topic Re: Record when doorbell is pressed in Arlo Video Doorbell Wire-Free

Record when doorbell is pressed

jamlot — Tue, 18 Apr 2023 00:57:55 GMT

There does not appear to be any way to set up the doorbell to record when someone presses the doorbell button. This seems to be a basic function of similar doorbell products (see Ring)

Is there some way to set this up that I’m not seeing? If not this seems like a glaring omission to the product and would be great if it could be added via firmware/app update.

Re: Record when doorbell is pressed

JamesC — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 17:13:40 GMT

jamlot,

Is the doorbell Armed? If so, it should be recording when it detects the motion of someone approaching the doorbell. Is this not happening?

JamesC

Re: Record when doorbell is pressed

jamlot — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 19:15:55 GMT

I know that it can record when motion is detected, and that works fine.

The problem is that the battery life is terrible if the doorbell is configured to record every time there is motion.

It's my understanding that Ring and other doorbell cameras can be set up to record only when the doorbell button is pressed. So when someone rings the doorbell, record a few seconds of video, not when motion is detected. This would save a lot of battery life, but still give me a recording when someone rings the bell.

Right now, my only option to save battery life is to disarm recording completely, which sucks, and the battery life still not very good, and not getting the battery life advertised. I'm having to re-charge the doorbell roughly every 2 months.

Re: Record when doorbell is pressed

StephenB — Fri, 21 Apr 2023 13:13:09 GMT

@jamlot wrote:

The problem is that the battery life is terrible if the doorbell is configured to record every time there is motion.

FWIW, I think it would be good if there was an option for the doorbells could record only pressed. Of course that does mean that they aren't useful for surveillance, but if there is too much motion they probably aren't useful for that anyway.

Have you tried reducing the motion sensitivity?

https://kb.arlo.com/41/How-do-I-change-the-motion-sensitivity-on-my-Arlo-camera

Re: Record when doorbell is pressed

jamlot — Tue, 25 Apr 2023 17:29:31 GMT

I have, but saving battery life is only one part of this. I would like option to only record when button is pressed. I assumed this was standard for doorbell cameras, but was my misunderstanding. It would be great if this was added a feature in the future.