Hi
I’m wondering what length are the video clips stored on the SD card.
I have my cameras set to record motion, and it sends me the 6 second alert when needed. (but not every time)
But if I check the corresponding time, although there is a video that matches the alert, these videos are usually 1 minute or less, even though the motion detected lasts longer than that.
Thanks for your help
T
Hello. Although I cannot confirm 100% as I have my SD cards recording all the time - for me this is more applicable than motion only and the fact that the card fills up quicker is not impactful to me - but I would have expected the motion recording would continue as long as there is significant motion / movement which the camera is detected as motion.
Out of interest what brand and class of card are you using and what size? Also why have you chosen to have it set to motion only record?
Hi YorkshireUser.
Thanks for responding.
My SD cards are Kingston 128GB class 10.
I was previously using a mobile phone system, which was set to record video in 10 minute chunks. This was ok, but I found myself having to go through each segment in case there was footage of something important. (there was no alerts)
This got to be so tedious. Plus the phone I was using kept switching off. This is why I chose 2 Yi cameras. And they do work really well… Apart from some issues like not having the date and timestamp on the recorded video… But that’s not a huge problem now.
If an alert is sent, then I would expect the video on the SD card would record all the motion, no matter the length, Am I wrong?
Thanks
T
Date and time stamp isn’t on a lot of cameras like this type. It’s a contentious point for many brands. Legality of the footage isn’t a concern I’m certain areas without the stamped time and date.
For why you are wanting I would say your SD cards to record continuous. You then can use that footage to view when you get a six second alert. This way you also do not lose anything and can assist in the event of something happening that may not be motion captured.
The only thing you can do is test the camera and the motion recording but do remember on the free cloud service There is the cool down of 3 minutes (I think) after a motion event.
I’ll try that YorkshireUser thanks.
How do I set that up?
I have the windows app which is on my desktop and which is running all the time… I can set that to record continually to my hard drive.
How will I still get alerts (on phone and windows app) and record continuously to hard drive or SD… (hard drive would be easier)
Sorry if this is confusing
T
You cannot record to an hard drive or not without some modification of the software.
You set it up via the app. Are you not using iPhone or Android?
From the camera setting menu (go into your live video view for that menu) then scroll down to Storage.
Turn off Activity Detection Recording.
The six seconds alerts will continue.
I’ve been playing around a bit.
The windows app allows you to record to your hard drive, but for only 30 minutes.
I also have the app on my android.
I’ve turned off the Activity Detection Recording… This will turn on continuous recording yes?
Something with the 30 minute recording, there is no time reference anywhere… it starts at 0 mins and lasts until 30 mins.
How is the continuous video timed?
Thanks for helping me. 
I’m not sure how long continuous records to the hard drive as I don’t have any Windows technology. Recording continuously to the SD card means just that, it record’s all the time.
Evening.
If you have a continuous length of video footage, transfer it to your desktop, How do you go to a particular time and date?
Thanks
T
Hello you would need to take the card out and search for it. Like scrolling on a VCR / DVD. So it is a little more manual but as I say for me I prefer that so I don’t have anything missed by a technical motion detection algorithm.
Through the app you can record a section which saves it to your mobile device using the video option via playback.
Oh… Well that’s no good for me. I’m not searching for a 2 min clip in a 20, 30 or 40 whatever hour video. This could all be avoided if the video had a time stamp. I don’t understand why there isn’t one.
Thanks for your help YorkshireUser, I appreciate your help
T
Great community discussion!
And thanks for the feedback. Let me do a little digging in regards to lack of time stamp in SD card playback and follow-up on the thread when I know a little more.
Thanks for the helpful discussion!
To be honest the best way to search is via the mobile app (be that a phone or tablet). That does have the playback time stamp and date. Apologies if I gave an incorrect position.
But any downloaded video does not have that information.
From discussion on other manufacturers of this type of product my understanding is that it’s down to technology and not having the service available. Even though most have a water stamp of the company logo.
Personally I would like timestamp on. But I’ve used Yi, Canary, Arlo, Ring, Blink and none of these had date and time on the video as a water stamp. A previous YCam (British company) did. But their devices were not as good as Yi.
I believe it comes down to cost. But that is my opinion. But I agree searching through vast hours might not be great.
For me my usage of these cameras and I use all those listed in my environment are for monitoring. I don’t regard them security cameras. Where I want additional coverage I use multiple cameras from different brands and have motion lighting or other IOT devices which create a motion alert.
But that’s just how I roll. And I appreciate not everyone wants to go to such measures. I can and will continue to help you here with this.
Great stuff Steven.
Perhaps if Yi could add this it would add a further USP or differencier to the competitor offerings. I know it’s a much discussed aspect of cameras of this type.
Hello
I used the AtHome system before buying the YI cameras. It uses a mobile phone instead of a dedicated camera. It would record 24/7, but it would record in 10 minute chunks, Which makes searching for a certain date and time easier, then you would only have to look through a 10 minute segment. Which was fine. But using the phone was not ideal, It would get hot and shut down, too cold and it would shut down, and because you had to have it plugged in all the time played havoc with the battery in the end. Hence why I stopped using it.
Anyhow, what I would like to see is that for each and every motion detected, no matter the length of time, be recorded to the SD card (not talking about the 6 sec alerts, they are good) Which is why I decided to buy these in the first place. But I do like them, so if we could get the time stamp or all motion detected videos to record, they would be perfect…
T
Yeah appreciate what you want. I guess the guidance required is what the Yi camera sees as continues motion alert and the fire keeps recording past of course the six seconds.
How I use mine - and I get a lot of alerts from one of my Yi cams - I use either the other supporting camera or if I check the alert and something is out of the ordinary I will use the alert then look at the wider recording on the SD card.
I have only once had to use the footage for law enforcement purposes. The police were impressed with the footage given that the camera was looking outside through a window. Of course if I hadn’t have had the six second alerts then it would have been more difficult.
I’ve just found find more information:
Once the MicroSD card is installed and formatted in the camera, in the app Settings under Storage, there is a feature called Activity Detection Recording. If enabled, the videos will only be saved when activity is detected. If disabled, the camera will record continuously to the SD card no matter if there is motion or not.
The only way to delete footage on the SD card is to reformat the card. This will delete all the videos on the SD card. In the app, click on the camera on the home screen. Then click on Settings (Apple) or gear symbol (Android). In Settings, scroll down to the bottom and click on MicroSD Card. Click on Format Storage Card. When asked, “All video in the MicroSD card will be deleted after formatting, continue?”, click OK. Now all the contents of the card are erased.
When using CVR (continuous video recording), even though in “Playback” the recording will show as one continuous file, if you remove the SD card from the camera and insert it into a computer, you will see the recording is actually saved as separate files. <<<
Later today, Saturday, what I will do if take one of the SD cards out and check it again in my Mac. I will see how they show and report back. It could be that they have improved how they are saved. In regards to the above I’m not sure at this point in what time span they are saved. If 5min, 10min etc.
I will take a look but it will be later as it’s 00:39 where I am right now.
Hi 
oh, now this sounds promising… Thanks for the update… Am looking forward to seeing what you come up with!
T
I will report back. Out of interest what model camera are you using? Some have tome lapse function and some have a 4x and 8x speed playback.
It’s the YI Home Camera… I don’t think it has time lapse though.
T