Review on 📷 YI 2pc Security Camera Outdoor: Waterproof, Cloud, WiFi, Night Vision – Smart Surveillance Front Door IP Camera with Motion Detection, Smartphone App and Alexa Compatibility by Tony Trotter

UPDATE 2017-12: I'm lowering my rating from 5 to 4. It's still a good camera and I've just bought two more of these but it is not perfect . Unfortunately my house was robbed a few weeks ago just a week after I installed these cameras. Luckily the thief didn't take anything of value and the house wasn't damaged (so I only discovered the break-in a few days ago - I guess the neighbor coming home scared the thief and he left before he found anything of the has found meaning). As he approached me from my garden at night, he walked right past one of my Yi security cameras, which was recording him. However, since the camera was in night vision mode, the frame rate was only 20 fps, which is described as smooth in the description here, but is NOT smooth. As a result, the shot of the thief is so blurred that his face is completely unrecognizable. He walked quickly but did not run. In order to get a recognizable shot, he had to stop and look at the camera. Unfortunately, although I have a great video of him approaching my house and shining a flashlight through every window, there is no really useful evidence. That being said, I turned off the audible security alert because I have a lot of false alarms in my yard despite the lowest sensitivity level (birds, etc.). I think if I turn it on and the camera sounds an alarm, it might very well deter the thief, which I would of course be very happy about. Again a good camera, but still a big disappointment. Some other notes: - I didn't subscribe to the cloud service and I discovered the break-in more than 1 week after it happened so the clips in the cloud were no longer available. I use SD cards in all my cameras, so I figured it would be easy to upload clips from SD cards using the Yi desktop app. Unfortunately, that's not the case - it doesn't seem possible to upload a clip from an SD card via the app (although the cloud clip seems very easy to upload). To extract the clips I had to go to the camera, pull out the SD card and put it in the computer, copy the files and replace the card. I assume (and hope) that this is a simple software fix that Yi will finish soon. Someone rightly pointed out in a comment on my review that it would also be a very good idea to install the SD cards BEFORE installing the camera. The SD card slot is covered by a small plate held in place by my two small screws that wouldn't be easy to manipulate on a ladder or something. It's much easier to take care of in your home on a countertop. The first review is below: I already have two Yi indoor cameras and have been waiting for them to release an outdoor camera. They finally made it this fall so I ordered three and just installed them today. The picture quality is excellent and the camera was easy to set up. Here are some pros/cons/tips I've found so far: Pros: It's very easy to set up the camera with the app on your phone. Simply scan the QR code on the back of the camera with your phone, enter your WiFi password, and then scan the QR code on your phone with your camera. It takes about 5 minutes per camera, including time to download new firmware, etc. If you've never used a Yi camera, the app on your phone is great. You can name each of your cameras and the main screen will show a list of each camera. Touch the camera and it will open in real time. Very easy to use, never glitches. I have used Foscam (now Amcrest) cameras in the past and found their app very buggy (frequently no connection etc.). Never had such a problem with Yi. The picture is very clear and has a wide angle. Objects in the foreground and background are clear. The camera is fairly small and light - not very long, so it looks good. Due to their light weight, I was able to mount them on my spotlights (cornices) without additional support. I suspect if very large icicles form on it they might pull it down, but I don't expect that to happen. - There are a lot of extra screws, which is nice. Cons: - Good wide viewing angle, but not very "high" vertically. It's okay, you just have to be aware of it. The zoom works, but it's a digital zoom, so it gets blurry very quickly. Again, it doesn't really matter and I knew that when I bought them. I'm wondering if it would be possible to make the front of the lens mostly white instead of black. It would rather harmonize with my headlights. Tips: Actually just a piece of advice on installation. While installing a camera is easy, mounting it on your headlights is hard work. Be prepared to run extension cords in the attic etc. For example, my process for installing three cameras was as follows: 1. Connect each camera to an app on your phone BEFORE the actual installation. You'll be glad you did, you don't want to do a QR scan while standing on the stairs. Do not connect the camera to the mount yet.2. Go outside and drill a hole in the ceiling for the power cord, just over 1/2 inch long enough for the USB plug. 3. Pass the power cord through the hole. Leave the camera somewhere so it doesn't fall (that would be very annoying) 4. Climb up to the attic, lie on your stomach and get as close as you can to the headlights down the protruding nails through the roof. Use a long metal hook or something (maybe off a coat hanger or whatever) to fish in an invisible area of the headlight until you get lucky and snag the power cord. If there is insulation and so on, you have 5. When you finally get lucky and plug in the power cord, thank the deity you worship, pull it out and plug it into an outlet. for extension. 6. Plug the extension cord into the outlet, tack it in and out of the way. 7. Go back outside and install the camera mount (I just screwed it right into the reveal). Screw the camera to the bracket.9. Open the app on your phone and point the camera as you want, then secure. It's definitely not scary, but working in the attic isn't fun. Obviously this whole process can change depending on where you mount the camera (except for the first and last steps I guess).