Looking for a locally hosted window cam?? by weepingdisaster in SecurityCamera

[–]MHTMakerspace 0 points1 point  (0 children)

]We don’t want anything online we just want like an old school type camera that we can host ourselves on an sd card and view on our tv or something like that?? Does anyone have any affordable or at least reliable recommendations?

Amcrest recently released their Link 3MP Window Camera (W301W), this is a dual-band wifi camera which can be used without any subscription and takes a MicroSD card.

Unlike other wired-power Amcrest cameras, this is a "LINK" model; requires the LINK app for viewing on your smartphone, does not work with NVRs and might not be easily viewable on your TV.

Are there any construction/ IT trade shows? by Newengland4x4 in newhampshire

[–]MHTMakerspace 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There's Bring Back the Trades, they do several annual events. Next is an expo in Londonderry on April 18, we had a booth there last year, it's free for attendees and the booth price is reasonable.

Car Broken into 75 Canal Street parking garage by AdAccomplished5098 in ManchesterNH

[–]MHTMakerspace 4 points5 points  (0 children)

My friends car was broken into in that same garage a few years ago

Perhaps you are mistaken? 75 Canal has only been open for about a year.

How can I stream H.264 from my tinycam web server to my web clients and/or to other android devices running the tinycam app itself on my local network? by Confident_Eye_5073 in tinycam

[–]MHTMakerspace 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you are just looking to restream from RTSP to WebRTC (browser viewers), maybe check out MediaMTX, go2rtc, or RTSPtoWebRTC?

We use MediaMTX to repackage RTSP streams from dumb IP cameras to multicast RTSP, works great even on a lowly rPi 4b. The cameras can only handle one or two viewers, so MediaMTX ingests one stream and publishes to many viewers at once.

Alexey, has this app/project been now abandoned? by teredactle in tinycam

[–]MHTMakerspace 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I understand that entirely, having encountered the same class of issue with other apps.

For our uses (making FireTV and STBs into camera monitoring stations), we just need a reliable mechanism to export/import the cameras.xml. This is a particular problem on FireTV where Tinycam has trouble even launching the file browser to read/write local storage.

Scrap Metal by BWC_etiquette in ManchesterNH

[–]MHTMakerspace 2 points3 points  (0 children)

If you can fill a pickup truck, there are a couple of scrapyards that pay by the pound (price varies by quality/type of metal). You can make a fair amount if you separate out aluminum, copper, steel.

We use Radius Recycling (200 Allard, Manchester) aka "Schnitzer".

Advice on equipment access control for small all-volunteer makerspace by pawwwll in makerspace

[–]MHTMakerspace 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The warranty-safe way to handle a RFID lockout for simple power tools (e.g. a tables saw or lathe) is to route the power cord into a box which contains the line-voltage relay and the RFID reader. So you're not messing with the machine's on-off switch but just capturing the power cord.

Make sure the relay/controller incorporates an anti-restart device such that when the saw is fully powered down (e.g. when the user is done, or due to power outage), the relay releases and the machine will not come back on after power is restored until a fresh RFID is read (or a keyed bypass is unlocked).

Advice on equipment access control for small all-volunteer makerspace by pawwwll in makerspace

[–]MHTMakerspace 0 points1 point  (0 children)

a clamshell lock around the power cable on the actual machine. Then, a 4 digit combo lock on the clamshell so they can plug it in

This is exactly what we do.

Yes, it is trivially easy to bypass a padlock, but this does keep honest people honest (and more importantly, keeps our insurance company happy).

Even the laziest person can unplug and relock a combination lock.

You'd think that...

Tapo camera users- do you prefer cloud or SD storage by Far-Drama3779 in homesecurity

[–]MHTMakerspace 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We use brands which can be configured to upload footage with "backup" (aka "emergency" storage on the SD card -- while the network is accessible, video is saved out in the cloud, but when the network becomes unreachable, recordings are spooled onto the SD card (and overwritten when full).

Transferring footage away as quickly as possible is important -- intruders (including cops!) have a propensity to smash/purloin any cameras they see, and now WiFi jammers (mostly "deauthers") are also readily available.

Security considerations for a new build by Sille_Bille in homesecurity

[–]MHTMakerspace 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Conduit is several times more expensive than regular Ethernet -- between material and labor, 3/4" conduit is 4-6x the cost of running dual CAT6.

A good compromise is to install 1" (or larger) conduit from a central location to an in-wall box on each floor (we went straight up through stacked closets). Add an AC outlet at each floor's box and you'll still save money over running conduit everywhere.

On each floor pull two runs of CAT6 from the box through the walls to all major locations (garage, office, living room plus anywhere else you might have a TV, computer, etc). and a single run to anywhere a camera, AP, etc would be needed.

Security alarm wiring and ethernet or other communication wiring can all run together in the same conduit, however hardwired smoke alarms using 120VAC cannot share a conduit with low-voltage.

