v 1.9 - enhancements incl. sound and vibration detection. Bug fixes.
A game / trail / security camera app, designed to run on your old phone. Capture photos, video and time-lapses using a second phone as the remote controller.
Features include; remotely controlled via browser, motion sensing / detection, sound & vibration detection, remote image viewing, near real-time image streaming to browser, stream images to Chromecast / Google-cast devices, time-lapses.
Images are saved to device's SDCARD/DCIM folder.
Photo quality is set to the highest available for the device.
Video quality is 1080p if available, otherwise 720p.
I developed this app during the pandemic so that I could place my wife's old phone in a bird house and watch the chicks hatch. None of the other security-cam apps had the features I needed so I made Critter-cam. For more about the birdhouse project, see here; https://black-capped-chickadee.blogspot.com .
WIFI or a hotspot is required for intial setup. Not for use over mobile data connection. When configuring with latest versions of Android in a remote location and using a hotspot you will likely need three devices; one with mobile data to host the hotspot , one to run the app, a third to view the apps web setup url. The hotspot host is unable to view the apps URL directly in Android 12, likely due to OS security changes.
When setting up, be sure to take a test photo to see if your subject area is in the camera frame.
This app works best if the phone's display is unlocked.
Use the app on an older phone and delete all your user/google accounts prior to unlocking.
The app works best if the app is not Battery Optimized or device is continuously powered. Attaching a portable USB battery bank is also a great way to run the app for extended periods. Another method I use is a 19 volt laptop power supply to a long run (+30m) of network cable which terminates with a USB car charger that then powers the phone.
Keep in mind that unlike most trail cams, your phone does not take Infra-red night images and your phone is likely not water-proof. There are numerous see-through water tight phone cases but the cheap clear vinyl pouches work great.
This app does not use encryption and is not safe to use on public WIFI/data networks; doing so could compromise your device and disclose private photos.
Please use only on a secure private network or via a hotspot from another device.
All images are saved in SDCARD/DCIM/CritterCam folder in addition to being available through app's web interface. Quality of "Triggered" photos is limited by camera preview size.
Video quality is 1080p if avialable otherwise 720p
For close-up subjects such as when mounting the phone inside a bird house, use the front/selfie camera as it is better for focusing near subjects.
When using the selfie camera the app can optionally display a "bait image" on screen such as a flower. Flash mode must be on. You must upload the bait image from your browser or second phone.
