Arlo|Smart Home Security|Wireless HD Security Cameras
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Enable/Disable Cameras or Arm/Disarm Base Station through HomeKit?

I'm super happy that we've now finally got the HomeKit integration for the cameras, it's really rounding-out my HomeKit configuration, but what I'm surprised to discover, is that there's no actual way to either enable/disable the cameras, or to Arm the security via the base station.

 

There are a couple of programmatic ways that this could be done.

1. The Camera devices already have the device types Camera, and Motion, but adding a switch type would allow users to enable/disable cameras within HomeKit routines.

2. Alternatively, the Base Station could be presented as a HomeKit Security device type, which would allow routines to Arm/Disarm the Arlo mode. (This would be more convenient for HomeKit, as you'd still be able to preview the camera, even if it's not armed for recordings)

 

Comments
JessicaP
Arlo Employee Retired

Hey NOITAIDAR,

 

We recently had a "Chat about HomeKit with Greg Falgiano, Director of Product Management, 8/09 10 a.m. PST." Take a look at Greg's statement regarding arming/disarming here:

 

"For arming/disarming, we looked into this with the Apple team and the option isn't available for camera "device types." This applies to all cameras on the HomeKit ecosystem, not just Arlo. We passed the feedback on to Apple as we have heard this request from a few customers. We have to wait until it is officially supported before we can implement the feature though."

jgranie
Aspirant

Hi,

It will be useful to include the arm/disarm basestation to HomeKit (for example bu registering basestation as a homekit security system).

This could allow to disarm when cleaning robot starts it cycle and rearm when it finish for example.

thanks

 

aoca2018
Aspirant
How can I set up Arlo cameras in HomeKit in a way that I can arm disarm there vs in the Arlo app?. I cannot figure out a way to do this. Any help would be much appreciated
brh
Master
Master

@aoca2018,

I believe that Apple does not support this feature at the present time.

 

Brian

BoogieArlo
Star

Hello,

Is it possible to ask Siri via Homekit to arm or disarm Arlo? If so how to do it or what order to use?

devb0b0
Fledgling
Regardless of what has been stated here by official channels, HomeKit does in fact provide the means to do this, but Netgear/Arlo just haven't implemented it. An Arlo basestation should be implemented in HomeKit as a Security System, this would give the functionality that the OP is requesting. Before Arlo implemented the HomeKit protocol, I created a Homebridge plugin to incorporate my Arlo basestation and cameras into HomeKit. Here's some screenshots which the basestation within HomeKit... https://www.evernote.com/l/AAM-2CeC1eZO969Wlhh3kCRI9zirZMw941sB/image.png https://www.evernote.com/l/AANufxT6bk5DCoEfjtCBtbgwdqPhUYtTDKUB/image.png
FrankdeJong
Follower

@devb0b0  Whoa!!! That's awesome! I really hope Arlo implements this, this is the entire reason I wanted homekit support in the first place. 

Cheremy
Fledgling

@devb0b0 how on earth did you do this? Are you willing to share your secrets?

azza20
Aspirant

2 years later and still no official support from Arlo for this. HomeBridge had the capabilities of doing this via HomeKit before the implementation of 2FA