Simple Wifi CCTV for Your Door

Last week, someone stole milk packets outside my flat. We spoke to different staff and other residents but had no luck.

So decided to place a CCTV outside my flat. I started researching and found a few options

Options

• DVR / NVR Based CCTV: Expensive
• Fake Camera: may work to scare people
• Wifi Camera for outdoor: expensive
• Wifi Camera for indoors: Cheap, but no stand and I had one
• ESP32 CAM: I had one ut could not fix the "camera not detected" error

I had a very common V380 wifi camera.. not sure why I bought it a few years ago.

Since Using this meant that I do not have to spend much, I decided to go with it

What do we Need?

• Wifi V380 Camera
• 5V mobile charger
• Small USB cable to power camera
• SD card
• Copper wire and Electric socket
• 3d Printer
• Double Side Tape

Step 1: Preparing Camera

Before we start making anything, we need to make sure that the camera is working

• Power the camera and reset by pressing a pin at the back of the camera
• Download Camera app from Google Play Store ( I am using an Android phone)
• Set up the camera and configure to what one needs
• Alarm between 20:00 PM to 8:00 AM
• Record on Event
• Record in SD
• Disconnect the camera from the power and connect it to a power bank
• Let it boot and connect to wifi
• Now place the camera in different positions and angles to get the desired view
• I realized that there are blind spots and one cannot avoid them.
• We could increase the number of cameras to get better coverage

Step 2: Tinkercad

Before we start with TinkerCad, we need to measure all our constrains

• Camera
• Inner Diameter: 46 mm
• Outer diameter: 63mm
• Overall depth: 35mm
• Power adaptor : 35 x 15 x 25
• Holes for wall mount: 6mm diameter
• Hole for micro USB:10mm
• Hole for AC power: 6mm
• To change the angle of the camera we need a hinge
• I drew all of this on a paper first, then in Tinkercad

Step 3: 3D Print

• Files can be downloaded from Cults3d (free)
• I printed them on my Ender 3
• Support: None
• Resolution : 0.2mm
• Infill: 20%
• Using a match stick, fix the hinge
• Test the camera fits the ring mount

Design issue:

• I noticed that the hinge is too smooth and will not hold the camera in position.
• Could be slimmer
• Backplate to hide electronics can be added

Step 4: Assembly

• There is enough space to fit any regular sized mobile charger
• Still, I broke open the charger's cover
• Solder to wires to the AC input of the charger and connect to a power connector
• Using hot glue or double side tape, fix the charger inside the camera mount
• Connect the USB cable as shown
• Connect the micro usb cable to the camera and we are done

Step 5: Final

• Test the wifi camera in different positions and angles using double side tape
• Once happy, drill final holes for mounting the camera on a wall
• Power on the camera and start monitoring

There are a few design improvements that I will fix in the future. For a first attempt, it has come out very well.

Hope you like this. Please share our comments and suggestions