Application Note #13 - ESP32-CAM Web Server - with platformIO

Posted on 2020-12-11 Edited on 2021-06-15 In Series 003 - ESP32-CAM Projects Views:

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INCOMPLETE…

Objectives

connect and program an ESP32-CAM as a streaming video server using the platformIO IDE using these instructions : Reference 0: instructions for using esp32 cam with platformIO
to that end
- choose and purchase an ESP32-CAM dev board
- download documentation
- connect the FTDI programmer
- program the ESP32-CAM with the web server as described in the Kee Yees documentation (tutorial)

Description

create an ESP32-CAM based video streaming server
this duplicates Application Note 9 except it uses platformIO not the arduino IDE
Platform
CentOS Stream release 8
Platformio IDE

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References

Procedures

Step 1

Choose an ESP32-CAM dev board

I chose the Kee Yees ESP32-CAM dev board shown in Reference 1… because it was an Amazon Choice, good reviews, it was cheap and documentation was available on the web site (Reference 3… and Reference 4…).

Step 2

Purchase the device

(see Reference 2…). Ordered form Amazon.ca, May 24, 2020 for 22.99$

Step 3

Get documentation

Download ESP32-CAM.zip from Reference 3….
- for convenience, use Reference 4 : my gdrive copy of ESP32-CAM.zip…

Step 4

Install software

Install requisite software in CentOS

# Install python3 and python2 
sudo dnf install python2 
# See : (https://linuxize.com/post/how-to-install-python-on-centos-8/)
sudo dnf install python3
# use python2
sudo alternatives --set python /usr/bin/python2
# install pyserial
sudo pip2 install pyserial
# set permissions on /dev/ttyUSB0
# https://www.arduino.cc/en/guide/linux#toc6
ls -l /dev/ttyUSB0 
sudo usermod -a -G dialout fcarella
# logout/log back in

General Instructions to Install Platform IO
- follow these instructions…
  0 Install platformIO on arch
  1
  yay -Syu platformio

Step 5

Program the ESP32-CAM

Connect the ftdi (see Reference 5, Page 11…)

use the ftdi USB to TTL Serial Converter to connect esp32 to the computer for programming

Setup PlatformIO IDE for ESP32 programming

following notes are based on Reference 0.
Download and install VSCode and then install the Platform IO extension if you dont have it already (Refernce 0 has details)
Clone the Github repository containing the source code for CameraWebServer.
1
2
cd ~/
git clone https://github.com/espressif/arduino-esp32.git
import the Arduino Project
open the folder we just downloaded in the previous step (~/arduino-esp32/libraries/ESP32/examples/Camera/CameraWebServer) and choose AI Thinker ESP32-CAM and check the “use libraries installed by Arduino IDE” checkbox. This will download all the necessary sdk’s and frameworks for working the ESP32 CAM in platformio

Open CameraWebServer.ino using PlatformIO and modify the code as shown below:
Uncomment this line

1	#define CAMERA_MODEL_AI_THINKER // Has PSRAM

and edit your credentials

1 2	const char* ssid = "your_wifi_ssid"; const char* password = "your_wifi_password";

build/compile the app
upload the app to the ESP32 CAM

NOTE** make sure ESP32 is in programming mode () pins IO0 is shorted to GND and ESP32 is reset)

NOTE** did it work?

-Make sure the config file, platformio.ini has the right baud rate configured to the serial monitor
(monitor_speed=115200)

platformio.ini–>

[env:esp32cam]
platform = espressif32
board = esp32cam
framework = arduino
lib_extra_dirs = ~/Documents/Arduino/libraries
monitor_speed = 115200

take the ESP32 out of programming mode (disconnect pin IO0 from gnd and reset the ESP32)
open the serial monitor and reset the ESP32. Note the ESP32 output showing the URL of the video stream…
point your browser to the URL and confirm video streaming works…

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