aa-cam

Purpose

To record audio and video simultaniously using Python, and to automatically set optimal aperture settings by using p-iris control.

Right now, this code is written for a specific purpose & hardware (Raspberry Pi Zero), but can easily be written for other uses.

Pre-Requisite

1. Set ssh port to an obscure uncommon port.
2. Install on the rpi: pip install image or pip install Pillow and python3 -m pip install sounddevice
3. Set-up microphone gains: alsamixer
4. Install VNC Viewer to set-up focus: Download here
5. SSH into the rpi and run startx.
   • If the desktop doesn't boot then try to run vncserver to create a virtual desktop. Destroy virtual desktop by running vncserver -kill :{display-number}. Open VNC Viewer and change RealVNC settings on the rpi. Click RealVNC > Options > Troubleshooting > Enable direct capture mode
6. Run raspistill -f -t 0 to view a camera preview and adjust focus, field of view and zoom

Usage

python3 set_exposure.py {desired exposure 0 - 255 : int}
python3 picam.py {record_time seconds} {audio boolean}

Remote Control

pip install paramiko
pip install scp

See aa_lab > util.py package for code:

my_ssh_client = SSHClientSCP(host_ip='{ip address}', psswd='{password}')
SSHClientSCP.RAW_MEDIA_DIR = '{absolute path}'
my_ssh_client.set_picam(120)
my_ssh.client.record_picam(30, True)
my_ssh_client.get_rawmedia()