usb-camera-webui/README.md

# usb-camera-webui

Live MJPEG video feed from a USB webcam, served through a minimal web UI, running on a
Raspberry Pi 5.

## Quick start

```bash
# Ensure the v4l2 Python bindings are installed
sudo apt install -y python3-v4l2

# Run directly
python3 -m camera.app --host 0.0.0.0 --port 8080
```

Open http://localhost:8080 in a browser.

## Systemd service

The app runs natively on the Pi via a systemd unit.

### Install

```bash
# Install the v4l2 Python bindings
sudo apt install -y python3-v4l2

# Copy the service unit
sudo cp camera-webui.service /etc/systemd/system/
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable --now camera-webui
```

### Check status

```bash
sudo systemctl status camera-webui
journalctl -u camera-webui --follow
```

### Uninstall

```bash
sudo systemctl disable --now camera-webui
sudo rm /etc/systemd/system/camera-webui.service
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
```

## Architecture

```
┌──────────────┐    ┌──────────────┐    ┌──────────┐
│  V4L2 mmap   │───▶│  capture.py  │───▶│  MJPEG   │
│ (V4L2 API)   │    │  (frame loop)│    │  server  │
└──────────────┘    └──────────────┘    │  :8080   │
                                        └──────────┘
                                               │
                                         ┌─────▼─────┐
                                         │  Browser  │
                                         │ (MJPEG img)│
                                         └───────────┘
```

- **`capture.py`** opens `/dev/video0` via V4L2 mmap buffers, dequeues frames in a background
  thread, and stores them in a shared variable.
- **`mjpeg.py`** serves the MJPEG stream (`multipart/x-mixed-replace`) via Python's
  built-in `http.server` with threading. Each client gets its own thread, and only new frames
  are sent.
- **`app.py`** is the entry point: argument parsing, signal handling, and server launch.

## Hardware

| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Camera | Logitech C505 HD Webcam (`046d:08e3`) |
| Device | `/dev/video0` (USB/UVC) |
| Format | MJPEG 1280×720 |
| Board | Raspberry Pi 5, Debian 12 (bookworm) |

## Dependencies

- `python3-v4l2` — V4L2 Python bindings (system package, `apt install python3-v4l2`)
- No pip packages needed — the server uses Python's standard library only