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
don123
Novice

Hello there, i have a suggestion, first off, i do have the alro pro and the alro pro 2, and the arlo Q, i am exited about the arlo spot light/security light to complete the arlo family,i would love to have a plug in version for the spot light, i just dont think the batt will last that long and recharging it is just a hassle,  however, to even complete the arlo family even more, we need a wifi arlo motion sensor, i dont like using my arlo Q at all, it just feel weird and awkward to have a camera in the living room, or bedroom, or anywhere inside the house, especially when we have visitors, or friends, they simply dont wanna be recored or they feel like its a privacy issue for them, i do wanna put it on when i am not home, however its a hassle to put it in and pair it when you are in a hurry tying to go somewhere, but if i have the " Arlo- motion ", it can be just a fix/permanent on my wall and i can arm it when i leave with no hassle, and it will notify me if there is any motion so i can then check my outside cameras, 

i think there is a big market for the project, and it will def complete the arlo family. 

let me know if you like the idea!! 

I came here to make this same suggestion.  Hopefully they will do something about this eventually.

RonnieRomeo
Novice

Hi,

 

I love the idea of the security motion sensor light. The issue for me an elongated drive way.  My Arlo Pro is pointed down the entire drive way, but the motion sensor doesn't reach the end of the drive way.  It doesn't reach a quarter of the length of the driveway.  The issue can be soved by have a trigger to record a certain camera.  The new security light motion sensor is perfect for no light situations.  The problem is I already have a light.  It makes no sense to have to purchase competitors product to solve this simple issue.  Motion sensors are already a part of the product.  Many of us just want to buy a sensor that natively works with Arlo and not a third party to connect to Arlo.  Why have customer figure a way with other products.  This only gives the option buy more of their products.  I could purchase a new Arlo Pro camera (which is my most likely option now), but I could buy a cheaper motion sensor and hub and IFTTT.

 

Arlo and Orbi Customer

HHHUDE
Follower

Hi,

did anyone connect an external motion detector to the base station, to trigger alarm and recording?

 

Chris

TheWatcher24
Apprentice
Why hasn't arlo offered external motion sensors , like driveway sensors or motion lights have that can be pairs like the cameras to the base station ? This would drastically improve the less than 20% chance of the existing motion sensors working
hairyman
Novice

not sure if thi is the right place 

I wlould like to be able to get extra pir motion or contact sensors 

that could trigger an alert alarm 

I have cameras outside and would like to back them up if 

say an inside door is opened 

RudyA
Observer

Great idea, and everyone in the following thread completely agrees!

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Arlo-Idea-Exchange/Neeeded-External-Sensors-w-o-Cameras-External-Mo...

 

Unfortunately, it's been under "future consideration" for years and looks like it's never going to happen!

Unknownpanic
Initiate

Just an idea which would personally help me and my camera needs and i'm sure a few other people might find this useful. 

 

I'd like to have a camera set up to cover my whole garden. Trouble is that niether the motion detection nor the night vision on the arlo pro 2 will reach far enough to cover all of it. 

 

Short of getting loads of cameras, i think it might be a good idea to release a sensor, thats all. Just a sensor for audio and motion much like the ones built into the cameras.

 

Couple more ideas / reasons this might work

 

- Be cheaper 

Buying a whole new camera / Arlo light for just 1 needed feature isn't very cost effective but with a sensor i could cover an area with sensors and have the one camera capture all of it without worrying about the inbuilt IR/motion sensors being out of range. 

 

- Could set up mutilple rules

Example - A sensor detects motion at the start of the garden path and tells another camera further up to start recording, so nothing is missed (as quick as the camera is on it's own i find it misses half a second before recording - for CCTV reasons that half a second may be very important) 

 

- Integrating other Smart devices Outdoors!

I have quite a extensive smart home set up and there is no decent outdoor PIR that is weather proof and works as well as my trusty Arlo.

You won't have to look far on a smartthings forum without someone asking for a outdoor motion sensor (the demand is out there Arlo!) 

 

Inbuilt Night Vision - 

Motion is detected and the sensor turns on it's inbuilt IR extending the vision range of a camera set up further away. 

 

Convenance - 

As portable as these cameras may be sometimes where you need to put to them to capture footage of a entrance/car/pets etc isn't always ideal. Adding a sensor to extend the general range would be ideal. 

 

You already have it! - 

Finally you already have this product and it works well! 

I'd personally think it would be a good idea to have the sensors you already have in the cameras in a weather proof housing...just without the cameras - Hopefully this would make the devices more cost effective, smaller form factor. Or keep them the same size as the camera as a further deterant and would also mean bigger battery power as nothing is being used to record. 

 

Let me know what you guys think, apologises for the poor spelling. Admins feel free to remove/ merge if this has already been metioned somewhere else. 

 

MrGuy
Novice

Just a small motion detector that can be used to turn on other cameras would be great. 

 

The Arlo Light is fine, but in some instances you don't need the light just the motion detection and the ability to link/turn on other cameras. 

jjkeebler
Guide

Hi, I would like to request a new product. An outdoor/indoor motion sensor the size of a hockey-puck that can turn on the Arlo cameras. Similar to the Phillips Motion Sensor (Outdoor). That would enable the cameras to have greater range for triggering.

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The cameras have great image clarity over distance, this sensor will allow for image/video capture triggering at further distances.