Arlo|Smart Home Security|Wireless HD Security Cameras
× Arlo End of Life Policy Notice
To view Arlo’s new End of Life Policy, click here.

Temporarily suspend video and audio recording

It would be nice to have a mode called "Temporarily Suspend" that disables the current mode for a set period of time (30 min, 1 hr, 2 hr, etc).  This would allow a user to turn off all cameras but they would automatically return to the previous mode after the set period of time.

Comments
Kingbetsy555
Aspirant

I just emailed Netgear directly that I request not only to temporarily suspend notifications, but also video. Have y'all tried that?

niekamig
Onlooker

Have an option to hold a new mode for a given amount of time.

For my Honeywell thermostat I can change the temperature with a permanent hold or a temporary hold until a given time less than 24 hrs. I would like this feature for Arlo so I can hold a disabled mode for X hours while I work outside/go in the hot tub/etc. and then reverts back to a default mode that is armed. Often I disable my cameras to work outside and then forget to arm them again. 

 

 

azarloGuy
Apprentice

Hello Arlo.... You have it partially right with this feature but what you have failed to consider is those of us who want to preserve battery life.  I am 1700 miles from my cameras as they are in a Winter Home.  Each week, I have someone coming to the house to maintain my landscaping and other things.  Each week they set off my cameras and needless recording (battery drain) happens.  So as many others, I turn off the cameras and then forget to turn them back on, which happened this week and they were off for 3 days.  So, it's nice to have the mute feature, but please take the extra step and give option within mute to not record as well.  That's the best of both worlds and gives the end user total flexibility whether they want to record and just not be notified or not record at all during the mute period.  Please, this has been asked and asked for years now.  Thank you.

It occurred to me that there is a crude workaround that would cost more money, but might mitigate this problem a bit.

 

I use smart plugs fairly extensively and the TP Link smart plug has a timer feature that will turn the plug on (or off) after some number of minutes.  It also has a Schedule mode.  But I was thinking, we could place one of these smart plugs on the base station power cord.  Then when we wanted to stop all of the undesired Arlo activity, we could turn the smart plug off...powering down the Arlo Base and set a Smart Plug timer to turn it back on an hour later...or whatever.

 

It is more money and it is crude, but if the cameras expend less energy looking for a nonexistent base station then they do recording unwanted video, it could be a win.

 

Alternatively, a Schedule event could be set to turn the smart plug On at the same time each day and you could turn it off manually, knowing it would at least be powered back on at the predetermined  time later that day.  Pick a time when the landscapers would normally be done work for the day for example.

 

I do something like this for dedicated network switches I have on remote PCs.  I keep the network switches powered off until I want to remote control the PC.  Then turn on the smart plug and connect to the PC.  If I forget to turn off the smart plug when I’m done, I have a Schedule event set for each night to turn it off automatically for me, so I never leave them on for days on end.


azarloGuy
Apprentice

I think it’s an excellent idea as I already have my base stations on smart plugs my only fear is being 1700 miles away there have been times where the base stations have refused to reconnect or the base stations connect to router but some cameras wont until I press the reset button on the top of the camera.  Having said that I may still give it a whirl but that does not let Arlo off the hook.  Thanks for the input and suggestion.

GozarDU
Onlooker

I’ve seen several comments regarding temporarily snoozing the motion alerts. This is a very useful suggetpstion and Arlo needs to act quickly.  I also have Ring cameras and their app allows motion snooze for 15 & 30 min and 1 & 2 hour times.  For Arlo I have the cameras set with Alexa.  Every time there motion on my cameras (every minute or so), Alexa alerts me.  That was starting at 6:00am when workers were in my yard.  Very annoying that I had to turn off alerts instead of just snoozing for a period of time,

f1shb0n3
Fledgling

Temporary suspend a camera option would be most useful if instead of fixed time, it could be "Disable until X minutes of no motion activity". Let's say I'm on the front porch for a while where there's an Arlo camera, I'd like to disable it until I'm gone from the area. This way I won't need remember to turn it back on and I won't have to suspend it for multiple times if the option was only a fixed time suspend.

 

Guys, please implement this one, it would save us a ton of battery life and make the cameras usable in spaces where people inhabit occasionally.

DLBABQ
Aspirant

Thanks for giving us the ability to suspend notifications, but we also NEED the ability to suspend recording!!!

LadyLanieZ
Novice
Just putting it out there that a “pause” option would be great!

For example, I’m staying up later than usual tonight so my cameras are all triggering notifications from my own movement.

I’d love to pause them for 2 hours instead of adjusting my settings.
Stan777
Follower

Finally!! Downloaded the new app today and you can MUTE NOTIFICATIONS!! Now... Would be super cool if there was a quick waydo do so without opening the app. Perhaps there is? I haven't messed with it yet.