Summary

Raspberry Pi (A/B/2) Python Camera script with it's focus on image quality, automation and an easy setup.

What works

Picam.py

• Takes images based on motion detection
• Automatically changes day/night settings based on your local sunset/sunrise
• Camera LED on/off during the night/day (neighbour friendly)

In combination with the storageController.sh script:

• The picam.py script writes the images to a 32 MB RAMdisk for optimal speed
• Images on the RAMdisk are moved to a network folder, parallel to the pycam.py still shooting images.
• Checks are made to make sure the network location is online. If the network location goes down, images are temporary written to a folder on the SD card until the network folder is back online.

You don't need both scripts, Picam.py can easily run on it's own and write the images to a folder.

ToDo

The script is still in the works, but a lot planned:

• Optimal dynamic motion detection level
• Easy installer (although the scripts isn't hard to install..)
• Website to manage the script / see the recently taken images. See the issues list for full details.

How to install

Clone this GIT respository on your Raspberry PI:

git clone https://github.com/dofl/PiCam.git

Install Astral (used for the sunset/sunrise, https://pythonhosted.org/astral)

sudo pip install astral

Install Screen (to let the scripts run while you log out)

sudo apt-get install screen

Open the picam.py and storageController.sh scripts with a text editor like Nano and edit the values you'd need.

Run the scripts, preferrably in Screen. Start with the storageController.sh script as this needs to create the RAMdisk first

sudo screen sh storageController.sh
sudo screen python picam.py

And ALT-D yourself out of the screen shell and see the images come in on your NAS. If something went wrong or you don't see any images, check the picam.log file.