Dismantle an IP Camera
Nowadays we can get this IP camera for around $50 featuring pan and tilt and night view.
I got mine on www.dx.com at $49.99 last year. Now it is $42.92.
Then why would I dismantle my IP camera?
Firstly, I was curious what is inside this cheap and fully featured wireless camera.
Secondly, I wanted to put it in an RC toy, so I needed to reduce its size and weight.
Okay, I have to admit that I put the reason upside down. It was because I wanted to put it on my RC toy, I dismantled it, and that killed my curiosity of what is inside :P
So what are we waiting for? Let's get started ...
Main Board
- Unfasten four screws at the bottom.
- The bottom lid is flat and no where to hold and pull it out. You need to poke it using a slotted screwdriver through one of its ventilation holes.
- Now unfasten another screw that holds the main board.
- Unplug the camera module wires (two groups of red wires).
- Unplug the motor wires (two groups of five-colors wires).
- Unfasten the antenna bolt and then push it down through the case's hole.
- Unscrew the left-right limiter. It is used to determine the maximum left of right.
- Now we get the main board. I put the LR limiter into a plastic bag because it is soldered to the board.
Upper Part
- Unfasten three screws to release the bearing holder.
- Unfasten the motor's screws.
- Pull to separate the upper part and lower part. The upper part fits tightly into the bearing, so you need to pull it a little bit harder.
- Unfasten four screws of the plastic gear.
- Release the left and right parts holding the main camera. Here you don't need any force to do it because the are loose after you unscrew the plastic gear.
- The right part has two screws holding the wires in place, unscrew them. There are wires from the right part to the main camera, they are built-in speaker cables. Do not pull. Leave them for now.
- Unfasten two screws at the back of the main camera.
- Now you can unplug the speaker wires from the camera module board.
- Unfasten two screws holding the motor.
- At the back of the motor you will find a limiter, pull it out. Its cables are grouped with the speaker's cables.
- As the speaker is hot glued to the right case, I will leave it there together with the limiter.
- Now put back together the main camera module case.
End Result
- These are the parts I took out from the camera, two stepper motors and a bearing remove 70% of the total camera weight.
- I need only the main board and the main camera module for my RC, removing its pan and tilt feature.
- Bluetooth Panzer controlled by Android phone is coming soon on my instructables :)