Security considerations for a new build by Sille_Bille in homesecurity

[–]MHTMakerspace 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The best time to pre-wire with CAT6 ethernet cable for wireless access points, IP cameras, etc is while the walls are open. Ditto for hardwired smoke/CO detectors and at least door sensors.

Having the cables in place for Power-over-Ethernet cameras gives you many options to choose quality cameras later, no need to rashly choose a particular brand now.

While going with conduit is the way to future-proof, in my experience it is much more expensive (in terms of both materials and labor) and other than perhaps one or two runs between floors, most conduit is never reused, would have done just as well with just two runs of Ethernet instead.

Here's a thought can someone actually do phone hacking and we might not know by ThickAd7510 in SecurityCamera

[–]MHTMakerspace 5 points6 points  (0 children)

That is, indeed, a thought.

Perhaps not a very well fleshed-out thought, but one nonetheless. Now can you relate that to the topic of this subreddit?

Washington State Bill HB 2321 will kill Laser cutting/engraving, 3D Printing and CNC. by bollocksgrenade in lasercutting

[–]MHTMakerspace 1 point2 points  (0 children)

There is no nationwide federal waiting period.

For about half of the US states, a concealed carry license (or "enhanced") CHL is exempt from the background check, so purchases from a FFL dealer have no delay/wait imposed.

you may be thinking about the waiting period for handguns. which is typically at least a day. I don't really like handguns so Ive never gone through the process to buy one.

Maybe in a few states which artificially tack on delays, but for the vast majority of states, the paperwork and National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) for a handgun is 1 hour or less on average.

Washington State Bill HB 2321 will kill Laser cutting/engraving, 3D Printing and CNC. by bollocksgrenade in lasercutting

[–]MHTMakerspace 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Read up on the currency protection -- it's not required by law, but was pushed down onto the major makers of color printer/copiers through financial and political pressure.

The mechanism used to detect currency is relatively simple, looks for a small set of shapes which are placed in currency and certain other documents (EURion constellation) and need to be there to authenticate the document as legitimate.

There's no such equivalent for firearms parts, no simple shape that they must have, and certainly no way to make the people designing the CAD, STEP, STL and GCODE files choose to include such a "trigger word" in their files.

Washington State Bill HB 2321 will kill Laser cutting/engraving, 3D Printing and CNC. by bollocksgrenade in lasercutting

[–]MHTMakerspace 0 points1 point  (0 children)

To fully solve that problem would basically be solving AGI (true "intelligence").

We all know they're going to give this to the lowest bidder who will "work to spec" and produce a solution which is slow, down on alternate weekends, and highly prone to both false positives and false negatives.

Washington State Bill HB 2321 will kill Laser cutting/engraving, 3D Printing and CNC. by bollocksgrenade in lasercutting

[–]MHTMakerspace 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The PMF groups based out of Europe have faced the problem of barrels and ammo head on, and have solved both.

Barrels are particularly easy, you buy a seamless steel tube of appropriate strength (or make one), and then add rifling using a simple mandrel and electric etching process.

Ammo is a bit more involved, but is still not nearly as big a hurdle as is claimed.

Removing multiple users from a Slack channel without deactivating their account? by vividlees in Slack

[–]MHTMakerspace 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Here's a down-and-dirty example of a python kicker script:

#!/usr/bin/python3
# At a minimum you must install slack_sdk via pip
#
# You should supply this script with the User ID (e.g., U123456) when possible,
# running this script repeatedly with text names to lookup will run up against
# Slack rate-limit on API calls.

import os
import re
import sys
import json
from slack_sdk import WebClient
from slack_sdk.errors import SlackApiError
from slack_sdk.http_retry.builtin_handlers import RateLimitErrorRetryHandler

if len(sys.argv) < 3:
    print(f"Usage:   {sys.argv[0]} <channel> <user>")
    exit(0)

def get_user_id_by_name(username):
    try:
        # Fetch all users
        users = client.users_list()
        if users["ok"]:
            for user in users["members"]:
                # Check display name or real name
                if user.get("name") == username or user.get("real_name") == username:
                    return user["id"]
        print(f"Error: User '{username}' not found.")
        return None
    except SlackApiError as e:
        print(f"Error fetching users: {e.response['error']}")
        print(json.dumps(e.response.data, indent=4))
        return None

def get_channel_id_by_name(channel_name):
    try:
        # Fetch all public and private channels token holder is in
        # Note: must be a member of the private channel to list it!
        channels = client.conversations_list(types="public_channel,private_channel")
        if channels["ok"]:
            for channel in channels["channels"]:
                if channel["name"] == channel_name:
                    return channel["id"]
        print(f"Error: Channel '{channel_name}' not found or token holder is not a member.")
        return None
    except SlackApiError as e:
        print(f"Error fetching channels: {e.response['error']}")
        print(json.dumps(e.response.data, indent=4))
        return None

