Arlo Pro4 motion detection: I want to eliminate an area from motion detection.

[RMorgan111]

Hello, I am up in the air whether to get the Nest Outdoor camera or Arlo Pro 4.  We live on a piece of land on a sound by the coast. The water on a windy day is constantly producing waves, etc.  Is there a way to exclude this area on the camera from motion detection, and have it only focus on the land?  We would like to have the camera showing the water, as this is a rental house, and we would like to see the whole scene.

Thanks!!!

[StephenB · Accepted solution]

---

@RMorgan111 wrote:

Is there a way to exclude this area on the camera from motion detection, and have it only focus on the land? 

---

Yes, you set up what is called an "activity zone".  You might need to power the camera with an outdoor charger, because the waves will still trigger the camera - the recordings would just be supressed.  Note that activity zones on battery power require a paid subscription (activity zones on AC power don't).

If the waves are some distance from the camera, they probably won't result in triggering.  The motion sensing is done with passive IR (PIR) sensors - they have a range of about 20 feet.  However, that range is for people, not waves (and even with people you will get some detections from further away).