Are you facing the dilemma of what to do with that old phone you have in the drawer? You are not alone. New phones release throughout the year with all that glittery marketing campaigns, persuading us to upgrade our phones. While some alphas don’t let the magic of marketing affect them, others just go ahead and buy new phones.
So what do you do with your old phone after buying a new one? Sell it? Well of course you’ll try to sell it but sometimes the value of an old phone drops so much that it’s not even worth the effort. So what do you do? It’s not like you can turn your old phone to a security camera or something. Or can You? Yes, you can, read on to find out how!
How to turn your old phone to a security camera?
By turning your old phone to a security camera, you’ll be saving a good amount of money. Mobile phones have a decent if not a great camera and battery that can last up to 5-6 hours with constant use, it’s only wise to put all that impressive hardware to some good use. Turning your old phone to a security camera is fairly easy, it’s fun DIY that can be done in 3 simple steps, let me show you how!
Step #1 Download a security camera app on the old device
First and foremost, you’ll need to install a security camera app on your old phone. Security camera apps will enable you to access the video stream on your new phone. These apps will also notify you when a human will be detected.
There are a large number of security camera apps available. Some of the popular ones are AtHome, Alfredcamera, WardenCam, and IP webcam. For demonstration purposes, we’ll be using the AtHome security camera app. This app is fairly simple to use and easy to set up. It comes with features like night vision, intercom, Cloud storage, Remote monitoring, and much more. AtHome can be installed in any device be it iPhone, Android, Smart TV, or PC. To start:
1. Install the AtHome Video camera app on your old device. This app will enable your old device to function as a security camera. A unique Connection ID will be assigned to the device after you’ll launch the AtHome app for the first time which you will need to enter into the device which you want to use as a monitor.
2. Next, Download and install the AtHome viewer app onto another device. This device will act as the monitor, it can be an iPhone, Android phone, or laptop. sign up and log in to the AtHome viewer app on your new device.
3. Now Select the “Add by CID” or “By QR Code” option to stream the video output of your old phone.
4. After successful login in both the devices you’ll be able to see the video output from your old device to the monitor device. I tried it with one of my old phones, and it worked just fine. Look at the images down below.
Step#2 Find a suitable location to place the phone security camera
Now that you have turned your Phone to a security camera, you need to find a proper spot to place the phone. you need to find a spot where the phone camera can cover maximum space. For example you can place it in your living room or any room where you spend most of your time. You may also want to place it where you store your valuable goods.
One phone camera can only cover a limited space of your house, you can use multiple phones to get enhanced coverage. You can install the AtHome app in your desktop to do better monitoring. You’ll also need to mount your old phone to the desired spot, for that purpose, you can use a small tripod or a suction mount.
Step#3 Plug it to the charger
Your phone’s not going to last much if it will stream videos the whole time, So you’ll need to keep it plugged in to a charger. It will be better if you will place your phone near a power source and keep it plugged in. That way your phone can do uninterrupted video streaming. You can also invest in some long USB cables if you can’t place your near the power source.
And voila! You have successfully turned your old phone to security camera. Of course this is not a permanent fix but it let’s you utilize your phone’s hardware to the last bit. If this too much work for you, You can also check out Xiaomi Home Security Camera 360 which is highly useful and very affordable.
