Open APIs for developers

[jerryk]

There are many developers that would like to extend the capabilites of the cameras specifically and the system in general.  If there was an open API that would let users access their local cameras and control them that would be great.  Also, if there was a documented RESTful API to get to the data on the servers that would allow incorporating the data into a whole host of applications.  I suspect both the camera and server APIs do exist since the original developers had to use something.  If other could get at these interfaces this system could be the go to system for developers.

[mkrieger]

+1 on this. IFTTT would be a great start, but I use a number of systems to be able to control my home. Having the ability to put the system in 'away' mode, or even be able to start a stream would be greatly appreciated and welcomed. 

[elToro_]

+1 on this. I definitly would like to see a REST API which we could use as developers. For my part I would use it to change the mode based on some events. E.g. when I'm leaving the house the indoor camera should switch on.

If the ARLO programmers did a clean job during the implementation it should be easy to expose the interface as a REST API.

From a selling point of view it would also be an advantage. As we can see a lot of people would use this feature.

[Powerpad970]

+1 for an api. We have a lot of app ideas that could help drive interest in Arlo.

[darinr]

Does anyone know if Netgear has any open APIs yet?  I am wanting to build onto their device and incorperate text notifications on certain cameras when motion activation has been set off.  Has anyone found anything?

[clojurist]

I'd love to know about an API too. An interface to the local camera would be nice, I'm also interested in an API to the cloud storage. I can see that the video clips are stored on S3, I'd love the ability to migrate them to my own S3 account and/or Glacier and have a long term archive. Right now I'm looking at using Webdriver to script access to the site and download the files and store them on a local drive, then send them right back up to S3 under my personal AWS creds. Seems silly to shuffle the bits around because I can't get access to them directly on S3 or via an API. Does anyone have a contact at Netgear I can talk to?

[paulsmitz]

I have just run a capture of logging in to the website and changing the mode (something I would love to automate)

It seems that it is backed by a pretty robust API, which seems to be Authenticated and all requests hashed and timestamped for security reasons I guess.

I can see that I could happily automate the calls to switch modes but I am concerned that doing so may trigger alerts etc so am a little dubious of just doing it.

the API seems very simple to use and its a shame there isn't more access to it as it would allow me to use my smart thermostat to disable the indoor camera's etc.

[mittelhauser]

Yet another +1.  This is a no brainer.  To be honest, it never occurred to me that Arlo wouldn't have this (it's 2015!).  Had I known, I wouldn't have bought it.  Hopefully it comes soon.

[peergum]

 I'm building an home automation system, and having a way to capture a camera (picture or video) would be pretty useful, e.g. when controlling the garage door. I've already built that using an old Netgear IP camera and I was hoping Arlo would allow to do something similar, but nothing is documented with regard to that possibility. I would honestly be surprised the system doesn't provide that - since you can ask the server to start streaming.

I don't really care if the API connects to the cameras directly, to the base station or even to the netgear servers (using some authentication, obviously) as long as I can get the picture/stream and show it in my app.

Obviously I'd love to be able to say Netgear's Arlo is supported by my app rather than, say, D-Link whatever-**bleep**ty-product, since I'm a supporter of the brand. But if not, well, I'll have to suggest something else to my future clients...

Cheers,

Phil

[peergum]

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paulsmitz wrote:

I have just run a capture of logging in to the website and changing the mode (something I would love to automate)

It seems that it is backed by a pretty robust API, which seems to be Authenticated and all requests hashed and timestamped for security reasons I guess.

I can see that I could happily automate the calls to switch modes but I am concerned that doing so may trigger alerts etc so am a little dubious of just doing it.

the API seems very simple to use and its a shame there isn't more access to it as it would allow me to use my smart thermostat to disable the indoor camera's etc.

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If it's authenticated, chances are replaying the capture may just work temporarily... I assume the authentication protocol has some timeouts set... It would be much easier if Netgear documented the calls...

[msakib]

+1. If I could control the on/off rules based on my zwave vera controller, then this would be great. I would not mind writing the integration if the API was available.