Arlo Pro and Smartthings

[pc2k17]

I have been using smartthing for over a year and arlo pro cameras for a few months now. I finally integrated the cameras into smartthings.

Since goefencing when returning to home is inconsistant in the arlo app & in smartthings, I wanted a smartthings open/close sensor to turn off the cameras inside the house. I set it all up and it worked fine at first, but after a few on/off cycles all the settings I entered in the smartthings mode in the arlo app reverted back to default (which is do nothing with motion or sound is detected). Of course not recording when motion is detected isn't going to work and no matter how many times I edited the mode it would revert back. Very frustrating. Then I came here and found the answer/workaround. I had to delete the smartthings mode in the arlo app and set the mode to armed. Once I did this I was able to turn the cameras off/on using a smartthings routine. Works perfect now. If anyone else is having this issue, just delete the smartthings mode in arlo, set it to armed, and smartthings will be able to control your cameras. Thanks to the community for that fix.

Sorry for the long lead in........ now my questions.......

1) Does anyone know if netgear or samsung is aware of this issue with the smartthings mode and are they working on a fix?

2) In the smartthings app there is a sensitivity setting that defaults to 80. I like my sensitivity at 100. If I change this setting in smartthings, like the above issue, after a few on/off cycles it revets back to 80. In the arlo app, under the armed mode I have sensitivity set to 100 for all cameras. Does anyone know which sensitivity setting the cameras is using in this scenario? The arlo setting or the smartthings setting? (note: I an not using smarthtings to trigger recording only to turn cameras on/off)

Thanks.

[JamesC]

pc2k17,

I have escalated this topic. I will post an update when I have more information.

JamesC

[pc2k17]

Thank you James.

[evanchavez]

I own the Arlo Pro and Arlo Pro2 cameras along side a Smartthings Hub v2.

Have you tried creating a "Routine" under Automation so you can trigger an event to turn off your cameras (they should appear under the 'lights or switches'? You can base it on certian conditions like an arrival sensor (your phone) or when a door switch, virtual switch, button is pressed.

[steve_t]

I'm pretty sure that the design is that once you integrate with smartthings, smartthings is to control everything. When the Arlo app shows the system is in smartthings mode and each rule in the mode tells the cameras to "do nothing", that's intentional. From there, you really shouldn't need to go into the Arlo app again. Everything is controlled through smartthings. Even all the recordings are accessed through smartthings. Unfortunately, when I looked a long time ago, the only way to control the cameras and view the recordings was through the SHM. After that, I decided to put control back with the Arlo app and I only use ST integration to use the cameras as motion sensors

[pc2k17]

wrote:

I own the Arlo Pro and Arlo Pro2 cameras along side a Smartthings Hub v2.

Have you tried creating a "Routine" under Automation so you can trigger an event to turn off your cameras (they should appear under the 'lights or switches'? You can base it on certian conditions like an arrival sensor (your phone) or when a door switch, virtual switch, button is pressed.

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Yes I have done that. I have a routine that turns my interior cameras off when a smarthings open/close sensor opens. Works really good. When I leave the house I also have another routine that turns the interior cameras on and I use a widget that's on my home screen on my android phone to trigger that routine. I don't use geofencing because it seemed to have too much of a delay when leaving or coming home. I found using a sensor coming home and the widget when I leave works better.

I also have smart home monitor in the smartthings app monitoring my garage camera. When I'm in armed home or armed away mode, if the garage camera detects motion it of course records but it also turns my living room lights red. (I have lifx lights).

When you pair the arlo cameras with smartthings the options are plentiful.

