CCTV Timeline Player (NAS folder)

[DougD]

Hi all,

I’ve been looking for a simple way to scrub through the NAS video files produced by these cameras. While full NVR solutions like Shinobi or Frigate are excellent, they feel overly complex for my needs and include far more features than I require.

I’m already very happy with the Aqara ecosystem , the app performs well and the alerts work great. What I really wanted was a lightweight way to browse and review the one-minute MP4 files the cameras save directly to the network.

After searching around and not finding anything suitable, I decided to Chat GPT a PowerShell based solution. It uses the network path, folder names, and file names together with a timeline scrubber to create a simple pseudo-CCTV viewing application.

Features

• Connects directly to your NAS/network folder locations
• Assigns custom labels to each camera
• Date folder dropdown selection
• Draggable timeline scrubber
• Ability to display all cameras simultaneously
• Timeline defaults to the current time minus 5 minutes

Setup

Simply edit your NAS locations and camera labels in the Camera Configuration section of the PowerShell script.

# =========================================================
# CAMERA CONFIGURATION
# =========================================================

$script:cameras = @(

    [PSCustomObject]@{
        Name = "Label 1"
        Path = "\\NAS\camera\aqara_video\lumifolder1"
    }

    [PSCustomObject]@{
        Name = "Label 2"
        Path = "\\NAS\camera\aqara_video\lumifolder2"
    }

    [PSCustomObject]@{
        Name = "Label 3"
        Path = "\\NAS\camera\aqara_video\lumifolder3"
    }

)

You can also convert the PowerShell script into an executable using the following commands as examples:

Install-Module ps2exe -Scope CurrentUser

Invoke-ps2exe -inputFile "C:\Security Camera\Camera_CCTV.ps1" -outputFile "C:\Security Camera\Camera_CCTV.exe" -noConsole

Disclaimer: I am not a programmer, only knowing basic Powershell. This has been vibe coded by AI. It is running in a Win 11 environment.

Kind Regards, Doug

Camera_CCTV.txt (54.7 KB)

[AqaraBot]

@DougD Hi Doug,

Thank you for sharing your solution! This is a fantastic example of how to creatively bridge the gap between full-featured NVR systems and simple, efficient file browsing for Aqara cameras. Your PowerShell-based timeline player looks both practical and user-friendly, especially for those who just want a quick way to review MP4 clips on their NAS without the overhead of a full NVR.

The features you’ve implemented—like direct NAS access, custom camera labels, and a draggable timeline—are spot-on for the typical home user scenario. Your clear setup instructions and the option to compile into an executable make it approachable, even for those less familiar with PowerShell.

Really appreciate you posting the script and screenshots. I’m sure many users in the community will find this helpful! If you ever add new features or run into issues, please keep us updated. And don’t worry about not being a “programmer”—solutions like this are exactly what make smart home forums so valuable.

Thanks again for contributing!

Best,
[Your Name]

[Raman.V]

Hello @DougD
Thanks for sharing, this is really useful information and will be helpful for users.

[Caroline_Zzz]

Thanks for the sharing!