ARLO PRO - CAMS record all the time when triggered by motion despite schedule to not record

[Humenik223]

I've read about many similar problems but I haven't found a solution yet to this exact problem.. I'm about ready to drop this system on the return desk at Costco since I paid way too much for something that doesn't seem to do what I paid for it to do. As far as customer support, it seems like a crock where you either get the run around with no solution or you have to spend 2 hours on the phone to try and troubleshoot the issue. I use geofencing with a trigger to record activity when I’m away from home. That seems to work fine. When I’m at home, I don’t want my cams to record my activity so I set up custpm, AT HOME mode on a schedule. Meaning, the schedule should record activity during those scheduled hours (at night when I’m asleep). Instead, as soon as I get home, my trigger cam continues to pick up my motion and record clips over and over again. It is a pain in the butt having to get alerts and delete endless video clips of my personal activity. This configuration used to work fine and it stopped working at some point and I’ve yet to get to work properly again. If you have any tips, it would be greatly appreciated before Costco will have to write off the loss of this return and get an earful as well about selling such a system with so many technical problems. Thanks.

[JessicaP]

Hey @Humenik223,

Does this behavior happen when you use just schedule mode and not geofencing? 

[Humenik223]

@JessicaP - I will test that tonight and let you know.  Although, the geofencing feature is very important to me.  Thanks.  Jeff

[Humenik223]

@JessicaP - I turned off geofencing and just left it on Schedule and the system seemed to work properly per the schedule setting (without using the geofencing feature).  I don't understand why geofencing is creating a conflict?  Seems to be a glitch with the system.  Do you have any suggestions? 

Again, my trigger camera is always sensing motion when I'm at home and ignores the fact that I have a schedule set to only activate during certain hours. 

Thanks.  Jeff

[pc2k17]

Just FYI - I have no fix for you......

IMHO - geofencing just doesn't work well. It relies on cell tower triangulation, which depending on your location can be hit or miss or inaccurate at best. I was never able to get geofencing working on Arlo or SmartThings. I live in the country and the cell tower are few and far between.

Sounds to me like your phone, arlo, (whatever) isn't realizing your home and not switching the mode. Geofencing is what it is, not very good, imho.

Smartthings, Arlo pilot, and a smartthings arrival sensor is my setup now, and it works perfect. If you're into home automation, check out smartthings.

[Humenik223]

@pc2k17 - Thanks for your reply.  Just an FYI that I also live in a somewhat rural area but geofencing works very well for me.  I get notified once I'm home or leaving the area and Arlo always switches to the appropriate Home or Away mode.  It is just that when I'm home, the Home mode doesn't follow the rules of the schedule.  If I get home at 5:30 pm, and I switch to Home mode, my trigger cam shouldn't start recording my activity since the schedule says to start recording at 7:00 pm.  I'd love the system if ONLY it worked as it is suppose to work.   Jeff