Arlo|Smart Home Security|Wireless HD Security Cameras
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Geolocation / IFTTT custom modes / improvements

Hi,

 

I am genuinely excited to see geolocation and IFTTT has been implemented, and yes I know its still 'Beta' but while it is still work in progress i would like to suggest a couple of improvements....

 

1) You need to support multiple devices. it makes no sense to have the cameras arm as I leave for work, only to get tons of videos of my wife leaving 10 minutes later.

You need to check for all devices to be out of the area before arming the cameras.

 

2) It should be possible to schedule 'geolocation' control.

 

Currently geolocation cannot be included in the schedule, which means i need to change the mode manually if like me you set them on during the night when you go to bed.

 

 

3) IFTTT - support 'custom' modes.

Currently you can only choose the standard armed or disarmed modes, you need to include for custom modes as well as being able to select gelolocation mode..

 

This would mean you could use the 'do' trigger to change mode quickly, helping to ease the pain of issue 2.

 

 

Overall though i have to say i am impressed with the additional functionality, but please Netgear, keep us informed of what you are working on!!!!

 

Kind Regards

Nick

 

 

Comments
scrampker
Tutor

I FULLY agree with the Wyze comment. After I purchased 5 Pro2 and 5 security lights, I recommend Wyze to a friend. He has loved them. And for $30 he even has true PTZ. I don't believe he has any sort of API integration though.

 

That being said, the ST stuff works just fine to arm and disarm the cameras just like the integration always has for years that I've been using it. You turn off the switch that is created for each camera. Functionality-wise, I could not ask for more. Would custom modes be great? I guess...but I prefer to have the cameras totally disabled rather than the approach Arlo took with their geofencing.

 

Last but not least, I must point out that before I got the ST-HE-Arlo stuff working, that the geofencing was working just fine with the combined function of the schedule. I know that might not work for everyone, but it seems to address 99% of the complaints in this thread. For me, I wanted granular control over the cameras, and I've got that. No thanks to Arlo, really.

scrampker
Tutor

Today I'm going to try to execute the python locally, so maybe I can avoid the cloud that much more... Assuming Arlo will respond locally.

Wetzel402
Tutor

@scrampker, I think the library is making an Internet request as it needs to authenticate with your username and password.  

scrampker
Tutor

@Srki I believe to have two hubs, or more than 5 cameras, you must pay the premium fee. I think you only get one location for free. I've not tested this since the ecosystem is so expensive and devs unresponsive.

PattyPP
Follower

@nickmobbs, this is what I have done to avoid getting unnecessary notices from cameras where I expect to have movement:

My set up:  I have 4 cameras, 2 outside and 2 inside.  My husband walks all night long, so he kept triggering the inside cameras (and waking me up!!).  

When we are home at night I wanted the 2 outside cameras armed.  But when we are gone, we want all cameras armed.

I created a Geofencing mode that "arms" on "away" mode and on "home" mode it goes to mode "Schedule"

"Schedule" is set to arm "Night at Home" (Custom mode I created) from 10pm until midnight and from midnight until 5am each day.

"Night at Home" arms only the two cameras I have outside with "if motion" command.

Note that for this to work, both our phones need to be enabled (and have the app installed in them <- I find that every once in a while, my husband's phone gets dropped from Arlo, so opening the app on his phone makes the phone visible to arlo again)

I hope this helps!

Patty

 

scrampker
Tutor

For me, I disabled all Arlo notifications and use the triggers in Hubitat. This way I can avoid the spam based on modes. For example, if I am expecting a guest, I say, "Alexa, turn on guest detection." Then when my cameras trigger, or my other motion sensors, my Sonos and doorbell will play a message to alert me.

 

Having independent arm/disarm for each camera and notifications has been great. I also have control over the security light notifications as well.

 

If I really wanted to save battery, I'd use Hubitat to control the recording as well. The Arlo algorithm is pretty much crap and I always get a tiny part of the relevant footage.

montyfox
Aspirant

The IFTTT interface is useless without being able to control custom modes.   Why hasn't this been implemented.  It would make things so much more powerful and useful.

 

 

Unfortunately
Initiate

Yep, this really needs to be able to arm custom modes. When, Netgear?


Wetzel402
Tutor

Okay, I have a work around working which is better than IFTTT anyway in my opinion.  I am running Home Assistant on a Raspberry Pi 3 B+ with the aarlo custom component (the built in doesn't seem to work as well).  From there you can create automations that can set custom modes based on your other smart home equipment or via IFTTT.  For me I am using my Abode security state to change my Arlo modes accordingly.   

 

In this automation my security hub sets Arlo to a custom mode ("at home") when my Abode security is disarmed or armed in home mode.  

alias: Abode sets Arlo to at home
  trigger:
  - entity_id: alarm_control_panel.abode_alarm_system
    platform: state
    to: disarmed
  - entity_id: alarm_control_panel.abode_alarm_system
    platform: state
    to: armed_home
  condition: []
  action:
  - data 
      entity_id: alarm_control_panel.aarlo_arlo_hub
      mode: at home
    service: alarm_control_panel.aarlo_set_mode

If you jump down the Home Assistant rabbit hole just be prepared and look through the docs and forums.  Don't say I didn't warn you 😉

KikBxr1969
Aspirant
@scrampker "For me, I disabled all Arlo notifications and use the triggers in Hubitat. This way I can avoid the spam based on modes." Not sure how you do that unless you are talking about in the Setting>apps>permissions>Notifications area on each individual phone. My arlo modes do not allow set up without having e-mail or push notifications selected. @Wetzel402 Does the Home Assistant access ARLO's custom modes? Or do you have to build them in Home Assistant? If you have to build them, then it is no different than individually controlling them in IFTTT through numerous rule sets or using the new Arlo Assistant with Smartthings. Also, looking at the capabilities of the home assistant, they are not any different than the capabilities we used to have with the Smartthings Arlo Pilot app. Eventually, Arlo will shut home assistant down for the same reason they shut Smartthings. It was presumably volume of network traffic. I think it is suspiciously uncanny that the lockdown happened just weeks after someone posted in this forum that there was an app available in ST. I think all most of us want is the ability to trigger the custom modes that we build in Arlo natively. Specifically, at least have access to the only other STATIC mode that everyone has: "SCHEDULE". Arlo has proven that they have no interest in keeping me or any of the rest of us who've been asking for this feature for years now as a customer. We have been asking for a reliable geolocation that isn'y "beta" and/or the ability to access custom modes (or schedule) since back in 2016. The geolocation was actually part of the reason I bought it. Nothing in their marketing suggested is was "Beta" and I wa sunaware of it til after I bought it and contacted support. Since the resale value is so low, if I can find a way to make them useful WITHOUT having to jump through hoops or use tricky work-arounds, I will. Otherwise, they are sitting on my shelf collecting dust. If I have to go through all that effort, I will use Wyze. Same functionality, 1/4 the cost... Oh, AND you can have local recording if you want.