Arlo|Smart Home Security|Wireless HD Security Cameras
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External Sensors w/o Cameras (External Motion Detection/"Tripwire")

Because of Arlo's excellent video quality and excellent field of view I am able to see most of a large room/outdoor area with one camera. Unfortunately this tends to minimize the effectiveness of the motion detection as the camera tends to be more centrally located and so it does not detect something/someone until it is halfway or more across the room/area if it detects it at all.  This leaves users with the undesirable options of either compromising their camera placement to accomodate motion detection or using an entire camera exclusively as a motion detector with little to no useful function as a camera. This latter scenario is a situation for which the camera is over-qualified and overpriced.  A separate motion sensor that would trigger the camera to start recording when someone enters the room/access point would alleviate this issue. It could also help with the issue that myself and others  are having with lag in recording start time. The sensor could be placed further out from the camera when necessary so that it could trigger the camera to start recording earlier, accounting for the lag time and recording what users actually wanted recorded.

 

An additional sensor would not be something that would be required of all cameras and placements, but it would be useful for specific scenarios and even having two sensors at opposite inds of a room/area triggering one camera could be a useful setup. As it is though, it is relatively cost prohibitive to expand your system to do this as the cameras are the only sensor option and cost too much to be wasted on being merely a sensor. Additinally these "wasted" cameras eat into your allotment under the current subscription you have and could create additional cost to the user for an upgraded subscription. As it is, I am hesitant to expand my system (currently at 4 cameras), even though I would like to have greater coverage, because of the up front cost of the cameras not being used to their full potential combined with the monthly cost of the upgraded subscription. I would be far more willing to expand my system and upgrade my subscription if there were external sensors that would allow me to use my system effeciently and effectively like I want to without the inflated up front cost.  

 

I could see how this could be achieved either through hardware development of sensors exclusively for Arlo or through software development of integration with already established systems which perform comlementary functions. With either one, if the price is right I'm in, if it stays as it is my expansion is stuck.

Comments

Are there motion sensor triggers that you can buy separately to trigger cameras to start recording?

Are there motion sensor triggers that you can buy separately to trigger cameras to start recording?

bondservant
Tutor

I've had the same thought - a motion device that can devote more resources to identifying motion faster and then trigger other cameras to record.  I'm going to assume the challenge will be the latency, because even using an Arlo Pro to trigger another Arlo, the delay is generally too much to have a clean "hand-off" from one camera to another. They would have to use Zigbee or something similar so the cameras could talk directly with each other and not have to go through the router. (SImilar to how Philips Hue works)

 

ChristineT
Arlo Employee Retired
Status changed to: Future Consideration
 
Jstasen
Follower
Since the motion sensor distance is so short (23ft), it would be nice to be able to place satellite motion sensors around so a camera could be triggered, without wasting a camera used just for cross - recording. The cameras can see much further than 23ft....
N8R
Fledgling
Fledgling

I would REALLY like this feature.  I have my ArloGo at the front gate of our 90 acre primitive campground.  It's been a great help to see who's coming and going, but I'd much rather have the Arlo high up in a tree overlooking the property, so I can see what people are up to WHILE they're there.  We've had multiple thefts/vandalisms happen, and can't pin it on anyone because we only know who's coming or going.  Not where they're at while in the property.

 

If I just put the Arlo up high and get the birds eye view, it would NEVER trigger.  Would never know someone is near the cash box, messing with the fish feeder, stealing diesel from my equipment, etc.  I have a completely seperate trail-cam catching license plates for those who do come in and out of the gate.  It'd be a perfect spot for a trigger for the Arlo.  If I could get seperate motion sensors to trigger the ArloGo, I'd buy a few and a second ArloGo in a heartbeat.

markflamini
Aspirant

To aid with the recording lag and missed events you should add an interface that allows an external motion sensor to trigger the Arlo recording. For an example: I have a Aeotec 6in1 Motion Sensor in my driveway running off of my Vera Controller. It would be nice when the Aeotec motion sensor picks up motion then my Arlo camera would start recording. My Aeotec sensor has a large radius and picks up motion many seconds ahead of the Arlo camera. 

 

Coko
Aspirant

Exactly what I want and weatherproof.  Did this by connecting an ecolink sensor to wink and then adding the sensor to Stringify so I could build a flow to have ecolink sensor motion detected trigger recording for x time on the desired camera.  This extends the range and position of motion detection to permit earlier capture of activity.  Problem I'm having is finding a sensor that is weather proof, smart and has an acceptable WiFi range to hub.

I have a suggestion which could open up a new product line for you and it would solve a current problem with all your products, but specifically for me, my Arlo Pro cameras.

Since you can use the Arlo app to send a command to live view or record a selected camera, I am going to assume there is some remote way., other than the motion detection in the camera itself, to signal the camera to start recording.

One of the problems I have seen with all your Arlo cameras is that by the time motion is detected, a person walking briskly can walk past a camera and either not be recorded, or can just catch the edge of a video as they are about to walk out of frame.

Here is a suggestion I would like to see, if can be done. Which I think it is possible. So please send this idea to your devl. team 🙂

If you could devise a ground mounted sensor.. like a sensor attached to a stake maybe, battery operated ( please use existing Arlo battery ), possibly make to look like a rock or a brick, or some common ground cover. This sensor would be assigned to a particular Arlo wireless camera (or multiple cameras). When the sensor triggered, it would start the recording of the assigned cameras with its own set of recording parameters. So you could actually begin recording of someone in the general area of the camera if the sensor was place just outside the cameras motion sensors field for view.

This would solve multiple problems.

Thanks!

bwinaz
Fledgling

Has anyone heard an update on this? Still needed.