Only Motion Clips Available On 24/7 Plan

Community Support
#1

I just had an incident and need the video from the area’s Yi camera. The motion detection clip does not capture the preceding action, which I need. But I am unable to view it – when I try to view anything on the timeline that is not within the motion detection clips, it snaps to the motion detection clip only.

Even if I try to download and specify the 10 minutes of video on the timeline I want, it downloads only the 6 seconds motion detection clip.

I have logged out and back in, it says that Video Upload Service is On (Motion Recording). But it should be recording 24/7, as I pay $99 per year, right?

How can I get the footage I need and fix this issue?

#2

Looping in @Steven_Kami

It will help if you can send a screen shot of your plan and also of your purchase plan please.

I realise there are a number of plans available so having clarity on why your subscription plan is will help.

Cheers

#3

Thank you, YorkshireUser!

Here is a screengrab of my plan. I notice that it says “Motion Recording,” but I was definitely able to review footage in between motion detection until fairly recently.

Screenshot_2021-03-21-10-58-24-488_com.ants360.yicamera.international
Screenshot_2021-03-21-10-58-24-488_com.ants360.yicamera.international1080×2340 176 KB

#4

Yes that does seem to be the plan you need for what you’ve said. I’m not a Yi employee so I can only help guide and bring good people from Yi to things like this.

I guess the only thing could be IF the motion did not activate the Yi camera. But I’m not sure if the case or if you have CVR set up.

Let’s see what the good man @Steven_Kami thinks when he gets to this.

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#5

If you don’t have the CVR plan it doesn’t record everything, only motion activated moments. You would need a SD card to catch anything outside the motion capture, or a CVR plan and one hell of a data allowances

Always a good idea to have a sd card in there aswell. The SD card playback is of a higher definition than the cloud

#6

99 per year is about right for 5 cams on motion record… not cvr.

#7

I was able to view video captured before the motion clips until recently. Something changed and I hope it can be fixed.

Frankly, if I was able to view only motion clips, I would replace the cameras. The motion detection is far from perfect, catching mostly bugs at night, but missing stuff like the FedEx delivery man sometimes. Or, as in this instance, I saw the incident, but the motion did not activate until I was outside and triggered the recording.

SD card is not a convenient option, as my cameras are mounted up high. Plus, I shouldn’t have to deal with SD cards – $99 is what most larger competitors are charging for continuous recording, which is why I was happy with Yi.

Thanks again to YorkshireUser for being so helpful, I hope @Steven_Kami would chime in soon.

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#8

SD cards can be viewed via the app. So not sure what you mean re them. Plus to be fair to Yi they are pretty well placed with the financials especially if you look at the likes of Ring or the new cloud charges from Blink.

#9

Thanks again, YorkshireUser. I didn’t realize that SD cards can be viewed from the app (I know, it makes sense, but I didn’t think about it – have been using cloud services for so long :slight_smile:

What do most people here use to cover a couple of days at 1080p?

#10

I use 64gb sandisk class 10 specifically for cameras of this type. With CVR I get 4-5 days.

Just checked on one I can still get all my CVR from 09:00 hours GMT (UK time) March 12. And it’s now 17:21 March 22.

@Woolywonk - this is the SD card I use https://amzn.to/3rba6P5 - if your device can take a larger capacity get the biggest the device and your budget can afford.

Just be mindful of you get one not to drop it when installing it if you install it with your camera in place.

Re the way in which your outdoor camera motion alerts you. You may wish to take a look at this article https://news.yitechnology.com/tips-tricks/where-to-place-my-outdoor-home-security-camera/ to see it you can optimise your positioning at all.

#11

Perfect, thank you!

I assume that I will not be able to check the SD card content remotely through the app, if not on the same Wifi network at the time, is that correct?

#12

No :slight_smile: you could check it on the moon if you have data service (mobile or wifi) :wink:

Seriously with an SD card you have great access to your footage. And on the long run saves you money.

The only thing you have to think of is if the camera is stolen so too the footage. But that is a risk I think for me is acceptable - because for me it’s minimal risk vs cost.

Yi/Kami have a Windows computer or Macintosh app which you could also use as well.

In my experience the use of Yi cameras both locally and remotely is very impressive.

2 Likes
#13

You could also view your SD footage on a computer / Mac should you need to. Of course this is not required.

If you view this thread

You will see that the storage of the files on the SD card make it easy to find the footage you need.

But of course for you there is no need to do that if you don’t want and that ladder can stay in the hut !!

#14

Just ordered them, thank you!

I would still like to resolve the cloud subscription issue though and I hope that @Steven_Kami can do so.

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#15

It does look like you have motion cloud only from that screen grab and as such if you had it recording cvr it might have been an error.

#16

The only explanation I can give regarding the motion v cvr issue is that in some instances, depending on the amount of activity in the environment the motion detection cloud recording is practically constantly recording. It does this of there are quit a few motions one after another.

But without question, based on your screen grab and plan, it’s motion and not cvr.

Cvr for 5 cameras is alot more than $99

#17

Just checked and the USD cost for CVR is $74.99.

This is for one camera only and for 7 days storage. There is no multiple camera options for CVR so you would have to purchase a separate one for each camera.

#18

Hey @Woolywonk thanks for your patience. I do apologize for my delay. I am sorry to hear you’ve had a little trouble pulling up a video of interest from you cloud.

If the motion detection was not activated during the event, then there will be no cloud video as the detection did not signal to record. Were you able to pull up the clip of yourself activating the motion detection after the incident occured?

Are you wanted to cancel your cloud subscription or keep that with SD cards? I am looking for a little clarification on what cloud subscription issue you need resolved.

I hope you’re having a lovely week. Again, I am sorry to hear things didn’t capture perfectly with the motion detection. We are working on making improvements to this feature and will continue to improve it as we move along.

#19

That is correct! We do not at this time have any mult-cam cloud packages for the CVR plans.

If you purchase the 2 year plan for CVR you save a little bit money.

#20

Hi, Steve. Thank you for the clarification. I guess I must have had CVR before, because I could view video before the motion detection was triggered. For instance, when my Nest doorbell detected a person but the Yi camera in the area did not detect motion, I was able to view the person from the cloud. The Yi camera covers a larger and slightly different area than the doorbell and it has failed to detect delivery people several times.

I had to reset my phone and reinstall the Yi app a few days ago, and I guess the ability to view video before motion is triggered disappeared then. Strangely, I was able to briefly see a few seconds prior to the motion detection I first posted about above, but it was only once and when I tried to download it, it was not there and then I was unable to view video prior to motion detection.

Unfortunately, since motion detection is not perfect and often late in capturing what triggered it, I have no use for the cloud service and would love to cancel it, so that I can offset the purchase of the SD cards. I have ordered the SD cards and based on YorkshireUser’s helpful hints, I hope that they will provide what I need.

Yi should really consider including continuous capture ability where video is retained for say 48 hours and then only motion is retained for the remainder of the period.

Thanks again.

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