Arlo Pro camera inside window

[Courtneybags]

So I know that the Arlo cameras do not work through a window. I live in an apartment and I do not have the option of mounting it outside to watch my door and car as its really easy to grab and steal it. So using my dining room window is my only option. There have been a few kids trying to break in through our windows during the day when everyone is at work...

I had read in an earlier thread with someone with the same issue, another person commented and said they use a motion sensor outside with IFTTT to trigger the Arlo camera to start recording once the motion sensor detects movement. Has anyone else done this before? and if so what type of motion sensor did you use? The person in that thread used a "Kumo Motion Sensor" from wirelesstag.net

I am looking for updated answers to this since most of the comments and threads seem to be older.

If someone has any input that would be fantastic.

[Streak2]

The Arlo Q will detect motion through glass. You just need to make sure that night vision os switched off.

[Courtneybags]

Is the quality of video and sound the same as the Arlo Pro? and is this hard wired in? I would prefer wireless...

[pc2k17]

I haven't done it using IFTTT (I find that service a bit too slow), but I did do this using smartthings. Currently I have a smartthings open/close sensor on a garage door that turns the cameras off/on to detect motion and start recording. Also, while I don't have it setup this way anymore, I did have a smartthings motion sensor setup to record video from the cameras when it detected motion. Worked great. You can get the smartthings hub for $99 and the motion sensor is $40 (I believe). This setup is a true home automation system so you can also control things like lights, music players, electrical outlets, etc.

So in your situation, being in an apartment, here's my advice. You can mount the camera inside, point it at the window, use a smartthings open/close sensor on the window and if/when the window opens the sensor "opens" and can be triggered to start recording. You could do this with a motion sensor as well, but I wouldn't mount it outside as they are not water proof.

Another solution would be to go with a wireless alarm system. I use simplisafe. There is no hardwiring of the simplisafe sensors, you simple stick them up using 3m command strips. They can be removed and taken with you if/when you ever move. If you choose to not have external monitoring there is NO monthly fee with simplisafe. The base station has a 80 decible siren and connects to either verizon or t-mobile, no internet connection required. You can add entry sensors, motion sensors, glass break sensor, smoke alarms, a 105 decible siren, and more. If you want professional 24/7 monitoring and police/fire dispatch it starts at either $10 or $15 a month. Packges for the system start at $230. For piece of mind this might be a good option for you.

Simplisafe won't integrate with arlo cameras, smartthings will. Hope that helps.

[jguerdat]

The quality is superior on the Q with 1080p. It does need to be plugged in, though.

[DaveWoj]

I have 2 arlo pros outside my house and 2 arlo Q's inside at a Summer cottage.

I can say that the Arlo q's inside the window have worked flawlessly.

The only thing I have noticed it that it will tend to pick up light reflection from car headlights and rain dripping down the window so you may get some alerts that you don't want.

Other than that, I almost prefer the Q's.

[Courtneybags]

I would rather have false alerts than no alerts at all like right now. Currently I have the audio all the way up so im getting constant notifications anyways.

One sits on my dining room window and wont need night vision because mine and the apartment next to us have lights that stay on all night so the lighting is great at night. The one in my bedorom window I turned the night vision off because I was getting a glare. Not sure it will detect motion from my bedroom window to my car if it only does 25 feet. But I guess its just trial and error at this point.

As long as the Q will detect motion through a window that is all I need. The platform with our door and our next door neighbor is only about 6 feet wide so it should detect any motion I hope.

What is the different between the Q and the Q plus?

[Streak2]

The Q Plus uses POE to power the camera.

Looks the Q will do the job for you.

I get great compliments about the quality if the video from my Q.

[Courtneybags]

Perfect. I will exchange the Arlo Pros for the Qs... the Qs are also about $60 cheaper so thats nice 😃

thank you for all your help!

[pc2k17]

Just note that the Q, a POE (power over ethernet) camera, requires you to plug the camera into your home network via ethernet cable. Many people wire their houses with ethernet and plug the cameras into an ethernet jack near where you want the camera. Obviously for you in an apartment, that's not an option, so you will have to make sure you can connect an ethernet cable from the camera into your home router. If your router is in say the living room and you want a camera in the bedroom that's not going to work unless you run ethernet cable. If your camera is going to be close to your router then your good to go. Just keep this in mind.

edit: I just looked and it looks like both the Q and the Q plus have a wifi option, so maybe your goods to go. I wasn't real familar with the Q lineup features. Sorry about that.

[Streak2]

The Arlo Q is about $200 per camera and a Pro kit of 2 cameras is about $400.

As soon as you look at kits with more cameras then the Pro is cheaper than the Q.

Keep in mind that you can mix and match the pro cameras and base with the wifi Q having them all on the same app.

[Courtneybags]

With the Pro theres a base that I plugged into my router and those cameras were wireless connexting with WiFi. Does the Q have a hub like the Pro does?

You're right with my cameras not being anywhere near the router, but if they are WiFi compatible I should be able to connect them that way and just have them plugged into an outlet?

[Courtneybags]

The two wireless Pro cameras I got were $399 at Best Buy. Two Q cameras are $332 right now at Best Buy.

[Streak2]

That's a great deal at $332 for a pair.

I assume that your wifi signal is strong enough at the locations where you plan to position these cameras.

[pc2k17]

The specs on the arlo website say:

How does it connect to the cloud?

Q = WiFi

Q Plus = WiFi, Power over Ethernet, Ethernet

There doesn't appear to be a hub. It appears to connect directly to your router via wifi (as well as Ethernet on the Plus)

[Streak2 · Accepted solution]

No hub/base for the Q range. It connects directly to your wifi for the audio/video and is plugged into mains or via ethernet for it's power.

[Courtneybags]

Originally two Qs are $349 so getting a little bit of a deal and still cheaper than the Pro.

My WiFi is definately strong enough to connect to these devices where I will have them set up. If they only need to be plugged into an outlet then im golden.

[Courtneybags]

Perfect!

this answers all my questions!

Q IT IS!

Thank you all so much!

[jguerdat]

I find the motion detection for the Q to be much better than 25 feet for people. YMMV.

[DaveWoj]

Yes. That is definitely true. I was easily getting motion from 35 to 50 feet away