a-simpler-camera-server.md

@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ http://admin:YWRtaW4%3D@my_lan_ip:8080/snapshot.jpg
 
 #### default ip, default username, default password
 
-this is the default ip address that the
+the default ip address is the ip that the
 camera will use if there is no internet
 connection e.g. when it is connected
 directly to a desktop/laptop
@@ -49,22 +49,23 @@ for the **tp-link nc200**, when the camera
 fresh out of the box and connected directly
 to a computer, the following is applicable:
 
-* default ip: 192.168.0.10
-* username: admin
-* password: admin
+* default ip: `192.168.0.10`
+* username: `admin`
+* password: `admin`
 
 ## initial camera setup
 
 ### ensure that you can connect to the camera
 
-* plug the camera network directly into a computer
+* plug the camera network directly into a computer,
+  usually with a network cable
 * switch everything on, give everything time to start up
 * give the computer a temporary static ip address in the
   same range as the camera default ip e.g. if the default
-  ip is 192.168.0.10, then give the computer any ip from
-  192.168.0.1 to 192.168.0.254 (EXCEPT the same ip as the
-  camera)
-* open a browser, and in the address bar provide the
+  ip is `192.168.0.10`, then give the computer any ip from
+  `192.168.0.1` to `192.168.0.254` (EXCEPT the same ip as
+  the camera)
+* open a browser, then in the address bar provide the
   default camera ip and hit ENTER
 * login into the camera using the default username/password
 
@@ -77,20 +78,21 @@ note: do any of these as required by your local environment
 * setup a connection to your wireless lan
 * setup the actual fixed ip
 
-IMPORTANT: changing the username and password may break 
-the snapshot url temporarily - this is because some types
-of cameras encode the username and password as part of
-the link. in the case of the tplink nc200, the username
-is in plaintext ("admin") but the password is base64-encoded
-("YWRtaW4" base64 decoded is "admin"). therefore, if you
-change the password, then you must base64 encode the new
-password using a script or an online service like
-https://www.base64encode.org/ - when in doubt, research
-the brand/model snapshot url with google
-
-EXAMPLE: with the **tplink nc200** - if the username is
-"admin" and the password changed to "abc123" and the ip
-changed to 192.168.0.87:
+IMPORTANT: changing the camera username and password may
+break  the snapshot url temporarily - this is because 
+some types of cameras encode the username and password
+as part of the link. in the case of the **tplink nc200**,
+the username is in plaintext (`admin`) but the password
+is base64-encoded (`YWRtaW4` base64-decoded is `admin`). 
+
+therefore, if you change the password, then you must 
+base64-encode the new password using a script or an
+online service like https://www.base64encode.org/ - 
+when in doubt, research the brand/model with google.
+
+EXAMPLE: for the **tplink nc200** with ip set to
+`192.168.0.87`; username `admin`; and the password
+changed to `abc123`, the correct snapshot url will be:
 
 ```
 http://admin:YWJjMTIz@192.168.0.87:8080/snapshot.jpg
@@ -98,27 +100,34 @@ http://admin:YWJjMTIz@192.168.0.87:8080/snapshot.jpg
 
 once everything is setup, connect the camera to the LAN
 wia wifi or cable, and ensure the ip is setup properly.
-finally, test the snapshot url AGAIN on the actual network
+
+finally, test the snapshot url AGAIN on the actual network.
 
 ### test the camera from the raspberry pi
 
 to test the URL on the raspberry pi:
 
-1. open the terminal
+1. open a terminal
 2. type `wget <full snapshot url> -O now.jpg`, hit ENTER
 3. a picture should be downloaded as `now.jpg`
 
-note: running step 2 over and over again, will fetch a new
-image from the camera and overwrite any existing now.jpg
+note: running step 2 over and over again will fetch a new
+image from the camera and overwrite any existing `now.jpg`
 
 ## raspberry pi
 
+setup a raspberry pi:
+* OS: [rasbpian jessie/buster with desktop](https://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads/raspbian/)
+* has an internet connection
+* connected to the same lan as the camera
+
 ### create the automatic snapshot download script
 
-1. open the terminal
+1. open a terminal
 2. `mkdir camera` - make a new directory for the camera project
 3. `cd camera` - (change directory)/enter into the camera folder
-4. `nano camera.sh` - create/edit a file called 'camera.sh'
+4. `nano camera.sh` - create/edit a file called 'camera.sh' with
+   the `nano` editor
 5. enter the following "shell code":
 
 ```
@@ -127,27 +136,29 @@ sleep 3 # in seconds, between frames
 ./camera.sh
 ```
 
-6. to save the file, press CTRL-O (output), then confirm the 
-   filename with enter
-7. to exit, press CTRL-X
-8. back to terminal, type `chmod +x camera.sh` - this makes the
-   file "runnable"
+6. in `nano`, to save the file, press `CTRL-O` (O for output),
+   then confirm the filename with the ENTER key
+7. to exit `nano`, press `CTRL-X`
+8. back to terminal, type `chmod +x camera.sh` - this makes 
+   the file "runnable" in linux
 9. run the file with `./camera.sh`
 
 note: do not close the terminal window, let it run endlessly
 
+in case the window gets closed, just re-do step 1, 3, 9
+
 advanced: if you have more cameras, repeat these steps, and open
 more terminal windows (one per camera) fetching the unique camera
-snapshot url. don't forget to change the "-O" option so that each
+snapshot url. don't forget to change the `-O` parameter so that each
 camera will be written to a different snapshot file e.g. 
 "`wget ... -O cam1.jpg`", "`wget ... -O cam2.jpg`", etc
 
-just in case the window gets closed, just do step 1, 3, 9
-
 ### camera server - part 1: preparing the environment
 
-we must install php on the raspberry pi so we can make a simple
-server - we only have to do this once per pi
+we must install `php` on the raspberry pi so we can run a 
+simple server - we only have to do this once per pi
+
+important: this part requires an internet connection
 
 1. open a terminal
 2. run `sudo apt update`
@@ -171,7 +182,7 @@ close the terminal when done OR use it for part 2...
 
 note: do not close the terminal window, let it run endlessly
 
-just in case the window gets closed, just do step 1, 2, 3, 4
+in case the window gets closed, just do step 1, 2, 3, 4
 
 ### camera server - part 3: make a web page
 
@@ -194,15 +205,15 @@ just in case the window gets closed, just do step 1, 2, 3, 4
 </html>
 ```
 
-6. to save the file in `nano`, CTRL-O, enter to confirm name
-7. to exit `nano`, CTRL-X
+6. to save the file in `nano`, `CTRL-O`, enter to confirm name
+7. to exit `nano`, `CTRL-X`
 8. on a separate computer/mobile, use a browser and access:
    `http://<ip address of pi>:8010` - you no longer have to
    have `/now.jpg` at the end
 
 notes:
-* the meta tag in the code at step 4 will make the page refresh
-every 5 seconds automatically.
+* the meta tag in the step 4 code will make the page refresh
+  every 5 seconds automatically.
 * you can close this terminal when done
 
 advanced: for multiple cameras, just add more `img` tags with
@@ -218,4 +229,5 @@ suggestion for improvements:
 * change the camera server from PHP to a python mini-server
   with `python3 -m http.server`
 * make the page look better!
+* making everything run on pi reboot (hint: use `cron`)
 * ...and much much more!
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