UniFi Protect MCP

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Get camera

protect_get_camera

Read-only

Fetch details for one UniFi Protect camera by ID, returning fields like name, model, state, HDR type, mic settings, and smart detect options.

Instructions

Get details for a specific camera by ID. The Protect Integration API returns the SAME field set as protect_list_cameras entries (id, mac, name, modelKey, state, type, guid, activePatrolSlot, hasPackageCamera, hdrType, isMicEnabled, micVolume, videoMode, featureFlags, lcdMessage, ledSettings, osdSettings, smartDetectSettings) — there is no extended/by-id-only payload (confirmed live on 7.3.70). Recording state, motion events, zones, and channel/RTSP config are NOT exposed by this API surface.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`id`	Yes	Camera ID

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description
`id`	No	Camera ID
`mac`	No	MAC address
`guid`	No	Hardware MODEL GUID, shared by every unit of the same model. NOT a per-device identifier — use `id` to identify a device.
`name`	No	Camera name
`type`	No	Hardware model name, e.g. "UVC G6 Turret", "UP Chime PoE", "UNVR-PRO"
`state`	No	CONNECTED \| DISCONNECTED \| ...
`hdrType`	No	HDR mode, e.g. "auto"
`modelKey`	No	Always "camera"
`micVolume`	No	Microphone volume 0-100 (number)
`videoMode`	No	Video mode, e.g. "default"
`lcdMessage`	No
`ledSettings`	No
`osdSettings`	No
`featureFlags`	No
`isMicEnabled`	No	Microphone enabled (boolean)
`activePatrolSlot`	No	Active PTZ patrol slot, or null (number\|null)
`hasPackageCamera`	No	Has a secondary package camera (boolean)
`smartDetectSettings`	No

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed22 schema fields changedv2.15.0Oct 14, 2026

addedInput schema / properties / id / pattern
```
Added value: +"^[A-Za-z0-9_-]{1,64}$"
```
changedOutput schema / additionalProperties
```
Previous value: -falseNew value: +{}
```
removedOutput schema / properties / featureFlags / additionalProperties
```
Removed value: -{}
```

addedOutput schema / properties / featureFlags / anyOf

Added value: +[
+  {
+    "additionalProperties": {},
+    "properties": {
+      "hasHdr": {
+        "description": "Supports HDR (boolean)"
+      },
+      "hasLedStatus": {
+        "description": "Has a status LED (boolean)"
+      },
+      "hasMic": {
+        "description": "Has a microphone (boolean)"
+      },
+      "hasSpeaker": {
+        "description": "Has a speaker (boolean)"
+      },
+      "smartDetectAudioTypes": {
+        "description": "Supported smart audio-detect types (array of strings)"
+      },
+      "smartDetectTypes": {
+        "description": "Supported smart object-detect types (array of strings)"
+      },
+      "supportFullHdSnapshot": {
+        "description": "Supports full-HD snapshot (boolean)"
+      },
+      "videoModes": {
+        "description": "Supported video modes (array of strings)"
+      }
+    },
+    "type": "object"
+  },
+  {
+    "type": "null"
+  }
+]

removedOutput schema / properties / featureFlags / properties

Removed value: -{
-  "hasHdr": {
-    "description": "Supports HDR (boolean)"
-  },
-  "hasLedStatus": {
-    "description": "Has a status LED (boolean)"
-  },
-  "hasMic": {
-    "description": "Has a microphone (boolean)"
-  },
-  "hasSpeaker": {
-    "description": "Has a speaker (boolean)"
-  },
-  "smartDetectAudioTypes": {
-    "description": "Supported smart audio-detect types (array of strings)"
-  },
-  "smartDetectTypes": {
-    "description": "Supported smart object-detect types (array of strings)"
-  },
-  "supportFullHdSnapshot": {
-    "description": "Supports full-HD snapshot (boolean)"
-  },
-  "videoModes": {
-    "description": "Supported video modes (array of strings)"
-  }
-}

removedOutput schema / properties / featureFlags / type
```
Removed value: -"object"
```
removedOutput schema / properties / lcdMessage / additionalProperties
```
Removed value: -{}
```

