CheapSecurity is a lightweight, self‑hosted CCTV solution for Linux SBCs and USB webcams. It keeps all footage local, eliminating third‑party clouds and ensuring privacy‑first data control. By leveraging spare hardware like a Raspberry Pi, Orange Pi, or Odroid XU4, users can build a full‑featured surveillance system without recurring fees.

The minimalist architecture runs efficiently on low‑power devices, offering live MJPEG streams, motion detection via frame differencing, and automatic recording with a pre‑motion buffer. Telegram integration automatically uploads videos after motion, while bot commands (/snapshot, /video <seconds>, /help) provide quick control. Night mode low‑light enhancement uses software CLAHE and brightness/contrast boosting. Storage cleanup can be scheduled by age, size, or low‑disk thresholds.

Installation requires Python 3.10+, Open CV with V4L2 support, and optional Telegram bot and SMTP credentials. The app is systemd‑autostart ready and licensed under GNU AGPLv3. Configuration is done via a local config.json, which is kept out of version control to protect secrets.

Users can configure night mode parameters, motion thresholds, and storage policies directly in config.json. The web dashboard, accessed via a browser, offers live viewing and bulk actions such as deleting, downloading ZIPs, or sending selected recordings to Telegram. You can also set up email alerts by supplying SMTP details; the system will send a snapshot with the motion trigger. For quick deployment, CheapSecurity supports both system‑wide Open CV packages (recommended on ARM) and pip‑based opencv‑python‑headless installations.