● Covered by 1 source · 1 reportLow impact1 neutral
CheapSecurity: Self-Hosted CCTV Solution for Linux SBCs and USB Webcams Released
Key points
- Lightweight CCTV for Linux SBCs and USB webcams.
- Local storage ensures privacy and data sovereignty.
- Features motion detection, email alerts, and Telegram integration.
- Licensed under GNU AGPLv3.
Project Overview
CheapSecurity is a newly released open-source project designed to provide a self-hosted closed-circuit television (CCTV) system. It is specifically built for Linux-based single-board computers (SBCs), such as Raspberry Pi or Orange Pi, and utilizes standard USB webcams. The project emphasizes privacy by storing all video footage locally, removing the need for external cloud services.
Key Features and Functionality
The system includes features such as live MJPEG streaming via a web dashboard, motion detection using frame differencing, and automatic recording with a pre-motion buffer. It also supports email alerts with snapshots upon motion detection and integrates with Telegram for video uploads and bot commands like /snapshot and /video. For low-light conditions, it offers a night mode with software-based enhancement.
Technical Details and Requirements
CheapSecurity is resource-efficient, optimized for low-power devices, and hardware-agnostic regarding USB webcams. It requires Python 3.10 or newer and OpenCV with V4L2 support. Users can choose to install OpenCV via a system package or pip. The project is licensed under GNU AGPLv3, promoting open-source development and usage.
Privacy and Cost Benefits
The core philosophy behind CheapSecurity is privacy-first, ensuring data sovereignty by keeping all footage on the user's local network. This approach also makes it a cost-effective solution, as it leverages existing hardware and avoids recurring subscription fees associated with many commercial CCTV services.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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Primary sources
GitHub cmc_internal/api GitHub github/collect GitHub gmrandazzo/CheapSecurity GitHub _private/browser GitHub get-started/accessibility GitHub open-source/sponsorsReporting from
CheapSecurity, a new open-source project, provides a lightweight, self-hosted CCTV solution for Linux single-board computers (SBCs) and standard USB webcams. This project offers an affordable, privacy-focused alternative for home monitoring by keeping video data local and eliminating third-party cloud subscriptions.