DIY:How to Use Your Android As a Security Camera

[circlely]

Are you looking to protect your home? Your reasons to install a security camera can be many. However, buying security cameras can be expensive. Thankfully, if you have an old Android phone, you can just turn it into a security camera. Android provides a platform and a number of apps, like IP Webcam and at home Video Streamer and Camera, that turn your phone’s camera into a security camera, and give you the live feed of the location you want to monitor.
Method 1 of 2: Using AtHome Video Streamer and Athome Camera Apps

1. 1
   Get your phones. You will need two Android phones for this. One will be the security camera, which will need the AtHome Video Streamer installed in it, and the other will act as the monitor from which you can view the surveillance. This second device will need the AtHome Camera installed in it.
   
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2. 
   2
   Download and install the needed apps. Get AtHome Video Streamer app for the phone you will use as security camera. The app can be downloaded from the Play Store for free. After you have installed this in the first Android device, take the second device that will act as a monitor and install AtHome Camera in it.
   
   
3. 
   3
   Launch AtHome Video Streamer. Once the app has been installed, open it by tapping on its icon from the home screen. The icon looks like a blue square with a white house inside it. Go through all the introductory screens by swiping your fingers from right to left until you see the “Start now” option at the center of the screen.
   
   
4. 
   4
   Tap “Start now.” On doing so, you will be directed to the live camera view screen. Displayed on the right side of the live camera view screen are the CID code, username, password, and so, which will be used while monitoring.
   
   
5. 
   5
   Create a password and username. You will need this username and password to view the streamed surveillance later. To create a password and username, tap the “Menu” option on the top left corner of the screen. From the options that appear, select “Change password.” A default username and password is generated automatically in the app, but you can change this if you want, and is recommended that you do.
   • Enter your preferred username and password in the spaces provided, and then tap “Save” at the right top corner of the screen.
   
   
6. 
   6
   Take note of the CID code. Tap the Back option at the left top corner of the screen to return to the live camera view screen. Check the CID code, which is labeled as such, and remember or write it down. You will need this to view the live video later on.
   
   
7. 
   7
   Position your device in the location you want to monitor. Place your camera in such a way that the primary (or rear) camera is facing towards the location to be monitored. Make sure nothing is obstructing the view.
   • If you want to monitor more than one location, you can do so by downloading AtHome Video Streamer to other Android devices; getting the CID code, username, and password for each, and positioning them in the locations you want to monitor.
   
   
8. 
   8
   Open AtHome Camera in the second Android device. Locate the icon of an orange square with a white house in it on your device’s home screen or app drawer. Tap to launch the app.
   
   
9. 
   9
   Connect the two Android devices. Tap “Add” at the right top corner of the screen once the app has launched. A menu will drop down. From here, tap “By CID.”
   • Now enter the CID code that you got from the AtHome Video Streamer app, and the username and password you created into the fields given. Afterwards, tap “Save” to link the two devices.
   • If you monitored several locations using multiple Android devices, input each CID code, and username and password to link all of them into this monitoring device.
   
   
10. 
    10
    View surveillance. Tap the “Back” option at the top left corner to return to the previous screen. The screen now has a camera icon. If you are using more than one device to monitor, there will be multiple camera icons, each numbered as 1, 2, 3, and so on. Tap the camera icon whose camera view you want to monitor. The live coverage will appear on the screen.
    • You can adjust the lighting by tapping the “Flash on/off” option at the bottom left corner of the screen.
    • To switch between cameras, tap “Switch Camera” at the bottom right.
    • If you want to take a picture from the live surveillance, tap “Capture” at the center. It will be saved to your monitoring device.

 

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https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ichano.athome.camera
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ichano.athome.avs

 

[Mandami]

I haven't used them, but it seems they have good reviews on Play:4.2/8,137 respectively 4.1/3,372 total.