homebridge-browsercam

A Homebridge plugin enabling HomeKit support for camera with any phones, tablets, laptops, computers : everything that have a camera, a network access and a not too old/crappy browser

Note that this is an unofficial plugin.

Prerequisites

• Plug your phone/laptop/tablet in! 🔌
• Configure it to never sleep
• Configure it to access to local network by Wifi
• Configure it to minimal brightness

Optional :

• Use a gooseneck clamp holder

Installation

1. Install Homebridge by following the instructions.
2. Install this plugin by running :

sudo npm install -g --unsafe-perm homebridge-browsercam

3. Configure plugin settings in homebridge - restart
4. On your phone/laptop, connect to https://YOUR_HOMEBRIDGE_IP - 'S' in httpS is MANDATORY.
5. Accept the bad certificate warning (you can't have a real certificate on local networks, see #configuration)
6. Screen goes black when device become available on HomeKit
7. On HomeKit app tap on 'Add accessory'
8. Enjoy ;-)

Features

• Snapshoting
• Streaming
• Recording
• Two-way audio
• Motion Sensor
• Noise Sensor
• Pulse Sensor
• Torch if present become a light switch
• Battery state and level

Configuration

SSL Certificate

If your network own a public domain, you can use a signed SSL certificate : replace key.pem and cert.pem in .homebridge/browsercam folder and restart

Devices

• Android : ✓ The best choice for that project, I personally use an old and crappy Huawei

• iPhone : ✓ You can't have 'torch' option : it will be not presented in HomeKit You can't have 'battery' information : it will be not presented in HomeKit

• Laptop : ✓ Facing Mode is automatically at 'environment' value, but in this case, "user" value is preferred

Browsers :

• Chrome : ✓
• Safari : ✓
• Firefox : ?
  • Not tested
• IE / Edge : ✗
  • Don't open an issue about this please, PR too. Thank you so much

Standard settings

• Server
  • port : 443
• H264 codec
  • H264 (H264 OMX available)
• Streaming :
  • buffer : 500 ms
• Recording
  • active : true
  • buffer : 4000 ms
• Motion Sensor
  • active : true
  • timeout : 30000 ms
  • threshold : 5%
• Noise Sensor
  • active : true
  • timeout : 30000 ms
  • threshold : 30Db
• Pulse Sensor
  • active : true
  • timeout : 30000 ms
  • threshold : 0.12m/s^2

Mac M1

For Homebridge instance on Mac M1, you need to install ffmpeg by following : https://github.com/homebridge/ffmpeg-for-homebridge/issues/30#issuecomment-960181989

License

MIT