ESP32 Cam - working!

ESPHome
1

Just a report that the new esp32-cam module is working for me. This module works fine with the Ai-Thinker config on esphome’s docs. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1pcs-ESP32-CAM-WiFi-WiFi-Module-ESP32-serial-to-WiFi-ESP32-CAM-Development-Board-5V-Bluetooth/32955484091.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.79984c4dNbGPlZ

I flashed it with a CP2102, the FTL adaptor did not work.

We need 0.91 to work with Home Assistant, I upgraded to 0.91.0b5. 0.91 is probably due tomorrow, but I was impatient to try it.

The wifi signal, with a Ubiquiti AP 2-3 ft away, is low at -66dB, but it does have capacity to use an external antenna.

I haven’t tried anything other than the defaults, ie 640x480 at 10fps.

Any questions, let me know. Thanks @OttoWinter for this amazing setup.

19 Likes
2

could you provide a link? thanks

3

I’ve just been playing with one too, also used a CP2102 to flash.

I used Random Nerd Tutorials guide as I am rusty with the ESP32 and the Arduino core.

Signal wise, it looks like a lot of these modules are shipping with the 0ohm resistor configured to use the UFL connector instead of the printed antenna. I was struggling with poor signal and was about to bust the iron out to change it until I remembered I had some aerials from un-used orange-Pi’s I could borrow. Works great with that. It should be fine with the on board aerial too if you have the tools to flip the resistor over - bit of a pain that you need to do one thing or the other to get decent signal though!

4

Great tip, @PeteA !! Welcome to the forum. :slight_smile:

5

Wow! Nice to hear it !

Could you post step by step how did you do that?

6

I will do a write-up, maybe not till the weekend.

1 Like
7

that would be great, thanks in advance

8

Hello everybody. I also wanted t to flash the board with esphome. I initially used the example sketch of the arduino library and arduino IDE ,just to test the image quality since i’m still using HA 0.90.2, and it worked perfectly. Then i erased the flash memory and using espTool, I installed the bin file createted with esphome, with no luck. The board got stuck in a bootloop. The only solution that I found is to first flash the sketch example with the arduino IDE then, without erasing the memory, flash the esphome bin file using esptool with these parameters:

esptool.py --port /dev/tty.usbserial-A50285BI --chip esp32 write_flash --flash_size 4MB 0x00010000 esp32_cam1.bin

But, unfortunately, the ota update doesn’t work.

Ps
I used the FT232RL FTDI USB To TTL to flash the board.
If you have some advice on how to fix the ota, I would be really grateful

1 Like
9

Excellent, thanks.

any good enclosure? How would you place around the house (or externally) such type of cams?

11

what is that, could you make a photo or maybe a link, thanks

12

It is not clear to me how you flashed it with ESPHome. I flashed it directly from HA.

First Installed the ESPHome add-on, hooked up the ESP32 Cam to the USB of my Raspberry Pi (that runs HA) using the FT232RL . Then flashed it. From that moment I was able to update OTA via the add on without a problem.

Did the inital flashing with Hassio 0.90.1 and ESPHome 1.12.1.
(btw, started off with that Arduino/Espressif sketch too when I received the board a few weeks ago)

13

Are there any free GPIO-pins available on the ESP32-CAM module?

I am afraid that they are all used by the camera.

1 Like
14

I use a USB adapter to flash Sonoffs/Wemos boards - do you know if it works with these ESP32 boards?

15

@Webberk I tried to flash the bord directly from HA as you suggested and it worked perfectly. the problem with the OTA seams to be fixed, thank you for the advice.

1 Like
16

As I said, use a CP2102. See https://robotzero.one/esp32-cam-arduino-ide/

17

Yes there are.

18

This guy had a brilliant idea to use a fake camera as an enclosure.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36p9To2hfak

[EDIT]
I just discovered that the board has also a small red led (GPIO33 inverted) that can be usefull as a status led. The main led is controlled by GPIO4

1 Like
19

Yes there are pins available for sure. Check this page for the pin details.https://esphome.io/components/esp32_camera.html?highlight=camera

The ones that are not in use can be used for sensors. (like OI16, 4,2,12,13). Plan to test it this weekend

As @marco9446 states OI4 is used for the main LED and may not be generally available

2 Likes
20

Is it possible to use this with a Wyze camera? No idea what the brain of one of those is…

21

I think one can use the ports for the SD-Card. I would like to add a camera to this ESPHOME and a Hörmann Garage door

I’ll order one :slight_smile: