ESPHome ESP32_Camera freezing and just outputs grey

ESPHome
1

Hi there
I tried to build my own IP security Camera with an Ai-Thinker ESP32-Cam. I have done a lot of research, but I can’t get it to work properly.
The Problem is that the Camera just freezes after 5 seconds of opperation. Also it is only a greyscale image. When I restart the ESP32, the camera begins to work for 5 seconds and just hangs up again.
Here is my ESpHome YAML:

esphome:
  name: esp32-cam-security-camera
  friendly_name: ESP32-CAM Security Camera

esp32:
  board: esp32dev
  framework:
    type: arduino

# Enable logging
logger:

# Enable Home Assistant API
api:
  encryption:
    key: "37ip2TftZD3XJoX8ZpkqPqWKzNuogSXhtkNaANS3eAU="
    
ota:
  password: "1234XYZ"

wifi:
  ssid: !secret wifi_ssid
  password: !secret wifi_password

  # Enable fallback hotspot (captive portal) in case wifi connection fails
  ap:
    ssid: "Esp32-Cam-Security-Camera"
    password: "1234XYZ"

captive_portal:
    
esp32_camera:
  name: ESP32-CAM Security Camera
  external_clock:
    pin: GPIO0
    frequency: 20MHz
  i2c_pins:
    sda: GPIO26
    scl: GPIO27
  data_pins: [GPIO5, GPIO18, GPIO19, GPIO21, GPIO36, GPIO39, GPIO34, GPIO35]
  vsync_pin: GPIO25
  href_pin: GPIO23
  pixel_clock_pin: GPIO22
  power_down_pin: GPIO32
  # Image settings
  max_framerate: 30fps
  idle_framerate: 0.05 fps
  resolution: CIF
  jpeg_quality: 15

output:
# white LED
  - platform: ledc
    channel: 2
    pin: GPIO4
    id: espCamLED
# red status light
  - platform: gpio
    pin:
      number: GPIO33
      inverted: True
    id: gpio_33

light:
  - platform: monochromatic
    output: espCamLED
    name: esp-cam light
  - platform: binary
    output: gpio_33
    name: esp-cam led

switch:
  - platform: restart
    name: "esp-cam restart"

sensor:
  - platform: wifi_signal
    name: "ESP32-CAM Security Camera WiFi Signal"
    update_interval: 60s

binary_sensor:
  - platform: status
    name: esp-cam status
  - platform: gpio
    pin: GPIO1
    name: "PIR Sensor"
    device_class: motion

# http server setting
esp32_camera_web_server:
  - port: 8080
    mode: stream
  - port: 8081
    mode: snapshot

For the Home Assistant I used a Picture Entity Card, since I have also hooked up a PIR sensor to detect motion:

show_state: true
show_name: true
camera_view: live
type: picture-entity
entity: binary_sensor.esp32_cam_security_camera_pir_sensor
name: ESP32-CAM Security Camera
theme: macOS Theme
camera_image: 
    camera.esp32_cam_security_camera_esp32_cam_security_camera

Any help is highly appreciated. Thanks a lot!

2

Start at the default framerate. And post your logs.

“but I can’t get it to work properly.” Is not an error message.

3

Did you test the camera alone prior to adding all the additional configuration like Outputs, Lights, sensors, web_server? Did you test it with the default settings first or did you edit the frame rates, resolution, etc before seeing how it looked with defaults? Little things like that will tell you if its the physical camera, camera configuration or something else.

If just the camera works, then you know the problem is with the additional configuration which is extremely common when using additional pwm outputs.