Does Your Yale Camera Seem to Be Missing Footage?
If you've recently installed a Yale security camera, you might be wondering why you can't find a feature for 24/7 continuous recording. You might notice that your playback timeline consists of individual clips rather than an uninterrupted stream of video, leading to concerns about missing crucial moments. This is a common point of confusion for those new to the Yale smart security ecosystem.
The good news is that your camera is likely working as intended. This guide will explain Yale's recording philosophy, clarify why 24/7 recording isn't a standard feature on most of its cameras, and show you how to optimise your settings to ensure you capture all the important events happening around your property.
Understanding Yale's Recording Philosophy: Event-Based vs. 24/7
The key thing to understand is that most Yale smart security cameras are event-based recorders, not continuous video recorders (CVR). This is a deliberate design choice with several benefits.
- Battery Conservation: For wireless, battery-powered cameras, recording 24/7 would drain the battery in a matter of hours. By only recording when motion is detected, the camera can operate for months on a single charge.
- Storage Efficiency: Continuously recording high-definition video consumes a massive amount of storage space. Event-based recording means your SD card or cloud storage isn't filled with hours of uneventful footage, such as an empty hallway or a quiet garden.
- Faster Playback and Review: Finding a specific incident is much easier when you only have to look through short, motion-triggered clips instead of scrubbing through 24 hours of continuous footage.
- Reduced Network Load: Constantly uploading video to the cloud can strain your home Wi-Fi network. Event-based uploads are much more efficient.
Traditional CCTV systems, often hardwired for power and connected to a dedicated NVR (Network Video Recorder), are designed for 24/7 recording. Yale's smart cameras are designed for convenient, accessible home security with a focus on important alerts.
How to Maximise Your Yale Camera's Recordings
Even without 24/7 recording, you can take several steps to ensure your camera is capturing everything it should be.
1. Optimise Motion Detection Settings
This is the most critical setting. If the motion sensitivity is too low, the camera won't trigger a recording for subtle but important events.
- Open the Yale app and select the camera you wish to adjust.
- Navigate to the device's Settings menu.
- Find Motion Detection Settings or a similar option.
- If you are missing events, increase the sensitivity level. If you are getting too many false alerts (like from swaying plants), decrease it. It may take some experimentation to find the right balance.
- Also, define Activity Zones to focus detection on key areas like doorways or paths, ignoring public footpaths or busy roads.
2. Check Your SD Card or Cloud Subscription
The camera needs a reliable place to save its recordings.
- SD Card: Ensure you are using a high-quality, Class 10 microSD card from a reputable brand. Check in the app's storage settings that the card is recognised and formatted correctly. If the card is full, ensure the "loop recording" (overwrite oldest footage) option is enabled.
- Cloud Subscription: If you subscribe to Yale's cloud storage, log in to your account to ensure your subscription is active and that there are no payment issues.
3. Ensure a Strong Wi-Fi Connection
A weak or unstable Wi-Fi signal can prevent the camera from successfully recording and uploading a motion event.
- In the Yale app, check the camera's Wi-Fi signal strength.
- If the signal is weak, try moving your Wi-Fi router closer to the camera or consider installing a Wi-Fi extender for better coverage. A stable connection is essential for reliable performance.
While Yale cameras do not offer 24/7 recording, their event-based system is highly effective and efficient when configured correctly. By fine-tuning your motion detection and ensuring your storage and network are solid, you can have confidence that your Yale camera is standing watch and ready to capture the moments that matter.