Troubleshooting Yi Home Camera Pet Detection Issues
The Pet Detection feature on Yi home cameras is a wonderful tool for pet owners, allowing you to keep an eye on your furry companions and receive special alerts just for them. However, when the feature doesn't work as expected—either by missing your pet entirely or sending false alarms—it can be a cause for concern.
This guide is designed to help you troubleshoot the common problems associated with Yi's Pet Detection, so you can get back to receiving reliable and adorable updates from your pets.
## How Does Yi Pet Detection Work?
Yi's Pet Detection uses a sophisticated algorithm that analyses movement within the camera's view. It's specifically trained to recognise the unique shapes, sizes, and motion patterns of common household pets like cats and dogs. When it identifies a movement that matches these characteristics, it triggers a specific "Pet Detected" notification, distinct from general motion or person alerts.
## Common Problems and Why They Happen
Understanding the cause of the issue is the first step to fixing it.
- Missed Detections: The camera fails to send an alert even when your pet is clearly in the frame. This can be caused by:
- Poor Placement: The pet is too far away, too small in the frame, or only partially visible.
- Low Light: Insufficient lighting makes it hard for the algorithm to identify the pet's shape.
- High Speed: The pet moves too quickly across the camera's field of view.
- Low Sensitivity: The camera's general motion sensitivity is set too low.
- False Detections: You receive a pet alert, but it was triggered by something else. This can be caused by:
- Other Moving Objects: Robotic vacuums, crawling babies, or even shadows can sometimes be misinterpreted as pets.
- High Sensitivity: The sensitivity is set too high, making the algorithm overly reactive.
## Step-by-Step Guide to Fixing Pet Detection
Follow these steps to tune your camera for optimal performance.
### 1. Check Your In-App Settings
First, let's ensure everything is configured correctly within the Yi Home application.
- Open the Yi Home app and select the camera you're having issues with.
- Tap on the 'Settings' icon.
- Go to the 'Smart Detection' menu.
- Make sure that 'Pet Detection' is toggled to the 'on' position.
- Within the same menu, check your 'Motion Detection' sensitivity level. If you are missing detections, try increasing the sensitivity. If you are getting false alerts, try decreasing it.
### 2. Optimise Camera Placement and Environment
The camera's position and its surroundings are crucial for accuracy.
- Ideal Height and Angle: Place the camera between 1.5 and 2 metres (5-7 feet) high, angled slightly downwards. This gives a clear view of the floor where pets spend most of their time. Avoid placing it so high that your pet looks like a small, unidentifiable object.
- Provide Good Lighting: Ensure the room is well-lit, especially during the day. Open curtains and turn on lights if necessary. While night vision works for general motion, good lighting is key for the AI to accurately identify specific shapes.
- Clear the Field of View: Remove any obstructions that might block the view of your pet's favourite spots. A chair leg or a plant can be enough to obscure the view and prevent a detection.
### 3. Update Your Firmware and App
Yi frequently releases updates that improve the performance and accuracy of their detection algorithms.
- Update the App: Check the Apple App Store or Google Play Store to ensure you have the latest version of the Yi Home app installed.
- Update Camera Firmware: In the camera's 'Settings' menu, look for a 'Firmware' option. The app will tell you if an update is available. Always install these updates for the best performance.
### 4. Reboot the Camera
Sometimes, a simple restart is all that's needed to resolve a temporary software glitch. Unplug your Yi camera from the power source, wait for 30 seconds, and then plug it back in. Give it a few minutes to reboot and reconnect to the network before testing it again.
By methodically working through these steps, you can resolve most issues with your Yi camera's pet detection and configure it to be a reliable and enjoyable pet monitoring tool.