Need help using ActionTiles - Tablets/Smartphones as still or video cameras

Devices & Integrations
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#1

I have two Fire HD8s and one older Android phone currently running ActionTiles with the Fully Kiosk Browser, Lannouncer for speech, and the Ring Door Bell app that gets kicked to foreground for instant camera viewing using Automateit when Ring issues a notiication.

I’m in the beginning stages of exploring using these devices for video or still cameras when a Smarthome intrusion occurs. I recently installed the Alfred monitoring app, but have not figured out how to control it or somehow connect it to Smartthings. I’m open to using other apps or solutions.

What I want to happen is for the tablets and smartphone to begin recording or take pictures when an intrusion occurs. Any ideas or solutions appreciated.

5 Likes
#2

I tried with this post before but it was so long ago and I no longer have the android tablet.

#3

Appreciate that link. It’s an older DTH, would not install via Github, but installed “from code”. Takes a few steps to get this going. Have the IP Webacam app installed, but need to get that setup. Will shall see what happens.

2 Likes
#4

I was just about to post similar query. I have 4 Fire Tablet 8, one wall mounted in each of my rooms & one Fire Tablet 7 mounted on my fridge in the Kitchen, plus a Ring Video doorbell Pro.

At the moment I’m voicecasting to the tablets from 3 Echo dots around the house & can call up the video doorbell from any Fire tabletl but I also want to use the Fire tablets as control panels/security cameras.

I installed an app called “Manything” just yesterday which looks promising as I can access any Fire tablet camera from the web, my phone or another tablet vice versa. It also has on board motion sensing, IFTTT/ Smartthings intergration & cloud recording if you want to pay extra.

You mention some interesting apps your using e.g. Lannouncer & automateit which I will have to look into but I’m also open to further suggestion.

1 Like
#5

Thank you, for your post.

I feel as many Actiontile users realize their display devices are useable security cameras, motion sensors and perhaps more, we will eventually find a few good solutions.

Should you be interested using Automateit to make the Ring app “pop” to the forefront on a notification or ring, here is the link.

1 Like
#6

A few days ago I put the Alfred app on my smartphone as a viewer and on 2 tablets and an old android phone device as cameras. Really have not done much with it, but on its own it did two interesting things today:

  1. It senses when I leave and arrive home. Like Smartthing arrival is a bit delayed. I live in a very low cell signal area, perhaps 1 bar on a good day.
  2. While I was in Alfred’s away mode, arrived home and walked in, one tablet in my path sensed motion and took a series of three videos and stored them (not sure where) for later viewing.

Kind of interesting, but don’t know if I can control the app with smartapp http commands. Have to look.

BTW when using Fully’s dim option and using motion/camera to undim, Fully locks out the camera from other apps.

#7

Hi This is pretty much the same as I want… ie in ‘away’ mode or shm ‘armed’ I want to use the tablet as an ip camera but then disable that when in ‘unarmed’ mode. Cant be too hard can it? Must be some camera apps. Just launch them with automateit or equivalent based upon mode… via ifttt or a web post perhaps ? Anyone made any progress ?

1 Like
#8

Might depends
a lot on your choice of tablet.

Android automation can be done with SharpTools (in the Play Store) + Tasker… Perhaps.

#9

Reviving this old topic since @arnb’s post is exactly what I was looking for! Any luck finding an app to accomplish this?

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