PiLapse

Configures a timelapse camera for a Raspberry Pi.

Features

• Use sunrise/sunset times for your location to decide when to record
• Automatically generate a video from the images
• Backup images/videos to Dropbox
• Automatically tweet the video once generated

This is based on an idea by Alex Ellis

This uses Sunrise Sunset to calculate when it's daylight

Installing

Install Docker on a Pi

For full instructions on installing Docker on a Raspberry Pi, take a look at Alex Ellis's blog

Running the Image

View on Docker Hub

There are some optional volumes:

• /opt/app/config.json: the config file. You will probably want to set your own config.
• /opt/app/pilapse.sql: the SQLite file. If you want this stored on your Pi, you will need to do this.
• /var/image: the image store. If you want to have the images stored on your Pi, you will need to do this.

docker run --name pilapse -v /path/to/image/store:/var/image -v $PWD/config.json:/opt/app/config.json --privileged --restart=always -d riggerthegeek/pilapse:$(uname -m)

Config

The config allows granular control over the timelapse pictures and videos.

Sample config.json

{
  "lat": 52.482154,
  "long": -1.894503,
  "schedule": [{
    "cleanup": {
      "disabled": false,
      "interval": "* */6 * * *"
    },
    "dropbox": {
      "disabled": false,
      "accessToken": "some token",
      "savePath": "/Timelapses/daily",
      "interval": "*/15 * * * *"
    },
    "photo": {
      "disabled": false,
      "group": "D",
      "interval": "* * * * *",
      "savePath": "/var/image/daily",
      "startTime": "04:00",
      "endTime": "22:00",
      "raspistillOpts": [
        "-hf",
        "-vf"
      ]
    },
    "video": {
      "disabled": false,
      "interval": "0 23 * * *",
      "savePath": "/var/image/daily-video"
    }
  }]
}

Get lat/long coords from www.latlong.net

Root

• lat: The Pi's latitude. This is used to calculate sunrise/sunset times
• long: The Pi's longitude. This is used to calculate sunrise/sunset times
• schedule: An array of different schedule objects

Schedule

• cleanup: Specifies how to cleanup uploaded/generated images
• dropbox: Specifies how to save to dropbox
• photo: Specifies how to take photos
• video: Specifies how to generate a video from the photos

Cleanup

• disabled: If you want to disable it, set to true
• interval: Cron notation to decide when this should run

Dropbox

• accessToken: The Dropbox access token, which you can get from Dropbox
• disabled: If you want to disable it, set to true
• interval: Cron notation to decide when this should run
• savePath: Specifies where in your Dropbox account to save the files

Photo

• disabled: If you want to disable it, set to true
• endTime: Time to stop taking photos - will use sunset time if not set
• group: Decides how to group the photos. By default, it's D (daily). Can also have M (monthly) and Y (yearly)
• interval: Cron notation to decide when this should run
• raspistillOpts: Array of options sent with the raspistill command
• savePath: Specified where to save your files locally
• startTime: Time to start taking photos - will use sunrise time if not set

Video

• disabled: If you want to disable it, set to true
• interval: Cron notation to decide when this should run
• savePath: Specified where to save your files locally