Too many issues to title

[thebigbry]

So disappointed.

Bought Arlo cameras about 2 months ago. Spent a couple of weeks trying to figure out the app and all the settings right. They still didn't work right.

been trying to deal with customer tech for a little over a month. Have my cameras set to "record until event stops". Yet they only record about 15 second clips. Can go out and walk and round in front of the camera for 5 minutes, it records about 15 seconds stops then picks up a few seconds later records about 15 seconds stops. Been contacting customer support like I said for well over a month they keep telling me to do the same troubleshooting. Then they disappear the next tech pops in tells me to do the same troubleshooting. Then Stop responding.

Next tech, have you tried doing all the same troubleshooting. They finally said they would escalate it and asked me to send in videos and clips. Did that, they never responded.

Contacted them again. Have you tried doing all the same troubleshooting. Finally said it had to be escalated (again) and someone would call me. They called wanted me to do the same troubleshooting. Decided it had to be escalated, told me to send in clips and information and escalation team would call me. Today I get an email saying My case has been closed. Cameras are still trash nobody contacted me.

[jguerdat]

I generally don't recommend using recording until motion stops unless you understand the requirements. The camera is the piece that has to be able to detect the motion, not your eyes. The testing I did early on was to start close to the camera, moving back and forth in front of the camera (detection works best when side to side, not directly at the camera, due to the use of PIR detectors), slowly increasing the distance. At some point, detection stopped and there was a brief period when the camera continued to record (~5 seconds) waiting for motion to be detected again. WHen the distance between the camera and subject increased to the point of no detection, which is about 25 feet max for people recording stopped.  This is all expected behavior. 

If that's not satisfactory for your usage, simply use a timed recording. Recording will restart if/when detection is possible.

[thebigbry]

Thank you for the reply,

 Unfortunately the main issue is my driveway camera. So I want it to record three entire time someone is trying to break into my car, or walking up the drive to break into the garage.  

 Distance dust not seen to matter, as I mentioned I can walk in circles in front of them cam and it just stops then stars a few seconds later. 

Set time doesn't work either as it likes the battery in about 2 days recording 2 minutes every time a car drives by. 

 I just need the camera to work like it should. Record until motion stops. 

 I also need the Arlo support to work like they should. Where they assist until the problem is solved. 

[jguerdat]

It sounds like you need to rotate the camera down so only your car(s) and driveway are in view. Having the street in view causes too many issues as you report. A screenshot of the camera view may be useful.

[thebigbry]

No the problem is the cameras do not function as intended, or advertised. The settings are useless. I have five cameras. So it's not just the front camera. That's just the one I've been using as the example. But hey not pointing the camera at important areas is a fantastic idea. Would certainly help with the crappy battery life. 

 These are SECURITY cameras.

As explained dealing with the idiot CSRs who ask all the same questions. Yes I have tried pointing them directly at the ground. I have eliminated any activity zones. I have set them to record for a set time. I have tried changing the batteries. I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling the cameras. I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling the app. I have tried changing the sensitivity. I have tried changing the video width. I have tried changing every freaking setting on these garbage cameras. They do not work as they are supposed to.

 I had them only focused on the driveway and sidewalk then they do not trigger on half the movement, heck a car drove onto the sidewalk and hit the mailbox. Guess how much the camera caught. None of it!

Not to mention it does little good to only see someone from the knee down and for only 15 seconds. 

[thebigbry]

But to give an idea. Here's a screen shot from the original view, as mentioned 5 short clips of me walking around directly in front of the camera. I did not stop moving other than to switch directions. 

Also as mentioned you can't even see my third car in the view now. And certainly wouldn't be able to see anybody messing with it. 

I'll also add that nobody from Arlo support as still reached out to me even though I've filed to reopen the report.

[ShayneS]

HI @thebigbry Can you provide me with your case number and I will have a look at this.

Thank you 

[thebigbry]

43701452

Or the older one. 43679166

[ShayneS]

@thebigbry 

Thank you for the feedback. I have escalated this for you and someone should be reaching out as soon as possible. 

