BroodMinder BeeTV

Overview

BeeTV is a compact camera designed to operate inside a beehive, capturing high-quality photos and videos from just a few centimeters away from the bees. It is intended for:

Colony observation
Bee research
Queen and brood studies
Field trials
Education and demonstrations
Any application where observing bees in their natural environment is valuable

Like all BroodMinder devices, BeeTV integrates seamlessly into the BroodMinder ecosystem and is configured using the Bees App.

Unlike other BroodMinder sensors, BeeTV generates large image and video files. These media files cannot be synchronised over Blootooth nor be transferred through a BroodMinder Hub. Instead, they are either:

stored locally on the internal SD card,
downloaded directly to your smartphone or a USB drive,
or uploaded automatically through your local WiFi network to MyBroodMinder.

Quick Start

Your BTV arrives idle and ready to launch. There is no battery to insert and no power switch to turn on.

1. Open the Bees app

Launch the Bees app on your phone or tablet.

2. Open the device details

Go to the Devices tab.
Find your BTV in the device list.
Select …, then choose Show details.

You should see the following screen:

Press Start Realtime. Within a few seconds, your BTV will start streaming live images to the screen.

How BeeTV Works

BeeTV uses three different wireless connections, each serving a specific purpose.

Connection	Purpose
Bluetooth (BLE)	Device discovery, pairing, and basic control from the Bees App.
BeeTV WiFi hotspot	Created by BeeTV during Live View. Your smartphone connects directly to this network for live video, camera configuration, and manual file downloads.
Your local WiFi network	Used by BeeTV to upload photos and videos automatically to MyBroodMinder.

These three connections are independent.

When you start Live View, your phone temporarily disconnects from its current WiFi network and connects directly to BeeTV's own WiFi hotspot. This direct connection provides the bandwidth needed for real-time video streaming and file transfers.

Once BeeTV has been configured with your local WiFi credentials, it automatically reconnects to your network whenever it needs to upload newly captured media.

Connecting to BeeTV

BeeTV arrives fully charged and ready to use. There is no battery to install and no power switch to turn on.

To maximize battery life during storage and shipping, BeeTV is not configured to record when it leaves the factory. Before deploying it in a hive, you must create a recording schedule.

The first time you use BeeTV, you will:

Connect to the camera and verify the live image.
Configure a recording schedule.
(Optional) Connect BeeTV to your local WiFi network for automatic photo uploads.

1. Claim your BeeTV

Open the Bees App.
Go to Devices.
Wait for your BeeTV to appear (its ID usually begins with 51:).
Tap Claim.
Select Assign to a hive later.

2. Start the camera

Return to the Devices list.
Select ... → Show Details.
Press Start Realtime.

BeeTV will start in a few seconds. The status progresses through the following stages:

Bluetooth Connected
        ↓
BeeTV Booting
        ↓
BeeTV Initializing
        ↓
BeeTV Running

3. Join the BeeTV WiFi network

When BeeTV is running, your phone will display a system message asking permission to connect to the camera's WiFi network.

"Bees App would like to connect to the 'BeeTV' WiFi network."

Tap Join.

4. Verify the live view

After a few seconds, the live camera image should appear.

Congratulations! Your BeeTV is now connected and ready to configure.

Adjusting the Focus

BeeTV features a manually adjustable lens, allowing you to optimize the focus for different observation distances inside the hive.

A focus adjustment tool is included with every BeeTV. It allows you to set the focus for five typical observation ranges:

Infinity (general testing)
Eggs/larva
Comb
Bees
Mites

Before adjusting the focus, remove the protective film from the camera lens.

To set the focus:

Turn the focus tool clockwise ↻ until it reaches its stop. Do not force it. This is the infinity focus position. At this setting, distant objects (for example, your face) should appear sharp.
Place the supplied focus probe at the distance corresponding to the subject you want to observe.
While viewing the live image, slowly turn the focus tool counter-clockwise ↺ until the image on the probe becomes sharp.

Typical focus positions are:

Subject	Approx. distance from objective	Approximate adjustment
Infinity	∞	Fully clockwise ↻ - Starting point
Eggs / larva	14 mm	~0.5 turns counter-clockwise ↺
Comb	20 mm	~0.8 turn counter-clockwise ↺
Bees	24 mm	~1.0 turn counter-clockwise ↺
Mites	34 mm	~1.5 turns counter-clockwise ↺

Tip

The number of turns is provided as a guide only. Small variations between lenses are normal, so always make the final adjustment by observing the live image.

Tip

You can zoom the image with your two fingers on the smartphone screen to check nittidity

Camera Orientation

The camera sensor is mounted in portrait orientation. As a result:

A vertically installed BeeTV produces a standard horizontal 16:9 image on your phone.

You can now capture photos and videos using the buttons below the live image.

The toolbar on the right provides quick access to BeeTV functions.

Icon	Function
↔	Flip the image horizontally or vertically
Refresh	Refresh the video stream
Gear	Configure recording settings
Floppy disk	Browse and download stored media
WiFi	Configure the local WiFi connection

You're now connected to BeeTV and viewing the live camera feed.

Keep the WiFi connection active for the next steps, as camera settings can only be modified while connected to BeeTV's WiFi hotspot.

Configuring Recording

Open the Settings menu using the gear icon.

Here you can configure:

Photo or video capture
Recording duration
White or infrared illumination
LED intensity
Capture interval
Other acquisition parameters

For example, in the above display BeeTV is configured to record:

one photo,
followed by one 10-second video,
every 2 hours
in white light @ 10% intensity .

