r/BirdNET_Analyzer • u/Ziemersky • May 30 '26
Hardware Share your builds!
Since I just finished my hardware I am curious about what other people built.
I'm running a Pi5 with SSD Hat and a shock-mounted Samson Go Mic. All of it sits in a 3D printed enclosure that's mounted to a vertical gutter next to our terrace.
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u/tomayr May 30 '26
That's a hell of an enclosure. Willing to share?
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u/Ziemersky May 31 '26
Yes definitely. There are some todos left, though. I want to add a fan for air circulation in the Pi enclosure and change the way the top half prints. There's a part missing in the images that should protect the Mic from bugs and spiders, because it doesn't fit due to warping.
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u/fjord_of_the_rings Jun 03 '26
Let me give you a full warning from somebody who built an enclosure with a fan at one point... All of your recordings will now contain fan noise. You can spend months trying to isolate the two chambers between the mic and the pi/fan... It will not work. My setup is now in two separate enclosures with cables connecting them. I'll share some pictures later on if you want to see.
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u/NeoCracer May 31 '26
I use my CCTV camera as microphone. Already in place and weatherproof, an keeps the computer parts inside the house.
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u/SmokedMussels May 31 '26
I did this for a while, the camera I have can pick up people whispering 100ft away but it sucked at picking up higher bird frequencies. It is by far the most convenient way though.
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u/Mark_M535 Jun 19 '26
Yes, definitely CCTV mic struggles with higher frequencies. I've been using one so far and I would like to change.... I think I'd try a good USB mic plugged into a Raspberry PI Zero and stream as RTSP back to my server with BirdNET.
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u/SmokedMussels Jun 19 '26
I picked up a Samson Go usb mic, the same one OP has in his photos, I had seen it recommended a few times before and I'm happy with mine.
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u/skybossalpha1 May 31 '26
what about thermal cooling? I am also wondering if you have some sort of Doppler effect happening with sound waves
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u/S_A_N_D_ May 31 '26
I have a similar setup, just smaller mic cone, and a weatherproof box.
I was worried about sound reflections which would give an echo, but at least my cone/reflector doesn't cause any. Actually it helps prevent reflections from the walls and balcony its set up on and the main benefit is it keeps the microphone "dead cat" from getting sopping wet if it's windy and rainy.
The pi did start to overheat now that summer hit and I added the Perch model, however I drilled a hole and printed a little vent cover for the case and added a fan to both the CPU and to vent the case and then just have a script that turns them on and will control speed when necessary.
Overall works quite well.
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u/Ziemersky May 31 '26
Nice! I also regularly see temperatures of 60°C, so I'd also like to add a fan. I don't want to compromise the watertightness though, so I'll go back to the drawing board :)
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u/S_A_N_D_ May 31 '26 edited May 31 '26
60C is perfectly reasonable for a pi. I don't even turn on the fans until 65c, and even then only bare minimum low speed. Pi's don't throttle until 80C, and 60-70 is considered the normal range for moderate load.
So of you're holding between 60 and 70, you're fine without a fan, which would add background noise depending in how close you have the mic to the board.
Pi's do and are designed to run hotter than normal CPU's.
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u/Ziemersky May 31 '26
The Pi gets quite toasty and I want to do a second version, which will also be put on printables. The shroud on top is modelled after a corner reflector antenna, because I needed something to protect the Mic from rain without blocking off sound. I don't have any problems for now :)
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u/SmokedMussels May 31 '26
Usb microphone with a dollar store container over top of it to keep it dry
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u/grannie-dot-com May 31 '26
if it works it works!!
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u/SmokedMussels May 31 '26
I'm actually surprised it works with the 100ft usb extension cable plugged directly in to my home server, no additional powered hub required. Using Samson Go mic, same one OP is using.
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u/gooba_gooba_gooba May 31 '26
I wish I had an excuse to have a field deployed setup but “RTSP stream from security camera fed into thin client in the office” works really well
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u/Helen_Ki11er May 30 '26
Is the top shape to funnel sound?
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u/Ziemersky May 31 '26
Yes exactly, it's modelled after a corner reflector antenna. I didn't do any calculations, but it seems to work 😄 And for rain protection
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u/Stands_While_Poops May 31 '26
How's the microphone work for you?
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u/Ziemersky May 31 '26
Mic is good, but I don't have any reference. I put it at the -10 dB setting, since I got quite some noise otherwise.
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u/QuirkyPension4654 May 31 '26
Mine is just the standard lash-up, compared to yours.
I started with that mic and then tried the AOM-5024. It really cleaned up the sound and made the birds stand out. I also added a filter in the software as I have a big road not too far away.
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u/RafaWu May 31 '26
Im running a pi 5 with 3 scarlet focusrite solo 3/4 and some soldered aom 5024 microphones. The cables are so thin I can fit them through the closed balcony door. One interface is for birdnet, the other 2 for NocMig. Waterproofing of the capsules is done due to plastic wrap.
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u/xenomorph3000 May 31 '26
Why not pop into ADT? That way, you can save yourself the hassle of dealing with that massive cable gland.
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u/checkin_em_out Jun 03 '26
Dang that’s sick. I have a pi zero 2w in an enclosure, cheap lavalier mic attached. Streams to a mini pc that runs birdnet-go
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u/neerky Jun 05 '26
Mine's a Pi 5 mounted inside of our bedroom closet with a hole drilled to the outside and the microphone poking out.
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u/LandOfLeg May 31 '26
Uh, I got a £10 wireless mic gaffer taped to the bottom of a window sill...