[thebigbry]

Just a follow up. 

 This is still an issue. 

 It got "escalated" to a higher team, they called me and did a bunch of stuff. Said this was tagged special so it would remain open until resolved. Then as before, said they were escalating,  stopped responding and waited for the ticket to close. 

 When I contacted again they claimed they had no previous info and I had to stay all over. Sending them sample videos, going through settings, everything. 

 Even showed the video of 3of us walking to my car, it stops as we're getting in, and does not record again until we're already back home, parked and walking past the camera. Not closing the car doors, driving off, pulling back in the driveway, getting out, walking the ten feet. We just magically appear in front of the cam.

 Then they said, it's normal behavior, I should move my camera to a different location to get a different angle. Because that's why the system is junk, it's at the wrong angle! 

 Do NOT but this system if you want to rely on it for anything other than a quick vid IF something walks right in front of the camera, though it won't be enough to identify anything. 

[ShayneS]

@thebigbry 

Can I ask which events you would like to capture? I reviewed your open case and it sounds like you want motion to be recorded regardless of time and/or motion is not being captured as expected? 

The cameras will detect motion from side to side much easier than walking directly towards the device. This is due to the design of the camera and sensor. 

I reviewed the content and if you position the device in the middle of the driveway, this may  lead to better results for motion capture from side to side. The device may stop recording once in the car and driving straight out of the driveway, which appears to be a symptom you are experiencing.  

Are you still experiencing an issue with the camera not recording for the set length of time, or is the current symptom the lack of motion detection captured? 

I also noticed the RSSI value of your Driveway camera has been a bit high which can lead to missed motion detection and video quality issues along with delays in live streaming/connecting.

Have you tried adjusting to a different wifi channel on your router with less congestion? Have you moved your router recently or closer to any other wireless frequency devices?

You can find some info on how to optimize motion detection for the camera here: https://kb.arlo.com/1015583/How-do-I-optimize-motion-detection-for-my-Arlo-camera#:~:text=Mount%20yo....

[thebigbry]

Yes I'm trying to capture people, animals, movement, Not sound events. 

 Your suggestion is for people to build a post beside their driveway so that it can capture only at a side to side angle? Or are you referring to centered as opposed to off to the side, which would result in even less of a side to side motion because of the angle. Plus would overlap another camera and leave a large dead spot between another camera. Showing people to have clear invited access of the right side of my vehicles. And no longer be under an overhang, exposing it to more weather. 

 Also as mentioned and demonstrated in my captures I can walk in circles in front of the camera. Side to side front to back in a circle and it still refuses to record for the entire duration of movement. 

 And perhaps that should be plastered on the camera box great advertising "Only captures movement from side to side, not actual movement. As long as the criminal doesn't walk directly towards the camera, we got you covered."

 Forgive some of the sarcasm, but as mention this had been an issue for several months, not what is expect from the price these cameras cost. 

[StephenB]

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@thebigbry wrote:

Also as mentioned and demonstrated in my captures I can walk in circles in front of the camera. Side to side front to back in a circle and it still refuses to record for the entire duration of movement. 

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Note I don't work for Arlo. 

Spec'd motion detection range for the passive infrared (PIR) sensor is 25 feet.  Mine will often detect vehicles from further away, and sometimes will detect people from further away.  Small animals need to be closer.

The cameras are definitely more sensitive to side-to-side motion than they are to motion directly down the center of the field of view towards the camera.  So (for example) if a camera is mounted on a garage facing down the driveway, then it will be less sensitive to vehicles (or people) going down the center of the driveway towards the garage than it is to people walking across the driveway.

They are also more sensitive to motion at the bottom of the field of view than the top.  If you want better detection at the top of the field of view, then you can invert the camera, and use the flip 180 degree setting in the app to compensate.  

You might try the motion detection test while walking in the area of interest, and see if increasing the sensitivity makes any significant difference.  The default sensitivity is 80%, so you could increase it some.

If there is power near the camera, you could get the outdoor charger.  (Arlo's has a 25 foot cable).  When AC powered, the camera's motion detection will improve, because it is also processing the camera video, and not just relying on the PIR sensor.  That will also enable the foresight feature (which shows about 3 seconds of video before the motion was triggered).

