Homebrewing involves choosing a digital camera which will be operated by a control board which turns the camera on when heat/motion is detected and takes a picture.  Almost any camera can be “hacked” so it can be operated by these control boards, however factors such as startup time, battery life, flash, and other factors have made certain cameras more favorable as homebrews. Just like commercial cams, these digital cameras have their own strengths and weaknesses. You can view the most popular cameras and pdf files, which shows the hacks for these cameras at http://www.depreyswildlife.com/mods.html. The “hack” involves going inside the camera and adding a stereo jack, servo, or some other means of connecting the camera to a control board.

 

Next you must choose the control board. Homebrew boards are alike yet very different, yet you will be more than happy with any of them. Each  board has a PIR sensor, which detects heat/motion much better than most commercial cams. Some have LCD panels, while others have dip- switches. Most boards have settings and delays, which pretty much mirror those of commercial cams. 

Laying out your camera within the case can be fun. You can be different and use many types of boxes to build your camera. Most people use Pelican cases, but really it just needs to be waterproof and able to endure various temperatures and weather conditions in order to be used.




Building a cam using a plain case and then adding something like liquid nails and painting it to resemble treebark (3d camo) will make the build even more personal. 

Cost of a homebrew camera is dependent mostly upon the camera you choose. The average cost of the control boards are $40 - $60.  Another $40 to $70 for the case and other necessary items brings total cost before purchasing the camera to $80 to $130. $175 to $200 is a good average cost for most cams while the most expensive ones may run upwards of $275. Suppliers provide complete kits that can require little assembly all the way to complete assembly depending on your desire. 

Most common tools required are a micro-screwdriver set, 15 or 25 watt soldering iron, some type of magnification, drill or drill press, side-cutters, and some tweezers. If you’re like most, you’ll find yourself buying many little specialty tools after you’re completely hooked. 

We often joke that homebrewing is addictive and it truly is in many ways. Your always seeing ways to improve your builds, and new products are coming much more rapidly now that the sport is growing so quickly and you’re wanting to try them out. Trail cams have made our favorite pastimes a lot of fun and year around activities, but if you build your own trail camera we think you’ll find the enjoyment even greater than you could have imagined. Now if you think you want to move on to the next step, in the chasingame discussion forum, check out the sticky “A Little Something To Get You Started” in the HomeBrew forum. This is a great simple article that should help you choose your camera and board. You’ll find many here at Chasingame that are always willing to answer questions and give any advice you need along the way.

Here is a list of sites I find useful in homebrewing:

http://www.pixcontroller.com/
http://www.snapshotsniper.com/HomeBrewProducts.htm
http://www.yeticam.com/
http://www.whitetailsupply.com/WS-PIR-Board.html
http://www.hagshouse.com/
http://www.bfoutdoors.com/