Reminder

Recording settings can only be modified while your smartphone is connected to BeeTV's WiFi hotspot.

Warning

Live View is intended only for setup and inspection.

While streaming live video, BeeTV keeps Bluetooth, WiFi, and the camera continuously active, resulting in significantly higher power consumption. Exit Live View when you are finished to maximize battery life.

Retrieving Photos and Videos

BeeTV supports three methods for retrieving photos and videos:

Automatic upload through your local WiFi network
Manual download to your smartphone
Manual download to a USB drive

Automatic Upload via WiFi

To enable automatic uploads:

Press the WiFi button.
Enter the SSID and password of your local WiFi network.
Save the settings.

BeeTV stores these credentials and automatically connects to your WiFi network whenever it wakes up to upload new media.

Once uploaded, your photos and videos automatically become available in MyBroodMinder.

When you're finished configuring the camera, press Stop Realtime to conserve battery power.

Download to Your Smartphone

To download media manually:

Connect to BeeTV in Live View mode.
Open the Floppy Disk icon.

The BeeTV storage directory is displayed.

From there you can:

download individual files,
or download the complete contents of the SD card over WiFi.

Download to a USB Drive

The storage browser also allows you to copy photos and videos directly to a USB thumb drive, without first downloading them to your smartphone.

To do this:

Connect a USB thumb drive to your phone using a USB OTG adapter (USB-C or Micro-USB, depending on your phone).
Open the storage browser and select the USB Download option.

Tip

We recommend connecting BeeTV to a USB power source while transferring files. Copying large numbers of photos and videos can take several minutes and increases power consumption. An external power supply ensures the transfer completes reliably without draining the battery.

BeeTV in MyBroodMinder

Whenever BeeTV uploads media through your local WiFi network, the files automatically appear in MyBroodMinder.

Seeing recorded media

Open the BeeTV device page from either:

Configure → Devices
the Apiary / Hive / Device navigation tree

Select the desired date range.

The Video / Image Files section lists all photos and videos uploaded by BeeTV.

If you transferred files manually instead of uploading them automatically, you can upload them to MyBroodMinder using the section shown below.

Telemetry and Device Data

Like every BroodMinder device, BeeTV reports standard telemetry including:

Sample number
Timestamp
Data source
Battery voltage
Temperature

The Data Editor also includes BeeTV-specific fields.

Field	Description
featureState	To be documented
loggingPeriod	Recording interval in seconds (7200 = every 2 hours)
btvDuration	To be documented
btvD1	Number of photos currently stored on the SD card
btvD2	Number of videos currently stored on the SD card
btvD3–btvD6	Reserved for future AI detection model classes

Installing BeeTV in a Hive

BeeTV supports two mounting systems that use the same camera and software. The choice depends primarily on your hive equipment and the type of observations you want to make.

Horizontal Rail Mount (Langstroth)

Video: Coming soon

This mounting system was developed for Langstroth hives, the most widely used hive format in North America.

BeeTV is housed inside a protective enclosure that slides into a dedicated rail mounted beneath a frame. Once installed, the camera can be moved along the rail to observe different areas of the comb without removing the mounting system.

Advantages

Fast installation and removal
Camera can slide along the rail to change the viewing position
Repeatable camera positioning
Designed specifically for Langstroth equipment
Ideal for long-term monitoring

Considerations

Requires the dedicated mounting rail
it is hosted on a specific frame
Rail design intended for Langstroth frames
The viewing window is integrated into the enclosure, making it more difficult to clean or replace if it becomes coated with propolis or wax

Vertical Frame Mount (Universal)

Video: Coming soon

This mounting system was developed to accommodate the wide variety of hive formats used around the world, including Dadant, Langstroth, Warré, Layens, and many regional frame designs.

BeeTV attaches directly to the bottom of a frame using a compact mounting bracket. The camera position is fixed once installed, but the protective viewing window is a separate removable part.

Advantages

Compatible with a wide range of hive and frame types
No hive-specific mounting hardware required
Compact installation
The viewing window can be removed and replaced in seconds
Spare viewing windows are provided

Considerations

Installation varies depending on the frame design
Camera position is fixed after installation and cannot be slid to another viewing location without moving the mount

Choosing a Mounting System

Neither mounting system is inherently better—they simply address different needs.

Choose the Horizontal Rail Mount if you use Langstroth equipment and want the flexibility to slide the camera to different positions along the frame.

Choose the Vertical Frame Mount if you need compatibility with different hive formats or if easy maintenance is a priority. Its replaceable viewing window can be swapped in seconds if it becomes scratched or obscured by propolis, pollen, or wax, and replacement windows are available as spare parts.

3D Printables

Both mounting systems use the same BeeTV camera electronics. If your needs change, you can switch from one mounting system to the other without replacing the camera itself.

To encourage experimentation and adaptation, BroodMinder provides the 3D models for the mounting components. If you have access to a 3D printer—or a local 3D printing service—you can print the parts yourself and convert your BeeTV between the Horizontal Rail Mount and the Vertical Frame Mount.

This also makes it easy to customize the mounts for your own equipment or to design new mounting solutions for hive formats that are not officially supported.

Download: 3D printable models (link coming soon)

Maintenance

Topics to be added:

Firmware updates
Cleaning
Battery replacement
Storage management

Technical Specifications

To be completed.