[thebigbry]

@StephenB 

Power is not an issue I do have solar charger too. 

The camera is mounted on the corner of the garage looking diagnaly so walking from street up the driveway is still somewhat of a side to side. It also points high enough to get the road leaving the bottom 2/3 I'd the frame where I want to record. From camera to sidewalk is about 2 car lengths so roughly 30' . But as mentioned I can walk in a 10' circle in the middle of the driveway  in front of the camera cause plenty side to side movement and the camera will just decide 15 seconds or 30 seconds. Maybe 45 is enough. 

 I have adjusted sensitivity up to 100 and then I just get a million 15 seconds clips of a leaf blowing by. Or rain. But still does not record full events. 

 If I set to record a fixed length of time (say 2min) then it will record the full 2 minutes. But then every time a car drives by it a key blows I get a2 min video which the battery can't keep up with. Also if someone is breaking into my car I don't just want 2 min. I want the entire event. 

 I am not sure what other info can be added other than Arlo had told me multiple things and every time I say it's not that they say then it's this. Now it's because the camera only works side to side. 

 I have take regretted this purchase, I thought buying the better brand for more money would have been better. 

[StephenB]

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@thebigbry wrote:

Power is not an issue I do have solar charger too. 

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The camera detects the type of charger.  The solar panel won't give you the better motion detection or the foresight feature - you need to connect to AC for that.  The solar panel just trickle-charges the battery.  The AC USB charger kicks the camera into a higher-power mode of operation, and enables a few hardware features that are otherwise turned off. 

Though normally you should use an outdoor-rated charger, you could try jury-rigging a temporary hookup to the indoor charger (likely using an extension cord) and see if that helps. 

On "until motion stops"-  a short pause in motion will result in the recording stopping.  So there is no guarantee that you'd get the "full event" even with that setting.  if you use a fixed recording time, you will get a second one after a short interval if the motion is continuing.

[thebigbry]

Are you saying into of everything the wireless cameras also are not set to perform wireless? What features does weird unlock?

The problem I mentioned with setting a fixed time is it's my driveway it record 2 min every time a car goes by, everytime a leaf, it also records everytime it rains. 

I was thinking yesterday I have a $30 motion light that works WAY more effectively than the $150 camera. 

Oh that reminds me of another irritating feature. I may start another thread for. But there fact you can't have color recording without the spot light on. I have motion lights that as mentioned work better than the camera so they provide plenty light.  Not sure why they would just take that option away. 

[Fabihenry]

Those cameras are too expensive for the issues they have, they are one more thing for me to manage in the house.

i hate them, no support at all.

This company should be taken to court

[StephenB]

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@thebigbry wrote:

Are you saying into of everything the wireless cameras also are not set to perform wireless? What features does weird unlock?

When on AC power,

1. The camera is always capturing video.  Recordings start about 3 seconds before the motion was detected.  (Many call that feature "pre-roll", Arlo calls it "foresight').
2. Motion detection improves because it uses both the passive infrared (PIR) sensor and image processing (when not connected to AC power the camera only uses the PIR Sensor).
3. Activity zones are processed by the camera, instead of being processed in the Arlo cloud.

Note this is specific to the Pro 4 - different cameras have somewhat different hardware features.  For instance, the Ultra does not use image processing for motion detection when on AC power.

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@thebigbry wrote:

 But there fact you can't have color recording without the spot light on. I have motion lights that as mentioned work better than the camera so they provide plenty light.  

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The spotlight should only come on if the camera detects there is not enough light for color.  So if the area is already well lit with a floodlight, the spotlight should stay off. 

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@thebigbry wrote:

The problem I mentioned with setting a fixed time is it's my driveway it record 2 min every time a car goes by, everytime a leaf, it also records everytime it rains. 

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I think most people who are using a fixed time are using something shorter.  If the motion is continuing, you will get another follow-on recording after a short gap.

You might try tuning the motion threshold using the motion detection test.