M5Stack-WebCam

A WebCam for the M5Stack CoreS3 with browser streaming, face recognition triggered recording to SD.

✨ Features

• Face Detection: Real-time face detection using the built-in ESP32-S3 camera capabilities. When a face is detected, optional automatic recording can be triggered. Recording continues for a configurable timeout (face_timeout_s) after the last detected face. Ideal for motion-based or presence-based capture scenarios.

• Record To SD: Automatically records video (or image sequences depending on configuration) directly to the MicroSD card in FAT32 format. Recording can be triggered by face detection or controlled via the web interface. A visual recording indicator can be shown on the device display when record_icon is enabled.

• Browser File Access: Built-in web-based file manager (ESP File Manager) allows you to browse, download, and delete recorded files directly from your browser. No need to remove the SD card. Accessible from any device on the same network.

• Browser Live Feed: Live camera stream accessible via a web browser. View the real-time feed from your desktop, tablet, or phone. No additional software required — just open the device IP address in your browser.

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📦 Software & Libraries

This project is built using PlatformIO. The following libraries are required and are defined in the lib_deps section of platformio.ini.

Required Dependencies

1. M5Unified (by M5Stack) Unified hardware abstraction library for M5Stack devices. PlatformIO: m5stack/M5Unified

2. ESP File Manager (by arslan437) Web-based file manager for ESP32 (SPIFFS/LittleFS support). GitHub: https://github.com/arslan437/EspFileManager.git

3. AsyncTCP (by ESP32Async) Asynchronous TCP library for ESP32. Required by ESPAsyncWebServer. PlatformIO: ESP32Async/AsyncTCP

4. ESPAsyncWebServer Asynchronous web server library for ESP32.

5. ArduinoJson (by Benoît Blanchon) JSON parsing and serialization library for embedded systems. PlatformIO: ArduinoJson

6. DNSServer DNS server library (commonly used for captive portal implementations).

Note: AviWriter is adapted from https://github.com/s60sc/ESP32-CAM_MJPEG2SD

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🚀 Installation

1️⃣ Prepare a config.json File

Create a file named config.json with the following content:

{
    "ssid": "<your-ssid>",
    "password": "<your-password>",
    "record": true,
    "record_icon": true,
    "show_camera": false,
    "face_timeout_s": 10
}

Where:

• ssid, password — Your WiFi credentials. Leave both empty ("") to run the camera without WiFi.
• record — Set to true to record when a face is detected.
• record_icon — Displays a recording indicator on the screen.
• show_camera — Mirrors the live camera feed to the device display.
• face_timeout_s — Number of seconds to continue recording after face detection stops.

ℹ️ NOTE: The file manager is disabled if show_camera is enabled

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2️⃣ Prepare the SD Card

• Format your MicroSD card as FAT32.
• Copy config.json onto the SD card.
• Insert the SD card into the Core S3.
• Ensure the SD card is properly seated before powering on the device.

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3️⃣ Setup PlatformIO IDE

1. Install Visual Studio Code https://code.visualstudio.com/

2. Install the PlatformIO IDE extension from the VS Code Extensions marketplace.

3. Clone this repository:

   git clone https://github.com/griffithsb/M5Stack-WebCam/M5Stack-WebCam.git

4. Open the project folder in VS Code.

5. PlatformIO will automatically detect the platformio.ini file and install all required dependencies defined under lib_deps.

6. Wait for dependency installation to complete before building.

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4️⃣ Flash the Code

Flash using PlatformIO

1. Connect your M5Stack Core S3 to your computer via USB-C.
2. In VS Code, open the PlatformIO sidebar.
3. Click Build to compile the firmware.
4. Click Upload to flash the device.
5. Open the Serial Monitor (115200 baud) to view logs and confirm successful startup.

Standalone Flash (Precompiled Binary)

If using a precompiled .bin file:

1. Download the firmware binary.

2. Use esptool:

   esptool.py --chip esp32s3 --port <your-port> --baud 921600 write_flash 0x0 firmware.bin

   Replace <your-port> with your device port (e.g., COM3 or /dev/ttyUSB0).

3. Reset the device after flashing.

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🌐 Accessing the Web Interface

Once powered on:

• If WiFi credentials are provided, the device connects to your network.
• Check your router for the assigned IP address.
• Open a browser and navigate to:

http://<device-ip>

to access the live stream, or:

http://<device-ip>/file

to manage files on the SD card.

ℹ️ NOTE: The file manager is disabled if show_camera is enabled

If WiFi credentials are empty, the device will run in standalone mode (no web interface).

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📜 License

MIT License

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