Hacking Laptop Webcam Modules into USB Cameras w/ Glytch

Hak5 -- Cyber Security Education, Inspiration, News & Community since 2005:
____________________________________________
Glytch is back, this time hacking small webcam modules from old broken laptops into something a little more useful for our current time. And hey, theyre small enough to toss on robots and drones too, what more could you want out of a $5 webcam?

-----☆-----☆-----☆-----☆-----☆-----☆-----☆-----☆-----☆-----☆

-----☆-----☆-----☆-----☆-----☆-----☆-----☆-----☆-----☆-----☆
____________________________________________
Founded in 2005, Hak5's mission is to advance the InfoSec industry. We do this through our award winning educational podcasts, leading pentest gear, and inclusive community – where all hackers belong.

[kholdsworth]

DIY Perks did this some time ago.
Certainly worth a look.

[celticcrosz]

Seems like this would be a great way to make cheap bodycams as well.

[Dtr]

I can't stress enough that you guys need to make sure that the web cameras off the 5 volt rail. Also that the camera has a basic layout that is similar to the USB layout. Aka has 1 power +, 1 power -, data +, and data -. the reason I say one power positive one power negative is because a webcam that has two Powers normally has separate wires for different voltage rails if you don't satisfy both there is a good chance that the webcam will not be recognized. trust me guys this is coming from the person who has six of these laying around my house as a security system and I've went through blood sweat and tears to get them to work. It's not as easy as he makes it seem. All I can say is, the cheaper the laptop the better the chance that it has a perfectly usable camera.

[siegecrowse]

Last year I made a DIY security system using this method for my apartment in the city! 😊 I saved a lot not buying a $200+ system lol great vid!

[AnITTech]

Canon Camera just came out with a Webcam Utility Beta so people can use their EOS cameras as high end web cams

[dimentedillusionz]

Ok, the videos title was way off. I didn’t see anything where he actually made the camera, the prices Of taking it out, soldering any of it together, showing how to actually hook the correct wires where from a USB cord to either the camera itself of the pigtail or anything. He talked about how it was possible, and how scalpers are jacking prices. I enjoy the channel, but was expecting alot more from this video personally... Just my opinion... Could’ve been a little more to the video itself...

[KeiranR]

Ive got one laying around ..cheers mate .. as always ..love ya work ...

[Mr.C-Mister]

Answer his question 1:00 get a 40 to 60 dollar cellphone with front and rear camera. Connect to wifi and download your favorite app. Tada!

[usmclongrangebrainsurgeon]

I'd love to see like 5 of these webcams set up throughout the house and broadcasted to one security camera center.

[Skyspace]

This is also the cheapest method to get IR cameras for Windows Hello. Just buy a HP/Dell IR camera parts and wire it up. Sometimes those modules require USB 3.0, so it's a bit more tricky to find the pinout. Also may require the INF/DLLs for the IR to function that you can just import manually.

[killabite]

my windows xp laptop finally has a use after all these years. thank you Glytch!

[peter-gney]

I'll need to try this. I've been tempted to buy a POE peephole camera which go for around £50 on aliexpress but I've held off as they all require a 20mm hole compared to the UK standard 14mm of a normal door viewer... meaning your options are limited if you drill out the door and then want to go back to using a standard-sized viewer. The fov on these are probably well suited being placed up against the lens of the existing viewer - I tried my rpi camera module already but it was too wide a fov.

[dreamingrightnow]

It's always the soldering/wiring connections that baffles me. I'm a complete noob, lol. One thing that I'm interested in lately is reusing cellphone cameras because I have a few of those laying around that are 5 -8 megapixels. I'd like to make a doorbell cam and body cams (for protesters/the cops are grabbing and smashing phones now). Would it be easier to hook them up to a thumn drive or cloud? The ones the cops have are $300 - $4oo online.

[LinkWulluf]

What would this look like connected to you're camera box setup wondering if they would be any smaller

[anthrounit]

QUESTION: The laptop audio is it also USB compatible for the protocol or is it analog? and could it use the same USB cord or another maybe unless its a round headphone jack style.

[meat]

I've had this not work on some systems. I must have gotten the pinout wrong.

[Dtr]

You're right. You can't call this is a tutorial. coming from a person who has literally done this before and has experienced all the problems that come with this. There is countless problems you're going to encounter if you don't know how to go about it. Also, finding the pinouts for some of these cameras is very hard.

[JohnSchmittrd]

I wish our current order of webcams were 5.00 each. I think we paid over 120.00 each!! INSANE!

[Willy_Tepes]

Show us how to hack the nice little MIPI cameras from cell phones.

[Grey-Troll]

been doing this for ages xD NIce tip though for those who don't know!