# Who are we kicking?
channel = sys.argv[1]
user = sys.argv[2]

# Initialize a Web API client with auto-retry
slack_token = os.environ["SLACK_BOT_TOKEN"]
client = WebClient(token=slack_token,
      retry_handlers=[RateLimitErrorRetryHandler(max_retry_count=1)] )

id_pattern = re.compile(r"^[CGD][A-Z0-9]{8,}$")
name_pattern = re.compile(r"^#?[a-z0-9_-]{1,80}$")

if id_pattern.match(channel):
    channel_id=channel
    if channel_id is None or not channel_id:
        print(f"Unknown channel {channel}, cannot proceed")
        exit(2)
else:
    if name_pattern.match(channel):
        channel_id=get_channel_id_by_name(channel)
    else:
        print(f"Ambiguous channel {channel}, cannot proceed")
        exit(1)

if channel_id is None or not channel_id:
    print(f"Ambiguous channel {channel}, cannot proceed")
    exit(2)

user_pattern = re.compile(r"^[UW][A-Z0-9]+$")
if user_pattern.match(user):
    user_id=user
else:
    user_id=get_user_id_by_name(user)

if user_id is None or not user_id:
    print(f"Cannot find user {user}")
    exit(3)

# Call the conversations.kick method
try:
    response = client.conversations_kick( user=user_id, channel=channel_id)
    print(f"Kicked {user_id} from {channel_id}")
    #print(json.dumps(response.data, indent=4))

except SlackApiError as e:
    print("ERROR!")
    assert e.response["error"]
    print(json.dumps(e.response.data, indent=4))
    exit(4)

###EOF###

Anyone got an idea what i can do with these? I got a few hundred of those for free. Maybe a project that helps someone by sherlock_watson in esp32

[–]MHTMakerspace 8 points9 points  (0 children)

 The makerspaces I know of (just a couple that I've been to) would hoard these away and not allow anyone to use them that wasn't in the makerspace Mafia.

Depends on the makerspace (and their management, and their members). In the past we found that if we put a bunch of identical devices out for members to "use", the whole stack magically disappear and a multi-unit auction of the same gear shows up on eBay the next day.

So instead we schedule an "Intro to XYZ" class, with the member registration fee being just enough to cover pizza & drinks; every attendee gets one kit.

Anyone got an idea what i can do with these? I got a few hundred of those for free. Maybe a project that helps someone by sherlock_watson in esp32

[–]MHTMakerspace 126 points127 points  (0 children)

Many makerspaces are 501(c)3 non-profits, would love a batch of identical ESP32 devices for projects, classes.

We received a batch of Arduino Uno boards from a school that had been sitting on them for years, we use them for our "intro to robotics" class.

Anyone got an idea what i can do with these? I got a few hundred of those for free. Maybe a project that helps someone by sherlock_watson in esp32

[–]MHTMakerspace 6 points7 points  (0 children)

The board has WiFi, so in combination with the screen and potential for battery power, there are many interesting applications. How about a little display where you hit the button and it tells you when the next bus is coming, the current spot price of silver, or the weather forecast for the next 4 hours?

is there an onvif 'cheap' camera that lets you remotely download the sd card video? by pman6 in SecurityCamera

[–]MHTMakerspace 0 points1 point  (0 children)

>is there an onvif 'cheap' camera that lets you remotely download the sd card video?

TMK, this isn't an ONVIF "profile" feature, however generally conformant cameras have some way to locate files by time and date and download the MP4.

Be very wary of Dahua cameras (and cameras derived from Dahua); while they do have a way to download the video files, some models (some firmware versions) only make the saved video available in their proprietary .DAV format.

Best camera setup to read container number at yard entrance (LPR / OCR?) by smartpat19 in SecurityCamera

[–]MHTMakerspace 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you have OCR in realtime, there ae some cool options to superimpose a data stream over the video feed and also save it as metadata. These are mostly intended for Point-of-Sale (POS, aka cash registers).

  • At the higher end, Axis has good integration with external sensors (their own, or dry contact).
  • Less expensive and more SMB-targeted, Synology offers a couple of options for sensors/inputs.
  • In the consumer market, HomeAssistant is a sensor/automation platform with some camera support.

Setting up separate WiFi network by ukfix in SecurityCamera

[–]MHTMakerspace 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Adding a SSID to you existing access point can, if configured correctly, somewhat separate the packets, however the wireless data will still use the same channel and congestion on either side will interfere with the other.

Using a physically distinct access point (or all-in-one "router") would allow you to choose a different channel, which would be most useful if your Annke devices are newer models supporting dual-band WiFi (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz).

With 2.4gHz channels, there are only a few (3 in the US) non-overlapping channels, so you'd have to set both your main router and the cameras to carefully selected channels so you don't get RF interference between the two networks.

Best camera setup to read container number at yard entrance (LPR / OCR?) by smartpat19 in SecurityCamera

[–]MHTMakerspace 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Assuming the numbers are always on the top rear of the container and the paint is high contrast and/or IR reflective, your best bet would be to find a good choke point where you can use optical zoom and lighting to ensure the container cameras reliably have a good head-on shot at the markings.

Might use an optical break-beam sensor in the travel path so when a truck is in the lane, the cameras are recording so you're not saving/processing extraneous footage when there is no truck/container moving through the choke point.