flash a ESP32-CAM to make a smart camera (esphome 3a)

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ESPhome is software that can add a program to (or “flash firmware to”) an ESP chip. This chip is at the core of many automation projects. The software connects things up inside Home Assistant running on a Raspberry Pi. The instructions below show how to make the firmware (a file) that gets an ESP32-CAM camera connected to Home Assistant. (IF YOU PREFER to have an independant standalone web camera see this project here)

I use an ESP32 to monitor how much heating oil is in my tank – see the oil level project; how much electricity I’m using through the day in a meter reader project. I’m working on a way to know when someone is going to press the doorbell. You’ll find a cookbook with more projects at ESPhome

# ITEMS IN BOLD NEED EDITING 
substitutions:
   devicename: cat_camera
 
esphome:
   name: ${devicename}
   platform: ESP32
   board: esp32dev
 
#Enable logging
 logger:

# Enable a connection to the Home Assistant API 
api:
  password: "YOUR Home ASSISTANT API password"
 
ota:
  password: ""

wifi:
   ssid: "YOUR_SSID"
   password: "YOUR WIFI PASSWORD"
   manual_ip:
     # Set this to the IP you want for the ESP
     static_ip: 192.168.1.171
     # Set this to the IP address of the router. Often ends with .1
     gateway: 192.168.1.1
     # The subnet of the network. 255.255.255.0 works for most homes 
 
#Author by airijia.com board: esp32dev
esp32_camera:
   external_clock:
     pin: GPIO0
     frequency: 20MHz
   i2c_pins:
     sda: GPIO26
     scl: GPIO27
   data_pins: [GPIO5, GPIO18, GPIO19, GPIO21, GPIO36, GPIO39, GPIO34, GPIO35]
   vsync_pin: GPIO25
   href_pin: GPIO23
   pixel_clock_pin: GPIO22
   power_down_pin: GPIO32
   name: ${devicename} cam
   resolution: 800x600
 
 # Flashlight CHECK PIN
 output:
   - platform: gpio
     pin: GPIO4
     id: gpio_4 

light:
  - platform: binary
    output: gpio_4
    name: ${devicename} light  

# The following can be omitted 
  - platform: restart
    name: ${devicename} restart 

sensor:
  - platform: wifi_signal
    name: ${devicename} wifi signal
    update_interval: 600s
 
  - platform: uptime
    name: ${devicename} uptime 

How to ‘flash’ or put this code into a ESP32-CAM – words and video

1. Identify the VCC (or 3.3v input), GND, TX and RX on the ESP32-CAM
2. Use female-to-female Dupont jumper leads to connect the ESP32-CAM to a FTDI UART board set at 3.3v.
3. Add the code to the ESPhome ‘node’. Validate and compile the code into a binary file on your PC.
4. Connect GPIO0 to GND with a Dupont lead as you plug the FTDI into a USB socket on your computer. You might also need to press the button on the ESP32-CAM.
5. Use Esphome-flasher to upload the binary file to the ESP32-CAM.