Disassemble wireless security camera based on Ingenic T20 SoC

Disassembling a 1080p security camera that utilizes Ingenic T20 Xburst SoC. This box style camera can support 350 degree pan rotation and has a 3.6mm lens built-in to provide 100 degree field of view. The camera adopts 2MP CMOS image sensor that delivers 1920x1080p resolution video. It has Infrared LEDs to enable camera to see at night and has a microphone and speaker built-in to support 2-way audio intercom. The camera has a Wi-Fi module built-in to support wireless network connection.

Using the screwdriver to remove two screws on the back of the camera, we’re able to open the camera. After removing the back panel, we can see the there is a anti-bug net to prevent entry of bugs. Though many security cameras have holes for heat ventilation, they don’t have anti-bug net, security cameras as the 24 hour working devices are the warm beds for bugs like cockroaches. Bugs can not only interfere the operation of the electronics, but also may cause short circuit to damage the products.

Inside the camera, we can see a step motor (model 24BYJ48) with a gear to provide pan rotation. There is a position switch, once the gear rotates to position hits the switch it stops rotating. This camera utilizes Ingenic T20 low power consumption SoC. We can’t find any RAM chip, because the T20 SoC has embedded with a RAM.

The camera only supports Wi-Fi wireless network connection, it adopts Realtek RTL8189ETV module. The Realtek RTL8189ETV is an 802.11bgn 2.4G single-chip that integrates Wireless LAN (WLAN) and a network SDIO interface (SDIO 1.1/2.0/3.0 compatible) controller. It combines a WLAN MAC, a 1T1R capable WLAN baseband, and WLAN RF in a single chip. The RTL8189ETV provides a complete solution for a high-throughput performance and low power consumption integrated wireless LAN device.