Nightime Recording!!!

[Jemima]

Just testing my new Arlo Pro 2 and I hope someone can help answer this query.

When Arlo goes into night mode, the recordings are very difficult to see. Everything is pitch black, see attached!! Is there a setting that I need to adjust.?

Thanks

[Streak2]

I don't see an attachment but make sure that night vision is set to on in the video settings.

If it is on then move in front of the camera at night and make sure that the IR leds are turning on.

[VancouverBC]

A related test is at night, move in front of the camera and get really close to the camera, or if mounted high, move a stick in front of the lens. Then go check your recording. Or if you are using camera positioning mode check the real-time video. If infrared light is being emitted, whatever you have in front of the camera will be bright white being over-illuminated with IR light being so close to the emitter.

I have a camera in a tree, when the camera is emitting IR light, branches inches from the camera are bright white. If IR is off, the branches are dark like the rest of the scene. In operation I have the IR turned off to prolong battery life in the camera.  There is a motion activated porch light with an LED bulb to light the scene for the camera. 

[Jemima]

This is what am seeing at night, a blob of black except for where my TV is on because there’s intermittent flashing light there🤔🤔. Thanks for the help.

What Arlo records at night

[Jemima]

Just checked and night vision is turned on in video settings.....???

[jguerdat]

I see a couple of potential issues:

1) the nearby objects reflecting light back into the camera, causing the autoexposure to think enough light is being received. Remove those objects from view.

2) the TV may also be providing enough light to cause the autoexposure to reduce the overall exposure, just as with the reflected light issue.

I'd try a different location so that these factors aren't causing issues.

[VancouverBC]

Jemima, from the screenshot you posted it seems the camera is emitting IR light as the tops of the books right near the camera are well illuminated. However the rest of the room should be better illuminated too. Testing my camera in a pitchblack room where the camera is about 12 feet from the backdoor it is watching, the IR light illuminates everything in the room that is in view, including the walls, furniture, the back door. The image is in black and white but illuminated by the IR like I had a room light turned on. 

As a test, can you try again this time hold something in front of the camera, say your hand or something neutral in colour such as a newspaper and walk away from the camera to the otherside of the room. See where the IR falls off. Also try two more things, one is turn off the TV and see what the image is like. Second (with the TV turned back on) is position the camera more forward on the shelf (or remove the books) so the IR is not bouncing right off the books back to the camera. 

[Jemima]

Thanks to everyone who’ve provided feedback. I’m going to move the camera to a different location and test again tonight. 

I’ve just purchased it, so I’m trying different out different locations in the room before mounting it on the wall. 

Thanks again for the help.

[VancouverBC]

If you have metal around the room, as a test, you can stick the camera to the metal. I have a camera attached to the upright pole of a floor lamp. Outside a camera is attached to metal scrollwork on the porch. In your room, metal drywall corners might work, as well as any metal picture frames, metal parts of book cases, etc.