Repurposing Old Phones: A Security Camera or Media Player?

An Android user repurposed their aging Google Pixel 3 XL by turning it into both a surveillance camera and an Android TV box. The security camera setup used AlfredCamera, which provided near-zero latency, motion detection, power-saving mode, two-way audio, and adjustable settings. However, the app was quite power-hungry and constant charging risked overheating, battery swelling, and app freezes.

The user found that using their Pixel as a mobile surveillance camera was more flexible than setting up a fixed-position camera. It allowed them to monitor pets while on a picnic or keep an eye on belongings in different locations. However, they noted that the video quality wasn't great, especially in low-light conditions, and the field of view was narrower than conventional surveillance cameras.

For the Android TV box experiment, the user encountered more complexity with hardware requirements. They connected their Pixel to a laptop via USB-C, a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard, an external display, and a speaker. The setup involved mirroring the Pixel screen to the external display via scrcpy, which provided smooth playback but required some creative workarounds for aspect ratio adjustments.

The user found that this makeshift solution was more suitable as a backup or niche entertainment hub rather than a dedicated media player. They suggested that using an old phone in such a way doesn't replace a single-purpose device but provides an extra layer of flexibility and convenience.