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.
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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
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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It’s the YI Home Camera… I don’t think it has time lapse though.
T
Which version of the internal Home camera? Internally I have Home 3 and they have it.
Sorry… It’s this one:
YI Smart Security Camera, 1080p Wifi Home Indoor Camera with AI Human detection, Night vision, Activity alerts for home, pet, nanny monitor, Cloud and micro SD card storage, Works with Alexa
That one doesn’t have it sadly 
not sure if it could be added to it. I do find it useful but I also find the playback controls a little clunky I’d prefer to see Netflix / YouTube style playback tools - play, pause, fast forward 10/15 secs etc.
It is something I have asked for before but I guess at the price point it is not going to happen.
I will get back to you how the camera saves files to the SD when viewed on a computer.
I Would assume the Home 1080p would be the same as home 3 and a windows pc should show the same as a Mac.
I’m sure they are the same… time will tell.
Appreciate your help. Are you in Yorkshire?
For my sins yes :). Of course only joking. Yorkshire is a beautiful English county.
I have been there a couple of times… Tis lovely.
North Wales here 
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Ah right a fellow Brit. I’m not sure why I thought you was American.
North wales is a place I’ve visited and driven through many times. Indeed the number of times I have driven the A55 Expressway I’ve lost count.