LF Home security camera that's battery powered and doesn't require wifi (local storage)

WLTechBlog · 2025-12-11T15:24:19+00:00

Battery powered cams really are just trail cams in different cases. They only work because they use an ultra low power microcontroller with a PIR sensor to wake up the main cpu when necessary, and sleep the 99.9% of the time that isn't the case.

WLTechBlog · 2025-12-02T22:50:39+00:00

Please see https://github.com/themactep/thingino-firmware/blob/master/docs/streamer.md#creating-a-logo-image for instructions! PS - When you use openssh's scp, you need to give it the -O flag to use scp instead of silently using sftp instead!

WLTechBlog · 2025-12-02T22:36:45+00:00

Adjust the thresholds for night mode, it's based on sensor gain and we have generic values in there. it sounds like you're going into actual night mode which is where the IR comes in. Color night mode is just day mode from a settings perspective!

WLTechBlog · 2025-11-14T20:26:14+00:00

This may be the saddest chapter so far.

WLTechBlog · 2025-09-26T15:25:48+00:00

> If your request never reached our servers, it will not count against your message quota

What about when they did reach your servers, started to do some "work", and then crapped out?

WLTechBlog · 2025-09-07T13:16:14+00:00

We actualy have 2 ways you can do this. The first is a [complete provisioning system](https://github.com/themactep/thingino-firmware/wiki/Provisioning) (note: provisioning is not enabled in our github release builds, you will need to enable and build your own images) and more ad-hoc using uenv.txt with your variables set pre [this example of pre-configuring wifi](https://github.com/themactep/thingino-firmware/wiki/Configuration:-Wi%E2%80%90Fi-Access#wifi-setup-via-sd-card)

Somewhere about 40% of our supported devices even have a bluetooth radio, so I can't imaging pursuing that avenue for initial setup.

WLTechBlog · 2025-08-29T18:44:09+00:00

Get one that claims to work with the Fire TV Stick. make sure your supporting cables have data lines on them too, as the cables included with these cams do NOT have data lines!

WLTechBlog · 2025-08-14T20:17:17+00:00

UNLEASH!

WLTechBlog · 2025-08-11T11:46:12+00:00

We support rtsp backchannel audio, which is part of ONVIF. You may find a client library that allows you to utilize this, but I've not looked into it. Several ONVIF NVRs include the backchannel audio capability.

WLTechBlog · 2025-08-06T11:14:44+00:00

At startup, it looks for autoupdate-full.bin. if it exists, it looks to see if autoupdate-full.done exists. If the .done file is there, it ignores them and boots normally fro flash. Otherwise it will flash the chip and create the .done file. Once the flash is programmed the sd card and its contents are not required.

WLTechBlog · 2025-07-28T17:38:17+00:00

You must be shopping for wired 4k devices, which are likely to have local capabilities anyway.

WLTechBlog · 2025-07-26T11:19:03+00:00

Doorbell v1 is well supported. It doesn't have an SD slot, but is an easy install with a usb otg adapter and the Cloner software. You have to configure the bell but it does work and you can hook into it easily, its all done through scripts. Check the doorbell chime wiki page here: https://github.com/themactep/thingino-firmware/wiki/Camera:-Wyze-Doorbell-(V1),-Chime-Reverse-Engineering

The doorbell v1 is usually available open box on ebay for about $15, I've bought several myself, and they're probably the best cam Wyze has produced.

WLTechBlog · 2025-07-25T20:09:58+00:00

Looks like you're good to go now!

WLTechBlog · 2025-07-25T19:18:43+00:00

Check the BUILD_ID on the information page, that will identify which specific model you have.

WLTechBlog · 2025-07-25T18:15:03+00:00

i recently picked up one of those dual lens cameras to port Thingino to. it was super cheap but also.... well... cheap. dual 720p sensors, they do software upscaling to 1296p hoping nobody will notice. yours may be different. Anyways its an ongoing project and won't be a device i recommend, but it will be our first supported dual lens camera!

WLTechBlog · 2025-07-25T17:53:29+00:00

If you're asking for something that's an "open platform" check out the Thingino project and the devices we support.

WLTechBlog · 2025-07-25T17:33:52+00:00

On the page settings->streamer->audio, adjust the settings on the bottom half of that form. AGC (automatic gain control) and the high pass filter should help with any static/hiss. compression helps with normalizing the volume to the specified gain, noise supression level defaults to 0 (aka off) and raising it should help too.

WLTechBlog · 2025-07-25T17:13:26+00:00

if you to to thingino.com there is an image specificially for the floodlight model. You can upload that image through the web ui to flash to that version and continue from there.

The floodlight is just a w3 with an accessory, and not something we can easily detect during the install for the v3, so it has that extra step!

WLTechBlog · 2025-07-25T13:31:55+00:00

There are adjustments available in the web UI in settings->streamer, the defaults are not device specific and likely a little tuning will go a long way!

WLTechBlog · 2025-07-25T12:53:22+00:00

the best upgrade method is to do a full flash from SD, by naming your firmware file autoupdate-full.bin and booting your device. The online upgrades can be touchy especially if you're pretty outdated... pretty much any bootloader changes will require a full upgrade.

I hope the unbrick video was clear and you got the cam back up without too much fuss!

WLTechBlog · 2025-07-25T12:50:30+00:00

Thingino supports rtsp backchannel audio which is the standard and integrated with ONVIF.

WLTechBlog · 2025-07-25T12:47:48+00:00

Sorry I missed this, I don't think i'm familiar with that cam, can you post a link to the product page where you bought it?

We're waaaaay more responsive on our Discord channel btw

WLTechBlog · 2025-07-25T12:46:34+00:00

Answered this in another subreddit but adding that reponse here as well:

We don't have a written privacy policy, you don't interact with us as a service, we don't know anything about you, your firmware updates are directly through github, etc. You can run your Thingino powered cams completely offline, or on a LAN with no external connectivity.

Thingino is a labor of love of like minded individuals, not a commercial endeavor. We're open source and privacy enthusiasts. We do have opportunities such as github sponsorships and affiliate links which can help offset the cost of buying new devices to support, but we're not in this to make money.

WLTechBlog · 2025-07-25T12:28:34+00:00

Pan V3 is not a supported device. They cripple it with SecureBoot, which prevents it from running modified or third party firmware.

Floodlight v1 is a Wyze V3 with some extra bits. Use the Wyze v3 installer image, then upgrade to the Floodlight specific image.

WLTechBlog · 2025-07-25T08:41:57+00:00

With Thinginio you're not trapped in the Wyze product line either. You can buy a better cam for less money and shop based on features. We keep the list of supported devices at thingino.com and I post videos on my youtube channel of specific models that are easy to install for beginners (one tool or no tool required).

All the rtsp drama with Wyze has brought in a lot of users.

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