Essential Spotlight Camera Slow To Load Live And Does Not Send Detection Notifications

[PapaFritte]

Product Type: Essential Spotlight Camera

Firmware: 1.090.31.0_21_55537e7

Hardware: VMC2030AerH9

Phone: Google Pixel 7

The live feed often does not load on the first try or takes over a minute to load. The camera has about one less than full WiFi bars and it's about the same distance to the router as my Smart TV so it should have a decent connection.

I also receive absolutely no push notifications about detections despite the camera facing part of a somewhat busy road. 

[JamesC]

PapaFritte,

Is the camera recording motion?

The symptoms you're describing point to a connectivity issue, possibly due to interference or poor signal strength. Try relocating the camera (temporarily as a test) and see if you still get the same behavior in a new location.

JamesC

[PapaFritte]

It's not detecting anything in the Activity Zone I've set. When I was setting it up it was able to detect my hand (sometimes) but now it's nothing. I went to take the trash out today and it didn't send any notification. I don't have notifications off or anything.

I'll try moving my router closer to it but so far not impressed.

[PapaFritte]

Edit: Tried it again just now, standing in the Activity Zone while it's Armed Home (detect motion and send notification). And nothing at all.

Tried the finger trick again...had to enable the flashlight for it to detect motion and add an event in the Feed.

I can see cars passing by in the feed just fine, even with a screen in the window.

If the case is it has poor motion detection skills or depends on the WiFi for it, I think I need to return it and leave a bad rating. My Ring and Blink cameras don't have this problem and if anything pick up too much motion!

EDIT 2: I received push notifications for toggling from Armed to Standby and back again...But I did that over 5 minutes ago. Also a notification for presumably detecting my finger which was a few minutes before that...On top of that the Feed seems unreliable with loading recordings. Am I really supposed to pay a subscription for this??