Security camera to send motion-detected still images by email

Forums › Gadgets, robotics, home automation, electronics (including wearables) › Security camera to send motion-detected still images by email

Foiler

220 posts

Master Geek

#282671 5-Mar-2021 13:25

Does anyone know of a low cost indoor or outdoor security camera, pref mains powered, which can be configured to connect to wifi and send motion-detected still photos by email?

I have a D-Link DCS-932L which does exactly the above, but the resolution is hopeless on that model.

Newer cameras all seem to require an app to interface to the captures.

The Reolink cameras come close to doing the job, but their low end cameras only email alerts? and only can email on a schedule? not a motion-detect event?

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#2668231 5-Mar-2021 13:45

SMTP config is too hard on them and results in people complaining so they seem to be left off most newer IP cameras. The older ones based on XMEYE seem to have the options on them to send emails but on my really old one I never had any luck sending thru gmail. If you have access to an unauthenticated non TLS mail server from your ISP because they are stuck in the 00's then you may have luck with one of them.

Otherwise email really is too hard to have working reliably from gutless untrusted devices like that and its gonna be hit or miss if you will be able to work with any given mail server. Best for the manufacturers to bypass all that hassle and give people what they want which is alerts on a phone and a reliably paid cloud service.

Richard rich.ms

technician14

122 posts

Master Geek

#2669298 7-Mar-2021 08:57

You can do it but needs to set up right, SMTP works but had problems with gmail but works with outlook fine

afe66

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#2669554 7-Mar-2021 17:12

? Raspberry pi with motioned os.

Foiler

220 posts

Master Geek

#2800957 25-Oct-2021 19:34

D-Link model DCS-4712E can send emails and looks like it is 2MP stills and 1080 video .. but doesn't connect by wifi .. anyone have any further suggestions?

chevrolux

4962 posts

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#2801103 25-Oct-2021 23:00

Just grab a free SMTP2GO account and you can do unencrypted SMTP on good old port 25 as well as whole bunch of non-standard ports.

pulsta

164 posts

Master Geek

#2801120 26-Oct-2021 07:27

I bought two Reolink Argus 2 cameras with solar panels from Pbtech and they have motion detection built in. They're currently on a schedule from 11pm to 6am to record any detections and email me a still image.

Have been working for the past year and a bit with zero issues apart from the odd spider messing up the view with their pesky webs! Nothing a quick flick with the broom won't fix.

Foiler

220 posts

Master Geek

#2801131 26-Oct-2021 08:24

pulsta: I bought two Reolink Argus 2 cameras with solar panels from Pbtech and they have motion detection built in. They're currently on a schedule from 11pm to 6am to record any detections and email me a still image.

Have been working for the past year and a bit with zero issues apart from the odd spider messing up the view with their pesky webs! Nothing a quick flick with the broom won't fix.

thanks Pulsta .. will give one of those a whirl

This link may be helpful for anyone wanting a cost effective :-) setup

https://www.splitbrain.org/blog/2017-01/30-save_gmail_attachments_to_google_drive

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timmmay

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#2801145 26-Oct-2021 08:55

Wansview Cameras from Amazon.com do this. Mine is a few years old and sitting in a drawer but does what you want fine. Can sometimes be triggered by strong sunlight or ventilation systems moving things a bit.

neb

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#2801444 26-Oct-2021 16:31

technician14: You can do it but needs to set up right, SMTP works but had problems with gmail but works with outlook fine

This is a problem for a lot of cameras, Gmail requires that you do a very Google-specific silly walk that many cameras are unable to do, and the nature of the silly-walk can change any time the Google children decide there's a new fashion they want everyone to follow. Outlook is much better, you can still connect to that with almost anything, but be aware that you may have to do something like feed from the camera to Outlook mail and then forward from there to Gmail, using Outlook as a proxy, if you want it in Gmail.

wlgspotter

331 posts

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#2801449 26-Oct-2021 16:50

neb:
technician14: You can do it but needs to set up right, SMTP works but had problems with gmail but works with outlook fine
This is a problem for a lot of cameras, Gmail requires that you do a very Google-specific silly walk that many cameras are unable to do, and the nature of the silly-walk can change any time the Google children decide there's a new fashion they want everyone to follow. Outlook is much better, you can still connect to that with almost anything, but be aware that you may have to do something like feed from the camera to Outlook mail and then forward from there to Gmail, using Outlook as a proxy, if you want it in Gmail.

Not sure what is your budget or what your consitute as "low cost", however, I've got 2x Foscam R4M that is configured to send email stills to my Yahoo email account (yes I know who uses Yahoo these days but I've been using it for over 20 years lol) and it works. Only "catch" is it won't work using your standard Yahoo password - in the Yahoo account setting there is something called App Password, which Yahoo will generate some kind of random password tied to your account. Using this works - in fact I have to use this to get it to work! And it worked pretty well.

I've then read some good reviews about Reolink camera so purchased a E1 Zoom from PBtech last week, and it was delivered today. Set this up, and also managed to get it working with my Yahoo email using the app password. This too can send stills to my email upon motion detection.

Both the Foscam and Reolink can connect via WiFi (and are mains powered via a power adapter). In fact the Foscam can connect via Ethernet too whereas the Reolink E1 Zoom is WiFy only. And both can connect to 2.4GHz and 5GHz WiFi as well.

Edit: Fixed typo, grammar

MarkM536

309 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2801466 26-Oct-2021 18:16

What resolution would you like and are you DIY??

For a very cheap camera that solely detects motion and sends an email, an ESP-32CAM is a small programmable board with a camera.

Most of the example codes out there for email use an input pin for a motion sensor (like an Arduino module PIR).

Resolution is about 2MP. It does not handle video well but a full size image frame (photo) every few moments works fine.

MarkM536

309 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2801470 26-Oct-2021 18:23

wlgspotter:

I've got 2x Foscam R4M that is configured to send email stills to my Yahoo email account (yes I know who uses Yahoo these days but I've been using it for over 20 years lol) and it works. Only "catch" is it won't work using your standard Yahoo password - in the Yahoo account setting there is something called App Password, which Yahoo will generate some kind of random password tied to your account.

Application password or 'less secure apps' password is available for Google Gmail accounts as well.

In fact I have this video from when I did an ESP-32CAM.

There is also bound to be something for Microsoft Outlook accounts.

Foiler

220 posts

Master Geek

#2801674 26-Oct-2021 23:03

Google allows the use of app specific codes only when 2FA is enabled, and when 2FA is enabled the setting to allow/disallow less secure apps is not available.

I believe Microsoft app specific codes are similar - only available when 2FA is activated - but maybe you also need to enable something like "Legacy Authentication?" to authenticate sending mail to smtp.office365.com with their app password?

panther2

374 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2801708 27-Oct-2021 08:01

Had a argus pt running close to 2 years no email issues. Running via a gmail account and forwards to 3 people

Foiler

220 posts

Master Geek

#2803757 29-Oct-2021 15:47

I now have a Reolink Argus 2 installed and sending emails (works for both SMTP2GO and for smtp.gmail.com).

But .. motion detection does not work .. well ok if you put your hand over the camera that detects as motion, but not a person or car in the field of view. I have the sensitivity wound all the way up to 100%. Hmmm.

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