addedOutput schema / properties / lcdMessage / anyOf

Added value: +[
+  {
+    "additionalProperties": {},
+    "properties": {
+      "resetAt": {
+        "description": "Auto-reset timestamp in epoch ms, or null (number|null)"
+      },
+      "text": {
+        "description": "Message text shown on the doorbell LCD",
+        "type": [
+          "string",
+          "null"
+        ]
+      },
+      "type": {
+        "description": "Message type, e.g. \"CUSTOM_MESSAGE\", \"LEAVE_PACKAGE_AT_DOOR\", \"DO_NOT_DISTURB\"",
+        "type": [
+          "string",
+          "null"
+        ]
+      }
+    },
+    "type": "object"
+  },
+  {
+    "type": "null"
+  }
+]

removedOutput schema / properties / lcdMessage / properties

Removed value: -{
-  "resetAt": {
-    "description": "Auto-reset timestamp in epoch ms, or null (number|null)"
-  },
-  "text": {
-    "description": "Message text shown on the doorbell LCD",
-    "type": [
-      "string",
-      "null"
-    ]
-  },
-  "type": {
-    "description": "Message type, e.g. \"CUSTOM_MESSAGE\", \"LEAVE_PACKAGE_AT_DOOR\", \"DO_NOT_DISTURB\"",
-    "type": [
-      "string",
-      "null"
-    ]
-  }
-}

removedOutput schema / properties / lcdMessage / type
```
Removed value: -"object"
```
removedOutput schema / properties / ledSettings / additionalProperties
```
Removed value: -{}
```

addedOutput schema / properties / ledSettings / anyOf

Added value: +[
+  {
+    "additionalProperties": {},
+    "properties": {
+      "floodLed": {
+        "description": "Flood LED enabled (boolean)"
+      },
+      "isEnabled": {
+        "description": "Status LED enabled (boolean)"
+      },
+      "welcomeLed": {
+        "description": "Welcome LED enabled (boolean)"
+      }
+    },
+    "type": "object"
+  },
+  {
+    "type": "null"
+  }
+]

removedOutput schema / properties / ledSettings / properties

Removed value: -{
-  "floodLed": {
-    "description": "Flood LED enabled (boolean)"
-  },
-  "isEnabled": {
-    "description": "Status LED enabled (boolean)"
-  },
-  "welcomeLed": {
-    "description": "Welcome LED enabled (boolean)"
-  }
-}

removedOutput schema / properties / ledSettings / type
```
Removed value: -"object"
```
removedOutput schema / properties / osdSettings / additionalProperties
```
Removed value: -{}
```

addedOutput schema / properties / osdSettings / anyOf

Added value: +[
+  {
+    "additionalProperties": {},
+    "properties": {
+      "isDateEnabled": {
+        "description": "Overlay date (boolean)"
+      },
+      "isDebugEnabled": {
+        "description": "Overlay debug info (boolean)"
+      },
+      "isLogoEnabled": {
+        "description": "Overlay logo (boolean)"
+      },
+      "isNameEnabled": {
+        "description": "Overlay camera name (boolean)"
+      },
+      "overlayLocation": {
+        "description": "OSD position, e.g. \"topLeft\"",
+        "type": [
+          "string",
+          "null"
+        ]
+      }
+    },
+    "type": "object"
+  },
+  {
+    "type": "null"
+  }
+]

removedOutput schema / properties / osdSettings / properties

Removed value: -{
-  "isDateEnabled": {
-    "description": "Overlay date (boolean)"
-  },
-  "isDebugEnabled": {
-    "description": "Overlay debug info (boolean)"
-  },
-  "isLogoEnabled": {
-    "description": "Overlay logo (boolean)"
-  },
-  "isNameEnabled": {
-    "description": "Overlay camera name (boolean)"
-  },
-  "overlayLocation": {
-    "description": "OSD position, e.g. \"topLeft\"",
-    "type": [
-      "string",
-      "null"
-    ]
-  }
-}

removedOutput schema / properties / osdSettings / type
```
Removed value: -"object"
```
removedOutput schema / properties / smartDetectSettings / additionalProperties
```
Removed value: -{}
```

addedOutput schema / properties / smartDetectSettings / anyOf

Added value: +[
+  {
+    "additionalProperties": {},
+    "properties": {
+      "audioTypes": {
+        "description": "Enabled audio-detect types (array of strings)"
+      },
+      "objectTypes": {
+        "description": "Enabled object-detect types (array of strings)"
+      }
+    },
+    "type": "object"
+  },
+  {
+    "type": "null"
+  }
+]

removedOutput schema / properties / smartDetectSettings / properties

Removed value: -{
-  "audioTypes": {
-    "description": "Enabled audio-detect types (array of strings)"
-  },
-  "objectTypes": {
-    "description": "Enabled object-detect types (array of strings)"
-  }
-}

removedOutput schema / properties / smartDetectSettings / type
```
Removed value: -"object"
```

