
Ask HN: Which night vision camera for Linux? - da02
Most USB web cams don&#x27;t seem to have IR&#x2F;nightvision. Are there any camera under $50 that can be used with Linux, have night vision, and don&#x27;t have weird connections to Chinese IP addresses? (Either a web cam or IP camera.)<p>I want to place a camera in my room in case the land lady&#x27;s drug addict son tries to pull something again at night.<p>I&#x27;m using a Heimvision HM205, but I don&#x27;t trust the app, PixPlus.
======
PaulHoule
Most cheap cameras are sensitive to 850nm infrared. If they aren't sensitive
it is because there is a filter in front of them. This might be a filter that
goes in front of the camera, or filters built into the "Bayer matrix" that
creates color vision.

Try seeing if your cheap webcam can see the light from an IR remote control.
Remember that IR webcams don't really "see in the dark" but instead they see a
scene illuminated by 850 nm LEDs. If your camera can see the light from an IR
remote control you will just need to build yourself an IR illuminator which is
just a handful of LEDs in a simple circuit.

------
da02
I decided to increase the budget and get a $60-$70 Amcrest camera:
[https://www.amazon.com/stores/Amcrest/node/7648105011](https://www.amazon.com/stores/Amcrest/node/7648105011)

They are compatible with ZoneMinder and have a web interface for
configuration. I found out about them from a blog post:
[https://blog.jasonantman.com/2018/05/amcrest-ip-camera-
first...](https://blog.jasonantman.com/2018/05/amcrest-ip-camera-first-
impressions/)

Some of the Amcrest cameras, maybe all, also have an API.

~~~
da02
There is also this camera: [https://www.amazon.com/Security-Ethernet-
Surveillance-Waterp...](https://www.amazon.com/Security-Ethernet-Surveillance-
Waterproof-Connection/dp/B01G1U4MVA/)

It's compatible with ONVIF, Blue Iris and Zoneminder.