[pc2k17]

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wrote:

I'm pretty sure that the design is that once you integrate with smartthings, smartthings is to control everything. When the Arlo app shows the system is in smartthings mode and each rule in the mode tells the cameras to "do nothing", that's intentional. From there, you really shouldn't need to go into the Arlo app again. Everything is controlled through smartthings. Even all the recordings are accessed through smartthings. Unfortunately, when I looked a long time ago, the only way to control the cameras and view the recordings was through the SHM. After that, I decided to put control back with the Arlo app and I only use ST integration to use the cameras as motion sensors

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I don't have smartthings trigger recording video and I don't view video in smartthings because for right now that feature is free, but very soon Samsung is going to begin charging $5 a month to record and view video using the smartthings app. Right now those features are a trial. Since you can record and view in the arlo app for free, it makes no sense to pay for what you can get for free.

So I just deleted the smartthings mode from the arlo app. Arlo is still integrated into smarthtings, and I can control the cameras like switches in smarthings, and I can use the cameras as motion sensor in smartthings, but the video recoding and video viewing are controlled by the arlo app. If Samsung comes to their senses and decides to keep arlo video recording and viewing free then maybe I'll use smartthings exclusively, but as of now the smartthings support website still says it will be a pay per month feature in the near future. 

[steve_t]

Where did they announce a paid service for cloud storage of security video? It's been free for over 2 years already. Did I miss an announcement somewhere?

[pc2k17]

From the smartthings support page:

Video and Smart Home Monitor

Smart Home Monitor enables recording of video clips during events defined by you. Video records only when these events or incidents occur, giving you greater security and privacy. Intelligent buffering on Samsung SmartCam and D-Link cameras allows video to start recording 10 seconds prior to the start of the incident. Netgear Arlo cameras do not support intelligent buffering and will begin recording video as soon as they are triggered. Note: You can only select up to 10 cameras within Smart Home Monitor.

This will be a premium paid feature of Smart Home Monitor, but all users can currently enjoy it for free.

https://support.smartthings.com/hc/en-us/articles/205380154-Smart-Home-Monitor?utm_source=SmartThing...

[Scott2ya]

I've tried using ST as my Arlo control for recording but found the delay from motion sensed to recording started to be to much, 5-7 seconds. I never deleted the smartthings mode, I just changed modes back to my schedule and everything works just fine. But you will be happy to know that a ST user created a smart app that can change custom modes and much more, it integrates fairly well, it's brand new and there are a few bugs, but at least now I can use ok Google to trigger Ifttt, to trigger a flow that will then turn on a virtual switch that will change a custom mode, and do other things. The guy is still making improvements, check it out.

https://community.smartthings.com/t/release-arlopilot-enhanced-arlo-system-integration/117581/28

[pc2k17]

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wrote:
I've tried using ST as my Arlo control for recording but found the delay from motion sensed to recording started to be to much, 5-7 seconds. I never deleted the smartthings mode, I just changed modes back to my schedule and everything works just fine. But you will be happy to know that a ST user created a smart app that can change custom modes and much more, it integrates fairly well, it's brand new and there are a few bugs, but at least now I can use ok Google to trigger Ifttt, to trigger a flow that will then turn on a virtual switch that will change a custom mode, and do other things. The guy is still making improvements, check it out.

https://community.smartthings.com/t/release-arlopilot-enhanced-arlo-system-integration/117581/28

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Makes sense on the delay seeing as how it has to pass the trigger between ST and Arlo before recording starts.

Thanks for the info on the smart app. I'll check it out.

[steve_t]

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wrote:

From the smartthings support page:

Video and Smart Home Monitor

Smart Home Monitor enables recording of video clips during events defined by you. Video records only when these events or incidents occur, giving you greater security and privacy. Intelligent buffering on Samsung SmartCam and D-Link cameras allows video to start recording 10 seconds prior to the start of the incident. Netgear Arlo cameras do not support intelligent buffering and will begin recording video as soon as they are triggered. Note: You can only select up to 10 cameras within Smart Home Monitor.

This will be a premium paid feature of Smart Home Monitor, but all users can currently enjoy it for free.

https://support.smartthings.com/hc/en-us/articles/205380154-Smart-Home-Monitor?utm_source=SmartThing...

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Oh yup. I remember reading that 2 years ago. Maybe they'll actually change it with the massive smartthings change shortly