Changed2 schema fields changedv2.13.0Sep 20, 2026

addedOutput schema / properties / guid

Added value: +{
+  "description": "Hardware MODEL GUID, shared by every unit of the same model. NOT a per-device identifier — use `id` to identify a device.",
+  "type": [
+    "string",
+    "null"
+  ]
+}

addedOutput schema / properties / type

Added value: +{
+  "description": "Hardware model name, e.g. \"UVC G6 Turret\", \"UP Chime PoE\", \"UNVR-PRO\"",
+  "type": [
+    "string",
+    "null"
+  ]
+}

Changed18 schema fields changedv2.11.5Sep 13, 2026

removedOutput schema / properties / hdrType / anyOf

Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]

addedOutput schema / properties / hdrType / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "string",
+  "null"
+]
```

removedOutput schema / properties / lcdMessage / properties / text / anyOf

Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]

addedOutput schema / properties / lcdMessage / properties / text / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "string",
+  "null"
+]
```

removedOutput schema / properties / lcdMessage / properties / type / anyOf

Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]

addedOutput schema / properties / lcdMessage / properties / type / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "string",
+  "null"
+]
```

removedOutput schema / properties / mac / anyOf

Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]

addedOutput schema / properties / mac / type

Added value: +[
+  "string",
+  "null"
+]

removedOutput schema / properties / modelKey / anyOf

Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]

addedOutput schema / properties / modelKey / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "string",
+  "null"
+]
```

removedOutput schema / properties / name / anyOf

Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]

addedOutput schema / properties / name / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "string",
+  "null"
+]
```

removedOutput schema / properties / osdSettings / properties / overlayLocation / anyOf

Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]

addedOutput schema / properties / osdSettings / properties / overlayLocation / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "string",
+  "null"
+]
```

removedOutput schema / properties / state / anyOf

Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]

addedOutput schema / properties / state / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "string",
+  "null"
+]
```

removedOutput schema / properties / videoMode / anyOf

Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]

addedOutput schema / properties / videoMode / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "string",
+  "null"
+]
```

Changed4 schema fields changedv2.7.5Jun 21, 2026

addedOutput schema / properties / lcdMessage / additionalProperties
```
Added value: +{}
```

removedOutput schema / properties / lcdMessage / description

Removed value: -"Doorbell LCD message (object; often empty {})"

addedOutput schema / properties / lcdMessage / properties

Added value: +{
+  "resetAt": {
+    "description": "Auto-reset timestamp in epoch ms, or null (number|null)"
+  },
+  "text": {
+    "anyOf": [
+      {
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      {
+        "type": "null"
+      }
+    ],
+    "description": "Message text shown on the doorbell LCD"
+  },
+  "type": {
+    "anyOf": [
+      {
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      {
+        "type": "null"
+      }
+    ],
+    "description": "Message type, e.g. \"CUSTOM_MESSAGE\", \"LEAVE_PACKAGE_AT_DOOR\", \"DO_NOT_DISTURB\""
+  }
+}

addedOutput schema / properties / lcdMessage / type
```
Added value: +"object"
```

First observedv2.7.4Jun 11, 2026

TDQS

A4/5.0

Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already cover the read-only, non-destructive, closed-world profile, so the bar is lower, and the description still adds real value by enumerating the returned field set and explicitly naming what is NOT exposed (recording state, motion events, zones, channel/RTSP config). That negative-space disclosure prevents wasted calls, though error/timeout behavior is unaddressed.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Front-loaded with the core action, then two sentences that each carry non-obvious information (identical field set, excluded data). The field enumeration is long but functional; the version parenthetical is defensible evidence but slightly incidental.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Output schema exists so return values need no prose, yet the description still summarizes the payload and its limits. For a single-ID lookup with full annotation coverage, nothing an agent needs to invoke it correctly is missing.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

There is only one parameter and schema description coverage is 100% ('Camera ID' with a pattern constraint), so the schema already does the heavy lifting. The description adds no format or lookup guidance beyond saying 'by ID'.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

States a specific verb and resource ('Get details for a specific camera by ID') and explicitly differentiates itself from the sibling protect_list_cameras by asserting the by-ID payload is identical to the list entry payload. An agent can tell exactly what this returns without opening either schema.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines3/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The note that there is 'no extended/by-id-only payload' implicitly tells the agent this call is not needed for richer data, but it never states when to prefer this over protect_list_cameras or what an invalid/missing ID yields. Usage is implied rather than routed.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.