I recently bought a Yi Dome 1080p surveillance camera. It has a slot for a 32 GB micro SD card and uses WiFi. The video footage is broken up by folders into 1 minute mp4 files and after 3 days starts loop recording. I'm not sure how to SSH or use FTP to copy these files onto 1 of my Linux computers so I'm wondering if Linux could actually be installed on this via the micro SD card slot and then I can use it as a Linux headless server from a Linux computer and copy the files? Right now it is controlled by an Android app but there are no settings to do what I know Linux could.

Anybody have links of where I could look?

Maybe but proprietary embedded devices while not impossible are difficult to reverse engineer. Granted the ipod is a good example but the developers created a customized uClinux kernel and probably bricked a few along the way. I doubt you will find anything on your particular camera.

I have a few old cameras that either have a live video feed you can record or automatically upload files via ftp. Now days everything goes to the cloud...

That's what I figured-proprietary garbage. I bet it runs off something like a Linux kernel too! Windows would be too much overhead for this...it probably runs something like Debian Linux that's been modified like the Raspberry Pi OS. I'm hoping I can find it on my network and telnet into it to transfer files onto my Mint Linux PC. Right now the only way to back those video files up (besides the cloud which is slow) is to pop out the micro SD card and use a card reader but if I mount this on the ceiling, then getting the card out every couple days would be a hassle.

There is some open standard (open security camera protocol) that if that supports then you may use linux to capture the video from it.

I forget the common camera program. Something with a Z in it?? Zoneminder I think.

You might be referring to real time streaming protocol (rtsp).

I doubt the camera is running any sort a generic operating system with ssh or ftp active.

ONVIF was what I was thinking but most new cameras that are made for common IP use will have a few formats.

This might be of interest, its a basic system but you should be able to expand on it:

Easy: How To Set Up Your Own Surveillance System in Linux
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzJKqDUsUqc

Motion is good software but is pretty limited as to the configuration options. Zoneminder has a lot more options which means more complexity in the configuration but there are sites with extremely detailed instructions if you have the right Linux OS.

Check this: https://github.com/shadow-1/yi-hack-v3

...replacement open-source firmware for your camera. Usual caveats apply, in that you may brick your device, etc., etc., but it will give you the option to use SSH and FTP. Since you have those, storing videos to a NAS may be possible.

1 members found this post helpful.