DIY Cat Eye Security Camera: A Step-by-Step Guide250

Cat eye security cameras offer a discreet and cost-effective way to monitor your property. They are small and easy to install, and they can be disguised as ordinary household objects. This makes them ideal for use in both residential and commercial settings.

In this tutorial, we will show you how to make your own cat eye security camera using a Raspberry Pi Zero W and a Raspberry Pi Camera Module. We will also provide you with a list of materials and instructions on how to install and configure the camera.

Materials* Raspberry Pi Zero W
* Raspberry Pi Camera Module
* Cat eye peephole (with a diameter of 14mm or less)
* MicroSD card (8GB or larger)
* USB power supply
* Ethernet cable (optional)

Instructions1. Prepare your Raspberry Pi.
- Start by inserting the microSD card into the Raspberry Pi Zero W.
- Connect the Raspberry Pi Zero W to a USB power supply.
- If you are using an Ethernet cable, connect the Raspberry Pi Zero W to your network.
2. Install the operating system.
- Download the latest version of Raspbian Lite from the Raspberry Pi website.
- Write the Raspbian Lite image to the microSD card using a tool such as Etcher.
3. Configure the Raspberry Pi.
- Once the operating system is installed, you can configure the Raspberry Pi by SSHing into it.
- To do this, open a terminal window and type the following command:
```
ssh pi@
```
- You will be prompted to enter the default password, which is "raspberry".
- Once you are logged in, you can change the password by typing the following command:
```
passwd
```
- You can also change the hostname of the Raspberry Pi by typing the following command:
```
sudo raspi-config
```
4. Install the camera software.
- To install the camera software, type the following command:
```
sudo apt-get install motion
```
- This will install the Motion software, which is a motion-activated camera software.
5. Configure the camera software.
- Once the camera software is installed, you can configure it by editing the configuration file.
- To do this, open the file /etc/motion/ in a text editor.
- Change the following settings in the configuration file:
```
width 640
height 480
framerate 15
```
- These settings will configure the camera to record videos with a resolution of 640x480 at 15 frames per second.
6. Install the cat eye peephole.
- To install the cat eye peephole, remove the old peephole from your door.
- Insert the new peephole into the hole in the door.
- Tighten the screws to secure the peephole in place.
7. Mount the Raspberry Pi camera.
- To mount the Raspberry Pi camera, remove the lens from the camera.
- Insert the camera into the hole in the cat eye peephole.
- Tighten the screws to secure the camera in place.
8. Connect the Raspberry Pi camera to the Raspberry Pi Zero W.
- To connect the Raspberry Pi camera to the Raspberry Pi Zero W, connect the ribbon cable from the camera to the CSI port on the Raspberry Pi Zero W.
9. Power on the Raspberry Pi Zero W.
- To power on the Raspberry Pi Zero W, connect the USB power supply to the Raspberry Pi Zero W.
10. Test the camera.
- To test the camera, open a terminal window and type the following command:
```
sudo motion
```
- This will start the camera software.
- Open a web browser and type the following address in the address bar:
```
:8081
```
- You should now see a live video feed from the camera.

Conclusion

You have now successfully made your own cat eye security camera. This camera is a great way to monitor your property without having to spend a lot of money. It is also very easy to install and configure.

If you have any questions about this tutorial, please leave a comment below.

2025-01-28

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