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Jan 3, 2023 · Choose the account you want to log in with. (Image credit: Android Central) Tap Camera. Tap Allow to allow access to your phone's camera. Tap Allow to allow access to your phone's location. Tap ...
Sep 14, 2024 · Make sure the old device is set to Camera, and your current phone set to Viewer. You can change this by clicking at the top of the screen and choosing from the drop-down menu. 4. Position your new ...
Step 1: Install a security camera app on your old smartphone . To begin, you will need to choose a security camera app. Most apps offer many of the same features, such as local streaming, cloud ...
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How-to
By Nick Peers
published 27 October 2016
Make an iOS or Android security cam
Page 1 of 2:
Getting started
First, verify your old iPhone is running at least iOS 6.0, or if you have an old Android device it needs to be running Android 4.2 or later, which is the minimum requirement.
That basically means you’ll need at least an iPhone 3GS, iPad 2 or fourth-generation iPod touch to be able to use Manything with iOS.
Assuming your device fits the bill, download Manything from the App Store or Google Play Store, then open the app and tap ‘Sign up’ to create an account.
Enter your email address and provide a strong, unique password, tap ‘Sign up’ again and you’ll be taken to Manything’s main menu.
Next, tap Camera to add the phone you’re using to your Manything account, and then grant the app access to the device’s camera and microphone when it prompts you for permission to use them.
The main screen will appear, showing you what your phone’s camera can see. You’ll be prompted to press the big red button that’s on the right or bottom of the screen (depending on your device’s current orientation) to switch on the camera’s recording capability.
Placement of your device is, of course, crucial. First, it needs to be positioned next to a power source, so it can be permanently powered from the mains – Manything will keep your phone awake while it’s running, so you can’t afford to rely on battery power for long.
Second, your device will need to be on its side so its camera shoots a landscape view, as this provides a wider field of vision. Search eBay for ‘wide-angle iPhone lens’ to purchase a cheap lens to widen this further.
There’s a slight bowing of the picture at the top and bottom with these lenses, but it doesn’t prevent you from seeing what’s happening, and they should also work with iPad and iPod touch cameras too.
The lens may obscure the camera’s flash, which could be an issue if you want night-time security.
Third, which camera should you use? Ideally the rear-facing camera is best, as it offers a higher resolution and provides access to the flash, which Manything will switch on after dark if noise is detected during night-time (consider switching to Still Shot mode at night using IFTTT – read on for more details about that – as it’ll produce enhanced shots in low light conditions).
Finally, how will you secure your phone in its desired position? If there’s not a suitable spot to prop it up in a discreet fashion – on a bookshelf, for example – you may find some kind of mount or clamp is required.
There are two ways you can keep an eye on your cameras while also administering their settings remotely. The first is through the Manything app itself – choose Viewer instead of Camera mode (tap the ‘m…’ button in the top-left corner of the app to switch between them) and you’ll be shown a live view from each of your cameras, complete with phone status (such as live or standby) and battery life, if applicable.
Tap one of them to contact that camera and view its live feed, then tap Events to review a list of recordings. You’ll see a settings button next to each camera too.
Tap this to tweak the adjacent camera’s settings in the same way you would from the camera itself, working through the step-by-step guide on the next page.
You can also view and manage your cameras on your Mac or PC, in a web browser with the Flash Player plug-in installed, by going to the Manything website.
The Manything app offers all the core functionality you need, but you can exercise even greater control over your cameras by connecting them to IFTTT (If This Then That).
Just add the Manything channel to your account on the IFTTT site and you’ll find a large number of triggers, actions and recipes you can use or adapt to your own purposes.
For example, you might configure certain cameras to only come on at set times of day, or have your camera’s flash switch on at night when it detects sound. You can even link your cameras with other devices – for example, to get around your camera’s struggle to detect motion when it’s dark by pairing it with a SmartThings motion sensor, you can use the SmartThings trigger to detect movement, then pair it with the Manything action that switches on the iOS device’s flash and starts recording.
Manything scores highly on all key levels: its subscription pricing’s relatively inexpensive, and it has all the features you could wish for, is beautifully designed, integrates with other smart home devices, and lets your old mobiles live on in a relevant and helpful way, too. What’s not to like?
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- Nick Peers
Jun 5, 2024 · Turns out, those old phones make excellent security cameras in Alfred’s hands. Follow our simple 5 step guide to turn old phones into security cameras, or check out the top 5 security camera apps of 2024. AlfredCamera is the most popular app to turn old phones into security cameras on the App Store and Google Play—with good reason.
Oct 9, 2023 · Step 1: Take Your Old Phone Out of Your Drawer and Summon It Back to Life. Your old phone has probably been sitting in your desk drawer for ages. So before you go searching for a security camera app, plug it in and give it a little juice. And actually, you can just leave it plugged in.
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Oct 11, 2023 · Follow these steps to get started: Install the app: On your old smartphone, open the app store and search for the security camera app you selected in Step 1. Download and install the app on your old smartphone. Create an account: If the app requires an account, follow the app’s instructions to create one.
