Using the RPi Cam Web Interface

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Handy Cam

You can access and control the Raspberry Pi camera module from your favorite browser using the RPi Cam Web Interface software.

The Raspberry Pi camera module is a nifty peripheral that lets you put the tiny computer to a variety of practical and creative uses. To get the most out of the camera's functionality, however, you need to have at least a basic working knowledge of Bash or Python scripting. You can opt for a graphical application like RPICameraGUI [1], but what if you want to access and control the Raspberry Pi with the camera module remotely?

Although it's possible to use RPICameraGUI via an SSH connection, the RPi Cam Web Interface (RPCWI) software [2] makes a much better tool for the job. As the name suggests, this web application provides a user-friendly interface that lets you control practically all camera settings with a regular browser. Additionally, RPCWI offers several genuinely useful features that make it an ideal tool for working with the camera module. This includes the ability to preview, manage, and download saved photos and videos, support for time-lapse and scheduled shooting and recording, motion-triggered image capture, and much more.

Installing and Configuring RPi Cam Web Interface

RPCWI works on all Raspberry Pi models supported by the camera model, and the web application is designed to run on the Raspbian Linux distribution. Before you install RPCWI, it's a good idea to update Raspberry Pi's firmware, distribution, and all installed packages. This can be done by running:

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