Hi all
Looking to have this as a temporary security measure until I have internet as just moved to new place, and telstra is taking a while as they need to do some digging and cabling work for internet.
So, without internet, can I use this camera as a recording device that runs all day, and record it into a SD/micro SD card?
or to set it up / press record…etc, it is done via app hence internet is necessary?
Thanks
Camera needs wifi / internet to be set up initially. Your phone needs internet connection and needs to be logged into a Xiaomi mi Home account to start off.
Once the setup phase is complete, it can work without internet access.
You'll need an SD card for recording onto local storage.
Basically
Power on Camera, ensure there's a 2.4ghz wifi router nearby. You'll need a phone that has mi home app installed and you'll need to create a Xiaomi acccount and login on. Internet connection required (just use your mobile broadband)
You'll be asked to scan the QR code by pointing the camera to the phone's display. Update the firmware if not updated already. (internet required to download firmware, obviously) Now is a good time to configure the camera the way you want it.
Insert an SD card once the camera is fully setup. The camera will make a double 'ding ding' sound. This indicates it's recording. Good to check that the SD card works properly before proceeding to the next step.
Place the camera wherever you want it, it'll continue recording even if it loses internet connection. The camera will however continue scanning for the wifi SSID it was previously connected to. You can't change this behaviour.
When you want to retrieve footage from the camera, you'll either need to remove the SD card OR move the camera back into range of Wifi to remotely access the storage.
You are 100% correct! After configuring the device to join to a wifi network, and then inserting a micro SD card, it starts automatically recording.
Format seems to be a folder for each day, and then 1 minute movie files.
Do you know if the device is smart enough to automatically delete old video files for newer ones?
Also I setup my camera to join a private wifi network with no internet. If I'm also joined to the same network with my phone, how do I remotely retrieve the files?
Yes. It deletes old folders when it creates new ones. You can change this behaviour.
32GB of storage seems to fit roughly 3 to 4 days of footage on high quality. I haven't tried low quality mode.
If I'm also joined to the same network with my phone, how do I remotely retrieve the files?
you can only 'stream' the file to your phone by pressing "Look Back"
you cannot download the file to your phone. To actually offload the file, press the "…" button on top right, Camera Settings -> Video Storage Settings (Transfer Video to a Router"
However I don't actually know how to use this function and what kind of router you need to actually have it talk to the Xiaofang. I'm guessing you need a Xiaomi Router?
@scrimshaw: Ahhh okay so I've just tested this, you can only connect back to your camera if the camera has access to the internet (atleast back to the XiaoMi server).
I had setup a closed off Wifi network with no internet connectivity, and I guess it makes sense that I can't connect to it (eventhough I'm on the same Wifi network). You have to connect to the devices via the XiaoMi network… bit of a privacy concern there.
Thanks for all your help scrimshaw!
There is also a stand alone mode where the camera acts as WiFi hot spot. Set up this via the app after signing in. To view camera switch to its wireless network then fire up app. A little more annoying to check but I think it's not phoning home.
You are correct, there are two modes and you have to specify which mode you are using when adding the device.
Screenshot of which one is Wifi and which is Hotspot.
https://i.imgur.com/VC6pu7c.jpg
Assuming you are talking about the el cheapo $20 XiaoMi camera, then the answer is no. It doesn't seem to work like that, from what I've seen.
It needs an internet connection to start recording as it connects to the XiaoMi server, and I believe it is saved there too. Also I don't believe you can have it recording 24/7…
Happy to be proven wrong, I just got mine.