Student project: Choosing between ESP32-S3 CAM and IP camera for smart traffic light system (limited budget)

Hi everyone, I'm currently working on a smart traffic light project where the system adjusts the light duration based on vehicle traffic. Right now, I'm stuck at the stage where I need to send image data from a camera to my computer for processing. My budget is quite limited—around 200,000 VND (~$8)—so I'm considering two options: ESP32-S3 CAM (I plan to send images via TCP) A budget IP camera, but I’m not sure which model to choose or what method is best to stream video to the computer. I’ve looked into using RTSP to pull video from an IP camera, but not all cheap IP cams seem to support this protocol. I’d really appreciate any advice on which solution would be more suitable and how to make it work within this tight budget. Thanks a lot in advance! submitted by /u/Suspicious_Lab_3996 [link] [comments]

May 25, 2025 - 10:16

Hi everyone, I'm currently working on a smart traffic light project where the system adjusts the light duration based on vehicle traffic. Right now, I'm stuck at the stage where I need to send image data from a camera to my computer for processing.

My budget is quite limited—around 200,000 VND (~$8)—so I'm considering two options:

ESP32-S3 CAM (I plan to send images via TCP)

A budget IP camera, but I’m not sure which model to choose or what method is best to stream video to the computer.

I’ve looked into using RTSP to pull video from an IP camera, but not all cheap IP cams seem to support this protocol.

I’d really appreciate any advice on which solution would be more suitable and how to make it work within this tight budget. Thanks a lot in advance!

submitted by /u/Suspicious_Lab_3996
[link] [comments]