Hardware or software triggers for camera capture? (NOT motion detection)

Steven Kan

Is there any way to use an electrical signal or software signal to cause an RLC-410 or RLC-411 to capture an image and upload it via FTP?

I want to do a time-lapse video inside a dark box (a beehive), but I want to turn on a light very briefly, once every 10 minutes, just to take an image and then shut the light off again, so I don't disturb the bees.

I don't want to use motion detection (caused by the light going on) because I'd have to collect a gazillion video clips and extract the frames I want. I want to leave my camera in daytime mode (even though it's dark), turn on the light every 10 minutes, wait 2-3 seconds for the camera to adjust, then take 1 still image and FTP it.

Crimp On

On the "Advanced" options page, under "Email", you can set the RLC camera to send an email notice that motion has been recorded and attach a picture. I am not aware of any method to FTP a single image. This will result in an email every 10 minutes (six per hour).

Frankly, I have no idea if the camera will shift from black & white to color mode before the image is collected. Do the bees care if it is dark or light inside the hive?

This may not be the right product for what you want to do.

Steven Kan

I know I can get emailed when motion occurs. I want to trigger a capture based on a external hardware trigger, like a signal from a Raspberry Pi, or on a software trigger, like a cgi command/http request.

Steven Kan

Ah, I just found this!

https://home-cdn.reolink.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Reolink-CGI-command-v1.61.pdf

It works! I just have to figure out how to get a Pi to turn on a set of visible LEDs and snap a photo every 10 minutes.

snap

Steven Kan

Hmmm. Here's an interesting anomaly. I have 4 Reolink cameras right now. Using that same "snap" command:

http://192.168.1.14/cgi-bin/api.cgi?cmd=Snap&channel=0&rs=abcde&user=anonymous&pa*sword=pa*sword

and changing only the IP address for each of the four cameras, here's the size of the resulting JPG I get:

RLC-423 at .11 outputs 1536 × 864 despite video set for 2304 x 1296.
RLC-411 at .13 outputs 2304 x 1296, matching the video settings.
RLC-411 at .9 outputs 2560 x 1440, matching the video settings.
RLC-410 at .14 outputs 2304 x 1296, matching the video settings.

So why does the RLC-423 output the JPG at a different size from the video stream?

Crimp On

This looks like a question for support@reolink.com, or maybe whoever put up the link that you followed.

Do you have the latest firmware? All of these cameras have the same basic hardware platform, with firmware specific to the camera model. (Reolink's "Support->Download" page)

These are pretty hefty devices to be attaching to a beehive. Is there not a tiny color spy camera that will wire into the Pi that will be controlling the light?

Steven Kan

Unfortunately the original article where I found that PDF link specifically said something like, "Not for personal use" or something like that, e.g. they don't support regular users like me. It's not really a public API.

Yes, I do have the latest firmware on all my cameras.

I could use a tiny camera inside the hive, but I wanted better image quality, so I've mounted the camera one the outside, like this:

http://www.kan.org/pictures/InteriorCameraThruBaffle.jpg

looking through a piece of gla*s:

http://www.kan.org/pictures/CameraFromInside.jpg

Crimp On

Way cool. And, you have "ant traps" under the hive to keep them away from the honey!

This may not affect you, but I had MAJOR problems with my RLC-410WS cameras recording constantly because the IR LED's would make any insect flying close to the lens look SO BRIGHT that it would trigger a motion event. I wound up mounting a separate IR light six feet away and covering up the IR LED's on my RLC camera. (I guess you can avoid that by setting the recording schedule to "never". NEVER MIND!)

Steven Kan

Interesting. I haven't had that problem (yet). I have the RLC-423 staring right at the entrance to one of my established hives, and the bugs never both the camera at night. Then again I don't have the motion trigger turned on, because the bees are always moving during the day:

https://www.youtube.com/user/IAmTheWaterbug/live

Crimp On

Just AMAZING. Thanks for sharing the link to your live feed.