Overview

  This guide shows how to assemble the hardware and overviews the software setup for an IP Creeper camera - The Creeper Cam!

This guide uses the Raspberry Pi and camera from the Pi Foundation.

Links to the 3D printable enclosure models are aso provided. Some of the 3D models for the are a remix of thingiverse.com user T_Hambush's Pi Zero security camera.

Hardware

• Pick the camera cable for the Pi you decide to use:
  
  
  • Flex Cable for Raspberry Pi Camera - 200mm
  • Raspberry Pi Zero v1.3 Camera Cable
• Raspberry Pi Camera - NOTE: the software for this project does not support USB cameras.
• Raspberry Pi - All the versions with a camera connector should work.

3d Printing

See this project's OpenSCAD page for information on 3D printing the enclosure(s). Continue here once the enclosure is printed and ready for assembly.

Assembly

Normally, I'd say get the software going before you assemble the project and its enclosure, but for the Creeper Cam it does not matter too much.

This project has two assembly options. The first option is for the Pi Zero only. The second option is for all the Raspberry Pi versions with a camera connector. Both options use a common assembly for the camera stand.

Assembly - Camera Stand

• Attach the ribbon cable to the Raspberry Pi camera.
• Attach the camera to the front enclosure part named 'camera-enclosure-sample.stl'. Then attach the camera enclosure lid part named 'camcaselid.stl' to the back of camera enclosure.
• Attach the camera case with lid (and ribbon cable) to the stand part named 'camhinge.stl'.

Assembly - Option 1 - Pi Zero Only

• Attach the camera ribbon cable to the Pi Zero.
• Attach the Pi Zero to the 3D printed main enclosure part named 'basic-pi-zero-creeper-enclosure.stl'. Screws or E6000 adhesive are good options for attaching the Pi Zero.
• Use E6000 to attach the camera stand part named 'camhinge.stl' to the Pi Zero enclosure's top.
• Lastly close the Pi Zero enclosure with the part named 'campicaselid.stl'.

Assembly - Option 2 - Raspberry Pi with Camera Connector

This assembly option is for Rasbperry Pis with a camera connector. So far this versions Zero through 3.

• Attach the camera cable to the Raspberry Pi.
• Attach the Raspberry Pi to the inner area of the enclosure part named 'basic-raspberry-pi-enclosure.stl'. Double sided tape works well for this.
• Lastly, attached the camera stand part named 'camhinge.stl' to the Raspberry Pi enclosure.

Photos of Assembled Creeper Cams

Software

Remmber this software does not support USB cameras, only Raspberry Pi cameras.

The soft ware for this project is available on Github.

The project's install guide is on elinux.org.

But the software installation for this project comes down to just a few commands:

git clone https://github.com/silvanmelchior/RPi_Cam_Web_Interface.git
cd RPi_Cam_Web_Interface
chmod u+x install.sh
./install.sh
            

The installer app configures the default port and URL. Keep track of these values if you change them. At the time of writing this, the default URL context was '/html'.

Usage

 After installation, the default location of the camera stream is http://raspberry-pi-ip/html/

The Web user interface has controls for the camera and operating system.

Resources

• The Pimoroni setup inspired me to created a rig for an IP cam.

Going Further

• Add pan tilt functionaity .