The set consists of two phones, a tripod and a power bank in a client-server configuration using 4G/3G mobile network.
Range of effective target view: any range – limited by availability of mobile data or WiFi networks. It’s perfect for Long Range shooting but not only 😀.
The client (image receiver) is a phone (or tablet, laptop, desktop computer at the shooter/observer side). It has installed the application for viewing the image from the remote camera (transmitter). Specifically, I use TinyCam PRO on an Android phone (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.alexvas.dvr.pro).
The server (image transmitter) is a mobile phone installed on a tripod with connected power bank and the application with “webcam” function. Specifically, the following applications are worth taking into account:
1. CamON Live Streaming https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.spynet.camon
2. Security Camera CZ https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=cz.scamera.securitycamera
3. IP Webcam https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pas.webcam&hl=pl
Unfortunately, applications that work with an intermediary server by default (e.g. Nanny 3G) do not offer high resolution images. Alfred app free version is overloaded with ads and does not offer high resolution images too.
Now, how do you connect these two devices into one system?
I use two VPN connections: one connection for server (camera/transmitter) and the second connection for client (receiver) with TinyCam. Both VPNs are terminated on the same host (VPN server) where the traffic is “exchanged” between camera and TinyCam app. Check if your VPN server allows for traffic exchange between connected VPN clients!
Alternatively, one can use the applications mentioned above and utilize their built-in solutions for streaming images over the Internet (intermediary server, youtube, etc).
High resolution images are needed because after deploying the camera about 2m from the observed target, a strong zoom-in is needed to see the bullet holes clearly.
The resolution is limited by the capabilities of the phone (at the target side) and the application used with it. I would recommend to make tests on ones own.
We can reduce the number of images sent to the receiver (observer side) by limiting to the minimum the number of frames per second sent by the camera (server). Instead of streaming e.g. 1-2 Mbps (HD 25 pfs), the throughput of 200-400 kbit/s with a few frames per second is sufficient. It will save the data plans on both phones (in case of mobile connections).
The overview photos:
