A desktop application for automated timelapse creation from webcam and screen capture sources. Built with Electron and powered by modern video processing technologies for high-quality time-lapse photography and videography.

• Webcam Capture - Record from any connected USB or built-in camera with live preview
• Screen Recording - Capture full desktop screen for screen-based timelapses
• Interval Control - Set capture intervals from seconds to hours for custom timelapse speed
• Motion Detection - Basic motion-triggered capture with adjustable sensitivity settings
• Scheduled Capture - Time-based capture with day-of-week selection and start/stop times
• Automatic Timelapse Creation - Periodic automatic video generation from recent captures (24-72 hour intervals)
• Capture Pause/Resume - Temporarily pause capture sessions without stopping completely

• FFmpeg Integration - Video encoding with H.264 codec and basic format support
• Multiple Formats - Export to MP4, AVI, and MOV formats
• Quality Control - Four quality presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) with adjustable settings
• Frame Rate Options - Adjustable output frame rates from 1 to 120 FPS
• Resolution Support - Process videos from 720p to 4K (depending on source capabilities) with aspect ratio preservation
• Video Effects - Fade in/out, zoom, and pan effects for enhanced visual appeal

• Platform Presets - Pre-configured export settings for YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and web
• Watermarking - Add text or image watermarks with position and opacity control
• Background Music - Integrate audio tracks with volume control
• FTP/SFTP Upload - Automatic upload to remote servers with connection testing
• Local Export - Save videos locally with custom naming and organization

• Settings Persistence - Save and restore application settings automatically
• Project Files - Save capture configurations in .tlp project format
• Storage Management - Automatic file cleanup with configurable retention periods
• Quota Control - Set storage limits with automatic cleanup when exceeded

• Live Preview - Real-time camera preview with capture status monitoring
• Progress Tracking - Visual progress indicators for video creation and upload
• Multi-Language - English and German interface support
• Cross-Platform - Consistent experience across Windows, macOS, and Linux

• Webcam Devices - USB and built-in cameras with automatic device detection
• Screen Capture - Full desktop screen recording
• Audio Files (.mp3, .wav, .aac, .ogg) - Background music for video creation
• Captured Images (.jpg, .jpeg) - Process captured images for timelapse creation

• MP4 (.mp4) - H.264 encoding with adjustable quality settings
• AVI (.avi) - Standard video format for broad compatibility
• MOV (.mov) - QuickTime format for video editing workflows
• Project Files (.tlp) - Save capture settings and configurations

1. Select Camera - Choose from available webcam devices or screen capture
2. Set Interval - Configure capture frequency (seconds, minutes, or hours)
3. Start Capture - Begin recording with live preview monitoring
4. Create Video - Use captured images to generate timelapse video
5. Export or Upload - Save locally or upload via FTP/SFTP

1. Motion Detection - Enable motion-triggered capture with sensitivity adjustment
2. Schedule Capture - Set specific times and days for automatic recording
3. Storage Management - Configure automatic cleanup and storage limits
4. Upload Configuration - Set up FTP/SFTP for automatic video upload

• Capture - Camera selection, capture settings, and live preview
• Timelapse - Video creation, export options, and video management
• Settings - Application preferences, storage, and upload configuration
• Help - Documentation and application information

1. Setup - Configure camera source and capture parameters
2. Capture - Record images at specified intervals with optional motion detection
3. Create - Generate timelapse videos from captured image sequences
4. Export - Save videos locally or upload to remote servers automatically

• Image Quality - JPEG quality from 1-100% with format selection (JPEG, PNG, WebP)
• Resolution Control - Camera resolution from 720p to 4K based on device capabilities
• Interval Timing - Capture frequency from 1 second to several hours
• Auto-start - Automatically begin capture when application launches

• Advanced Sensitivity - Threshold settings from 10-100% for motion triggering
• Noise Filtering - Intelligent noise reduction to prevent false triggers
• Motion Zones - Define specific areas for motion detection with custom sensitivity
• Cooldown Timer - Prevent excessive captures with 1-60 second delays
• Enhanced Algorithm - Improved pixel difference analysis with zone-based detection

• Advanced Time Windows - Set start and stop times for automated capture
• Day Selection - Choose specific days of the week for scheduled recording
• Cron Pattern Support - Use advanced cron expressions for complex scheduling
• Seasonal Rules - Different schedules for different months/seasons
• Holiday Exceptions - Skip capture on specific dates or date ranges
• Timezone Support - Local time zone handling for scheduling accuracy

• Default Paths - Images saved to ~/TimelapseWebcam/images/, Videos to ~/TimelapseWebcam/videos/
• Auto Cleanup - Delete old files after specified number of days (1-365)
• Storage Limits - Set maximum storage usage (1-1000 GB) with automatic cleanup
• File Organization - Automatic timestamp-based file naming and organization

• Protocol Support - FTP and SFTP with standard authentication
• Auto Upload - Automatically upload captured images and created videos
• Connection Testing - Verify server connectivity before starting uploads
• Custom Directories - Configure remote folder paths for file organization

• Quality Presets - Four preset levels (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) with custom bitrate
• Platform Formats - Export presets optimized for YouTube, Instagram, TikTok
• Audio Integration - Add background music with volume control (0-100%)
• Format Selection - Choose output format and codec for different use cases

• FFmpeg Processing - Leverages FFmpeg for efficient video encoding and processing
• Hardware Acceleration - Optional GPU acceleration when supported by system
• Background Operation - Capture continues while application runs in background
• Resource Management - Efficient memory usage during long capture sessions
• Queue Processing - Serialized video creation to prevent system overload

• Framework - Electron (v37+) for cross-platform desktop application
• Video Processing - FFmpeg for video encoding and format conversion
• Image Processing - Canvas-based capture with Sharp.js for watermarking and processing
• Languages - JavaScript (ES6+), HTML5, CSS3
• Supported OS - Windows 10/11, macOS 10.15+, Linux (Ubuntu 18.04+)
• Architecture - Chromium-based with Node.js backend integration
• Security - Context isolation and secure inter-process communication

• OS: Windows 10, macOS 10.15, or Linux (Ubuntu 18.04+)
• RAM: 4GB RAM for basic operation
• Storage: 1GB available space for application and temporary files
• Camera: USB webcam or built-in camera for video capture
• FFmpeg: Required for video processing (automatic detection or manual install)

• OS: Windows 11, macOS 12+, or recent Linux distribution
• RAM: 8GB RAM for smooth 4K processing and large timelapse projects
• Storage: 5GB+ available space for image sequences and video output
• Network: Broadband connection for FTP/SFTP upload functionality
• Graphics: Dedicated GPU recommended for faster video encoding

1. Download - Get the latest release package for your platform
2. Install - Run the platform-specific installer
3. Launch - Start the application and begin creating timelapses

git clone https://github.com/bavamont/timelapse-webcam.git
cd timelapse-webcam
npm install
npm start

npm run build          # Build for current platform
npm run build:win      # Build for Windows
npm run build:mac      # Build for macOS  
npm run build:linux    # Build for Linux
npm run dist           # Create distribution packages

27/08/2025 - 1.1.0 - Enhanced timelapse functionality and automation

• Motion detection with adjustable sensitivity for triggered capture
• Screen capture support for desktop and application window recording
• Scheduling system with time windows and day-of-week selection
• Export presets for popular video platforms (YouTube, Instagram, TikTok)
• Project save/load system for capture configuration management
• Automatic timelapse creation with configurable intervals (24-72 hours)
• Capture pause/resume functionality for better session control
• Video effects including fade, zoom, and pan transitions
• Enhanced security with context isolation and improved file handling
• Updated to Electron 37.2.4 with performance improvements

Initial Release - 1.0.0 - Core timelapse application

• Webcam capture with interval-based image recording
• Basic video creation from image sequences using FFmpeg
• FTP/SFTP upload support for remote storage
• Text and image watermarking with position control
• Automatic timelapse generation at specified intervals
• Cross-platform support with modern Electron-based interface

Developed by www.bavamont.com

Built with:

• Electron - Cross-platform desktop application framework
• FFmpeg - Video processing and encoding engine
• Sharp - Node.js image processing library
• basic-ftp - FTP client for file uploads
• ssh2-sftp-client - SFTP client for secure file transfers
• electron-store - Application settings persistence
• node-cron - Task scheduling for automated capture

For support, feature requests, or bug reports, please check the project's issue tracker or visit the project website.