Arlo Pro / Pro2 - Can you use a 3rd party motion sensor to make the camera record with SmartThings?

[Davbro]

I have this system integrated with SmartThings. Can you use a 3rd party motion sensor to make the camera record.? The camera itself only has 23’ detection range. This isn’t far enough.

[brh]

@Davbro

I have my Arlo system Integrated with Smartthings. I have the regular Smartthings Motion Sensors mounted under the eaves of my home to start the outside cameras recording earlier than the cameras normally would record by themselves. I set up Custom rules that when the system is either in the Away or Night Modes to record video if motion is detected by the sensors. I also have created a custom Routine to only arm the Front Porch camera when I am home and waiting for the Mailman or a delivery. The motion sensors detect them arriving and start the camera recording video.

I don't know of any truly outdoor sensors that are weatherproof, so depending on what you wish to detect, this might not work.

Brian

[Davbro]

Thanks Brian! Can you set the camera to record within the motion sensor setup or did this require special IFFT programming within the SmartThings IDE.? I am not a programmer. Thanks. David B

[brh]

@Davbro

I am not sure quite what you are asking me, but I think the answer is no.

You don't need to know how to program of use IFTTT.

Firstly, You need to have the Smartthings Mode setup in the Arlo IDE or app.

Secondly, Smartthings acts like a switch to Activate, (set the camera to standby, so to speak, ready to record), and Disarm the camera so that motion or sound don't trigger. That is where the Routines come in. Modify your Smartthings Routines to activate whatever cameras you wish to activate for that Routine. Examples: Goodbye Routine will probably have all the cameras set to active. The Good Night Routine will probably have only the outside cameras activated. So now the Routines are acting as a switch for the cameras you have chosen.

Thirdly, are you familiar with how to create Custom Rules? If not let me know, but if you do, create a custom rule for that sensor. In that Rule choose which camera/cameras you wish to record when motion is detected, in which modes you want this sensor to start the recording and what notifications you wish Smartthings or Arlo to send you.

You can also create other Routines, such as Mail, that will only activate the camera nearest your mailbox while you are home and use the outside motion detector to start the recording when it senses motion as the mailman walks across the yard, etc.

Just about any Smartthing sensor has the ability to start a camera to record.

Brian

[Davbro]

Well you did help me fix another issue. Since integrated Arlo with SmartThings and I created the SmartThings custom mode none of my cameras have been recording video. I went into the Arlo custom SmartThings mode and all of the cameras were set to “do nothing” when audio or motion was detected. I changed this to “record Video”. Back to the original problem. I am familiar with using SmartThings Routines to turn cameras on/off. My problem is even if a camera is on it is too far away to detect motion to start recording. What I want to know is if I can place a seperate motion sensor at a location and when it detects motion have camera “A” start recording.? And when that external motion sensor no longer detects motion have that same camera stop recording?

Also, if camera “A” starts recording can it trigger camera “B” to start recording as well?

[brh]

@Davbro

Since Smartthings is now in control it will set the cameras to do nothing. That is normal.

Can you add a Routine and name it Test?

Click on the gear icon at the top of the Routine.

On the next page select the two cameras where it says Turn on these lights or switches.

set Smart Home Monitor to Disarmed

Hit Save. 

Click on this Routine and go to Things and see if both cameras are Active. They should be.

Now go to your home page and click where it says Everything OK

On the next page click on the gear icon at the top right of the page. Here are your Rules.

Select Custom

At the bottom of the next page click on New Monitoring Rule

On the next page select Motion Sensor and for now select the motion sensor you want to use as a test.Click on Next at the top of the page.

On the next page select the Text and Push Notifications for this Rule.

When Finished with that, come back to this page and at the bottom of the page, select both cameras.

On the next page, click on the Edit Rule Name slider and then above that.  Enter Motion Test or any name you wish.

Click on save.

Now back out and select the Test Routine to turn the cameras to Active and walk past the sensor.

To turn the test off, just edit the Good Morning Routine to turn off the two cameras.

Once you get the hang of it you will think of all kinds of things to make custom rules about.

Enough for this post, let me know when you have done that and ask me any questions about any problems that you have.

Brian

[Davbro]

Brian, I have all that figured out. SmartThings is all working great. My only problem is with the detection range of the Arlo Pro 2. It only detection motion and starts recording to a max of about 23’. I need it to start recording with detection of 50’. I’m trying to figure out if I can add a 3rd party motion sensor to not just turn on a camera but to actually make it record video.

[brh]

@Davbro

OK, glad to know that you know how to do all this in Smartthings.

I currently have two Smartthings Motion Sensors outside under the eave of my house that I use to trigger the cameras to record video, but only if I have set the cameras to Active by running a Routine to do this first. So yes, it can be done. Arlo natively won't allow you to add any third party sensors, but as long as Smartthings recognizes the sensor, and is in reach of your hub and out of the weather it can be done. 50 feet might be stretching it a little though. Read the Smartthings community forum to see if others have found an outdoor sensor, (assuming your cameras are outdoors, of course), that have that kind of range and are weatherproof.

