.
YMMV Sprint Prepaid Moto E on clearance for $15 Meijer B&M
Sprint HTC Desire 510 Prepaid Smartphone for $19.99 + Free Store Pickup (YMMV) (Frys Electronics)
Straight Talk LG Destiny 4G LTE Android Prepaid Smartphone for $19.99 + Free Store Pickup (Walmart)