UniFi Protect Timelapse Generator

A Docker service that auto-discovers your UniFi Protect cameras, snaps photos at intervals, and stitches them into daily timelapse videos using FFmpeg.

Features

• Multi-Camera Support: Supports one, multiple, or all cameras automatically.
• Resolution Control: Toggle FORCE_HIGH_QUALITY to switch between full sensor resolution (4K) or the lighter proxy stream (720p).
• Video Quality Control: Configurable CRF and Presets for FFmpeg.
• Smart Retention: Auto-deletes old images and videos to save space.
• Resilient: Uses connection pooling and retry logic.

Configuration

Variable	Default	Description
UNIFI_HOST	-	Local IP of your UDM/UNVR.
UNIFI_API_KEY	-	Local user password.
CAMERA_NAMES	(All)	Comma-separated list (e.g., Front Porch,Garage). Empty = All cameras.
SNAPSHOT_INTERVAL	60	Seconds between photos.
FORCE_HIGH_QUALITY	true	true = Full Res (4K/2K). false = Proxy (720p).
VIDEO_CRF	23	Quality (0-51). Lower is better.
VIDEO_PRESET	medium	medium, slow, fast, etc.
RETENTION_DAYS_IMAGES	3	Days to keep JPEGs.
RETENTION_DAYS_VIDEOS	30	Days to keep MP4s.

Quick Start

1. Create a Local User in UniFi OS (Admin -> Restricted to Local Access Only) with View Only permissions for Protect.
2. Update your docker-compose.yaml.
3. Run:

   docker-compose up -d --build