Design Flaw - Unable To Set Camera In Monitoring Mode ONLY. Extremely Annoying.

[olegos76]

When there is a windy weather - often the tree branches are triggering the camera (and that is understood).

At this moment I want to keep camera enabled just for monitoring purposes, but I don't want the camera to record video (not to waste space and batteries) and I don't want to get notifications every second because of the wind.

I tried to disable:

"Detect Motion & Audio". Problem: app forces one of them to be enabled.

If I select "Do nothing" (to not record video) and UNcheck "Push Notifications - problem: "Save" button gets greyed out.

I don't see any obvious workaround.

All I want is to have a choice to place my camera in "Monitoring only" mode

(no recordings, no notifications - only to view the area when tapping "Play")

[TomMac]

Not really a flaw... just that the cameras were NOT designed to be on 24/7 as most of the Arlo cameras ( base  connection ) were designed for battery operation... and batteries have a finite usage life.

You can not do it the way you want unless you use an Arlo Q camera or another type....at last testing the Q camera was run for more than an hour and hadn't shut off... Not 100% if it still remains this way but it would be the best choice to do what you want. Of course these must look thru windows as they are not weather proof, but the motion detect is pixel change based , not PIR.

[olegos76]

Thanks for the reply, but you mis-read my post.

I wrote "only to view the area when tapping "Play". Nobody asks for 24/7 monitoring.

Maybe you are right about it being not a flaw , but more of overlook.

[jguerdat]

WHat's wrong with using the Disarmed mode?

[olegos76]

Because only applies to ALL 5 of my cameras to be in "Disarmed Mode", but I want one of them to be in it.

If you try to create such custom mode for only one of them - you will then get stuck in the same scenario where user MUST pick motion detection or audio detection.

[jguerdat]

Create a custom mode with no rule for the camera. Any camera without a rule is disarmed but still useable in live view.

[olegos76]

Guys, you think I have not tried that?! 🙂

I am an ex-QA with 20+ years of exp...

1. Tap "Add a Mode"

2. Set a nickname -> tap Next

3. Select a camera to execute this mode on -> tap Next

4. On "Trigger" screen, UNcheck BOTH options "Motion" & "Audio" triggers

(as I mentioned above - I don't want any triggers, only manual "Play/Monitor" execution.

Results: "Next" button disappears if you uncheck both options and obviously I am unable to proceed until I select any of those triggers.

Let's imagine that this works and I am able to uncheck both and proceed - do you find this an easy solution that users must create this rule for each 5 cameras instead of just having a simple slider/checkbox in every camera to enable/disable "Monitor only" mode while disabling any other mode it was in before?

[Abmet]

As @jguerdat said create a custom mode but don't select the camera you want to "monitor".  By doing this any camera not in that mode will be disarmed but you can still click on the live view for that camera.  So if you have four cameras, your custom mode should only include three cameras if you want one to be disarmed when in this mode.  You don't have to to select all of your cameras when setting up a custom mode.

 So in your process you described above don't do "3. Select a camera to execute this mode on -> tap Next" for the camera you don't want to detect motion or sound.

[olegos76]

It is impossible not to select any camera! 1st one in the list will be selected by default and I am not able to uncheck it.

[JPC]

@olegos76

I see what you mean.. I did try this.. Pick the cam I want under "Mode-->Rules"... Set it to "Sound" trigger and set it all the way to "1".. then "Do-Nothing".. Pick email notification Only and just make a disposable email for this and Save.. I think this is the only way

I pick the sound trigger instead of motion for the most minimal trigger since there's no way of unchecking both box... This is prolly' best option for your situation..

[Abmet]

If you don’t select any cameras then what is the difference from just using disarmed mode?

You can still use the live of the cameras while disarmed.

[olegos76]

Because it disarms all of the cameras. I only need to disarm one but still be able to monitor if I need to.

[Abmet]

Ok then that is back to the original suggestions around creating a custom mode. Add the cameras you want to have armed but not the one (or ones) you don’t want to be armed. When you turn on that mode the cameras you added will be armed and monitor for motion or sound, and the camera or cameras you didn’t add will be left disarmed. You can still click the play(live feed) button on all cameras.

[olegos76]

🙂 Could it be any easier?!

Thanks.