Member-only story
How to Make a Cloud-Free Security Camera for $3
A DIY device that won’t hand your data over to Amazon, Google, or anyone else
I like the idea of having a security camera, but there are two drawbacks to most of the options on the market. They either send video to the cloud, meaning you’re not in control of that data and typically have to pay a monthly fee, or they cost more than I want to pay.
Recently I found a fun, DIY solution: the ESP32-CAM. The ESP32 is a microcontroller, which is a small computer usually meant to run a single program. The chip has been licensed and built into tons of configurations, like boards with built-in LCD displays and GPS modules, but in this case, the ESP32 chip has been paired with a two megapixel camera. It weighs about 10 grams and is smaller than my thumb.
The ESP32 chips have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, which make them great for small, internet-connected projects. The ESP32-CAM broadcasts to my local network, meaning the video doesn’t get sent outside the confines of my Wi-Fi’s range. And best of all, on AliExpress, these ESP32-CAM boards cost somewhere between $3 and $5 depending on the seller, if you don’t mind waiting a few weeks for them to arrive in the mail.
My use case isn’t extreme — I just want a few cameras to see if a package was delivered or…