Brian

[Davbro]

I have a very robust zwave network. The 3rd party motion sensor would be within easy range of other zwave devices talking to my SmartThings Hub. This motion sensor would be mounted under the eave of a detached garage. The Arlo Pro 2 will be mounted under the eave of my house aiming towards the detached garage. The cameras detection range isn’t far enough to pick up motion by the detached garage door but the video view is awesome. The camera is in “active” state. I just need the 3rd party motion sensor to make the camera actually record video when the 3rd party motion sensor detects motion. So I assume there is a setting or rule in that sensor setup to tell a camera to record although its own motion sensor did not detect motion.

[brh]

@Davbro

Do you have a motion sensor yet? Since you have the range this should be easy. If you start with a Smartthings motion sensor first, later you might find one that works better, but I think they are pretty good. There are quite a few third party motion sensors out there, but you will have to know how to use custom device handlers to set them up and use them.

There is nothing in the motion sensor setup that will do this for you, regardless of the sensor used. . Once the motion sensor is added to Smartthings, you must tell it what to do.

You can just write a Custom Rule that tells the camera to record when motion is detected. If the camera has started recording, the motion sensor in the camera will do nothing, but if there is motion and the sensor doesn't fire, the motion sensors in the cameras will fire and start recording.

In May Arlo is releasing the outdoor motion sensor with a strong light. If you can wait that long and you purchase one of them, they will work natively with Arlo and I hope with Smartthings.

Brian

[Davbro]

I do not have a motion sensor yet. I just looked at the Samsung motion sensors. And they are Zigbee, not ZWave so I don’t know if it will reach my SmartThings Hub. Also I read back over your other post and I think I got lost. It was about creating rules. Where are these rules created? SmartThings Hub, SmartThings IDE or in the Arlo app?

[brh]

@Davbro 

In the Smartthings app. I'll show that again.

Go to your Smartthings app home page and click where it says Everything OK

On the next page click on the gear icon at the top right of the page. Here are your Rules.

Select Custom

At the bottom of the next page click on New Monitoring Rule

On the next page select Motion Sensor and for now select the motion sensor you want to use as a test.Click on Next at the top of the page.

On the next page select the Text and Push Notifications for this Rule.

When Finished with that, come back to this page and at the bottom of the page, select both cameras.

On the next page, click on the Edit Rule Name slider and then above that.  Enter Motion Test or any name you wish.

Click on save.

Don't try this until you actually have a motion sensor.

If I am not mistaken, Zigbee has a better range than Zwave, but I am not sure. I will do a little research but it will be tomorrow before I get back to you.

Brian

[Davbro]

Okay. I finally found it. I really like these cameras so far except for the detection range. Im hoping to add 4-6 more cameras if I can figure this out. I can place many of them where they can get AC power all of the time if that helps resolve the issue. I thank you tremendously for your help and patience!!! I have learned a lot today! 🙂

[brh]

@Davbro

I have done a little research and here is what Ihave come up with so far. 50 feet is quite a distance away from the Smartthings hub for any motion sensor. The only way to see if your signal will reach that far is to try.

If the distance is too far to work, you can probably make some sort of weatherproof housing to put the sensor in, like a fake birdhouse.

Secondly, If your wifi reaches your garage, you could simply mount a camera there. If not, you might be able to use a range extender in your house as close to the garage as possible. If that doesn't work, then maybe adding a second range extender and a second base unit in the garage.

By far, if you can get it t work, the external motion sensor is the cheapest route.

I recommend the Smartthings sensor as it is pretty good, fast and you don't have to use custom Device handlers. It is a zigbee device so it will probably have a little better range than a zwave one. 

Both Zigbee and Zwave devices work as a mesh. People often use the Smartthings wall outlet plug that plugs into a wall outlet to extend the mesh range. You do not need to plug any devices into it if you don't want to, but it does improve the range of the Smartthings sensors.

Brian

[Davbro]

I really appreciate all of your information. I ordered some power chargers. I may wait on the motion sensor until get more cameras which I’m getting Wednesday since I can get one camera to trigger another camera to record.. I’m also getting a second base so I can have a separate alarm for my workshop. This will help with WiFi camera range as well. The more I learn the more awesome these cameras are. Thanks again for all your help Brian. Thanks! David

[brh]

@Davbro

You are welcome.

When you start really getting into Smartthings you will go broke purchasing all the things you think you need, LOL.

A couple of other things I do with Smartthings:

Since almost all the sensors that I use with Smartthings report temperature, once I determine if it is reporting the correct temperature or close to it, I wrote some custom rules in Smartthings to send me notifications if the temperature gets too hot and I use that sensor to trigger the closest cameras to record what is going on. I use water leak sensors to check for water leaks, and while I can't trigger any cameras with these sensors, I can look at the nearest camera's live view to see what is going. And of course you can trigger lights to go on and off, etc.

Brian