I’m actually a bit of a battery nerd. So I was curious as to what cell you chose as there’s a huge range of 18650 batteries out there, each with different balance of current rating and capacity. Some have a high continuous discharge rating and are more suited to high-drain devices, and some are optimized to provide power over a longer time period.
Still no offer of a refund for the batteries I was promised!
Plus, the camera is, in short, rubbish!!!
Yesterday it picked up my daughter going out to the bin at 10:17 and my partner coming home from a night away at 15:30. That’s all.
It didn’t Pick me up going to walk the dog, coming back from walking the dog, 2 delivery men coming or going, or the post man. And yes they were more than 3 mins apart re the cooling off period. Garbage… Will never buy another yi product again…
Yesterday I got one notification… Despite my other half taking the dog out, then back. Going out shopping and back And my sister leaving at teatime. It’s not the sensor before that’s suggested, considering I’m up there changing batteries once a month, I always wipe it.
I’m wondering if this device has always been faulty… Though I won’t be buying another to Compare.
Getting myself a blink one and throwing this one in the bin where it belongs.
Hi Lindsay, I’m sorry I didn’t see that Yamin had offered to refund you $20. I just sent you a private message about this.
In regard to your battery life, do you do keep the live view in the app open and streaming often? That can have a negative effect on battery life.
In regard to the camera not detecting motion, can you please tell me about how far the camera is from the closest point it could see a person?
For example, when you leave your house to take the dog out and you step into the cameras view. About how far from the camera are you at that spot?
Thanks!
Sorry for delay… I never ge notifications that you reply. I attach a still for you. It has always been here and it’s got worse. It was this bad initially. As you can see it hasn’t picked anything up today (4th) despite leaving to walk dog and coming back, and I’ve just left the house at 10.25.
Typo… It WASN’T this bad initially
And I barely open the app… I never sit watching it or anything
Hey Lindsay, thanks for providing that screenshot. I can see that this distance is too far for the cameras motion detection to work effectively. At this distance when a person walks into the field of view there is only a small chance the camera will detect them. Are you able to lower the cameras mounting location so closer to the path below?
Also, how often do you have to charge the camera now?
It wasn’t always this bad and nothings changed?
It’s only above my front door… If I lower it then it will be within reach and would therefore be able to be taken…
I’m sorry but the more faults I find, and the more you tell me its the cameras incapability, it makes me stand by the fact it is absolutely pointless.
I wish I’d never bought it.
I changed the batteries week before last, its lost one bar… But its currently only activating once or twice a day… Like I said above, this hasn’t always been the case.
I think we just better leave it here the product is rubbish, you are not going to convince me otherwise se… Its basically a dummy camera. Now it csnt cope with being put of arms reach! Ridiculous!
Also have you refunded my batteries yet?
Hi @LAF I don’t think it’s likely that the motion detection capability of the camera is getting worse over time. It is more likely that there is a lot of variation (periods of alerts vs no alerts) because this location is a bit too far for reliable detection of a person. Outside the range of about 15 feet the motion detection capabilities are diminished.
In regard to detecting the animals at night. This could be because the camera works by comparing ambient temperature changes. In other words, the camera is triggered by changes in infrared radiation, when humans or other warm-blooded creatures pass by. So if it is a cold night, the difference in heat between the ambient air temperature and the person or animal is greater than during the day, and therefore easier to detect. The duration that the person or animal stays within view of the camera will also play a contributing factor.
If the camera is just above the door and you don’t want to move it, you could try and tilt it down more. This would create more of a choke point, so a person walking down the path to the door spends more time in the cameras view and the closest point is a bit closer.
In regard to your refund. I sent you a private message as I need your contact details to process the refund.
PS I would love to see the whole badger clip!
Mark
I don’t seem to get notifications so sorry for n
Very timely, the badger came again last night, but I have been struggling with the camera to see the full clips over the last week. The orange bars are not there so it won’t show me the entire clip. (so I can’t screenshot the video) I use an sd card. The apps up to date. The firm wares up to date and I haven’t changed any settings. Any ideas?
Hi @LAF, good to hear from you again. And thanks for sharing the screenshot of the badger. I’m from New Zealand (living in the US now) and have never seen one in the flesh! So I would be stoked at capture a badger on my cameras.
Sorry to hear you’re having issues with the SD card recordings. Hopefully we can figure out what is going on here.
What make and model SD card do you have installed in the camera? Also, when you check the condition of the card in the app does it show ‘in good condition’?
Here’s a recent forum thread where someone was experiencing the same issue, and it turns out the card was not up to scratch. You you check that out below.
Also, you could format the card and see if that helps. But, you would lose anything saved on there, so if you wanted to keep anything you could try and insert the card (in an adapter) into your computer and see if you can have the clips before doing so.
To format the card, click on a camera so you a taken to the live view, then click on ‘Settings’ in the bottom right corner.
Then scroll down to ‘Storage’ and click on ‘MicroSD Card’.
Next click on ‘Format Storage Card’.
When promoted with the warning, “All video in the MicroSD card will be deleted after formatting, continue?”, click OK.
Wait until the camera resets, then go to the home screen and swipe down to refresh.
Now go back into settings and you should see your MicroSD Card showing ‘In good condition’ and the camera should now record to the SD card.
Hi Mark,
It’s a San disk ultra.
It says it’s in good condition.
Ive reformat it anyway to see what happens.
It’s been fine all this time- but I now only get the 6 secs, but no orange bars to see it all.i have another sd card in the drawer so I can try another one later if needs be… I’ll let you know…
Ok thanks @LAF, let me know if the other card works. And if not I will create a support ticket for you so we can investigate further.
Reformatting the card worked!
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Awesome! 
Thanks for letting me know!
Unfortunately it hasnt even made 12 months… Lens has gone now.
It’s been nothing but trouble.
Think I’ll be trying a different camera in the near future…
What is wrong with the lens? I personally cannot see anything from the image you have posted. If it looks ‘misty’ it could be due to weather conditions (rain / snow / low temperature temperatures)
It is misty yes… Its been like it for a couple of weeks. I brought it in the house today to test that theory but no better…
It’s clearly got inside…
Besides it’s meant to be outside… Do burglars not ‘work’ when it’s cold?! 