Yi Dome X, simple, reliable and cheap video surveillance

Thanks to Yi Technology, we have had the opportunity to get our hands and try out the Yi Dome X model extensively. Although it is a fairly inexpensive product, this is the company’s top-of-the-range model for the consumer market and has all that of that a basic user may need: an ultra-wide-angle lens with extended field of vision, motorized structure to ” chase ” the subject, infrared LED to continue video surveillance at night, microSD support, cloud storage (you pay separately) and management via the app with notifications.

The cost for the Yi Dome X is $59.99 on Amazon. At this price, can it replace an articulated video surveillance system and keep the environment safe? We tried to answer this question during our test.

Yi Dome X – Design

One of the reasons why Yi Dome X is appreciated is the design: the video camera develops in height inside a cylindrical structure. The design lends itself to functionality, given that the form factor allows you to implement a motorized system that allows you to rotate the structure horizontally by 340°.

The camera module is instead implemented in a sphere (hence the name Dome) positioned in the upper part of the frame so that it is possible to move vertically by 95°.

Thanks to the two motorized systems, the Yi Dome X can have an extremely wide field of vision, chasing the subject quickly wherever he goes inside the room, especially if well positioned.

Installed in an environment, the Yi Dome X is not invasive, not even noticeable. The noise produced by the motors is almost completely indistinguishable from the background sound present in a home or office room, and the possibility to disable the status LED on the front allows you to make the video camera invisible both for a possible intruder, and for a child if we want to control it remotely.

The MicroSD slot is located at the bottom, inside a compartment accessible without difficulty. Finally, in the rear, there is a grid, useful for interacting remotely with those in the room: inside, we have a microphone and speaker.

Technical specifications

Yi Dome X is the best video camera by Yi Technology in terms of video recording performance: all models in the range reach Full HD resolution, but the Yi Dome X goes up to 20fps as regards the frame rate. Like her, in the range of the Chinese company, only the Yi Dome Camera 3 and the Yi Outdoor Camera can do.

The lower models in the range support, to be precise, Full HD up to 15fps. The advantages are not so striking on a product of this type: the possibility of being able to count on a motorized system that allows the rotation of the structure is much more useful.

Yi Technology calls it Pan-Tilt 360° and can be used both on the wall or on the ceiling or if it is placed on a normal shelf or desk. The camera is then made up of a wide-angle lens with a 110° field of view, support for digital zoom with a maximum magnification factor of 4x, and the possibility of correcting the natural distortion of the lenses through a native system. All this is combined with 8 non-invasive 940nm adjustable infrared LED, as we wrote above: in the dark, the video camera is practically invisible.

The MicroSD slot we mentioned above can finally accommodate 8GB up to 128GB microSD, class 4 and above. There is no lack of speaker and microphone for bi-directional audio support with Intercom and Hands-free mode.

We tried it, and the quality of the conversation is not exciting (nor did we expect miraculous results). The system is very convenient for flash conversations by connecting the app, and whoever is in the room.

Video functionality and quality

The Yi Dome X is characterized by excellent video quality in recording and in real-time viewing of what is happening in the environment. Recognizing the subject is not difficult thanks to the Full HD resolution, and in the dark, the 8 LED is extremely effective. From this point of view, it can easily rival the most famous cameras, for example, of the Arlo family.

There are also several functionalities useful for different types of surveillance without leading to the need for laborious configurations. It is not a professional surveillance system; the functions offered are designed for mostly domestic use. We have, among the main ones:

• Motion detection.
• Human and abnormal sound detection.
• Motion tracking.
• Automatic monitoring with continuous rotation and favorite stations.
• Real-time activity alerts via SMS or via the app.
• Programmable on-off.
• Time-Lapse. Bi-directional audio with Intercom and Hands-free mode.

We also have several features related to the security aspect, which on a system of this type are fundamental, such as the ability to protect the system through a PIN, with the security guaranteed by an ” advanced ” encryption method.

The Yi Dome X allows you to set different options, with very fine control of the notifications sent and managed by the whole system. For example, we can decide whether to circumvent the notification of the passage of a pet by entrusting the recognition to the artificial intelligence system, or whether to enable notifications for the detection of an unexpected sound.

Yi’s video camera can be used to monitor a child, for example, with different types of notifications that arrived on time (a few seconds from motion detection to notification) during our tests.

Motion detection works very well, with very quick notifications if the news is detected in the framed environment. The configuration of sensitivity in motion detection is a little cumbersome since with aggressive settings, even the passage of a speck of dust in front of the lens can cause the notification to be sent to the user, especially with the night mode active.

On the other hand, even with conservative settings, we have detected false positives, with notifications sent without anything happening in the environment.

Finally, there is a mode called ” privacy ” that can be enabled to avoid any possibility of video recording: it is a hardware function, the system moves upwards the small sphere that includes the photographic module so that it is covered by plastic of the frame.

It should be noted that Yi Dome X can be managed in all its functions both via a smartphone application, compatible with iPhone and Android devices, and via PC or Mac through the free application available for Windows and macOS systems.

Considerations

The question we asked ourselves during our tests is: can an inexpensive video camera make our environment safe?

The answer is naturally dependent: in our opinion, the Yi Dome X does an excellent job in some areas, such as monitoring the activities of a child or video surveillance of insensitive environments.

For home use, it is a good purchase: notifications are quite reliable, and false warnings occur only rarely. The refined aesthetics also allows installation in a comfortable and non-invasive environment.

Note the extreme ease of use of the system: anyone can create a reliable video surveillance network in their home environment, and no skills are required. The cameras are positioned, combined with the application, and from there, it is possible to carry out all operations, both from a smartphone and from a desktop.

The Yi Dome X is not as reliable or safe as a professional video surveillance system, with some compromises it can contrast with much more expensive systems designed for home use. Compared to the most famous products, there is a shortage, the features are slightly less reliable, and the number of ” false positives ” is growing.

Furthermore, the translation of the menus is not at the level of the most consolidated products in our market: it is to be considered that Yi Dome X remains an economic product. For this reason, it imposes some compromises while offering excellent video quality and all the necessary basic functions to secure an environment or to protect their children. All with extreme ease of use.

Product prices and availability are subject to change. Any price and availablility information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of any products.