Arlo|Smart Home Security|Wireless HD Security Cameras

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brdoddsjr
Apprentice
Apprentice

Big fan of Arlo so take my comments as problem-solving and not complaints.

 

I have wire-free, wire-free Pros and Qs in my setup.  For the front and back of my condo, I have 2 Qs installed looking out through my windows.  The front is fine because the street is well lit.  The rear is not. I have to turn off night vision because of the glass and lose too much visibility.  I bought a wire-free Ori and ran them side by side for a couple of weeks.  Visibility and image are fantastic, but motion sensing is sub-par.  I have the sensitivity on the Q set to 7 and the sensitivity on the wire-free Pro set to 80.  The Q picks up twice as many detections and easily 4 or 5 seconds sooner.  The Pro has missed cars driving by.

 

Now that I've run these two side by side I am no longer happy with the sensitivity of the wire-free cameras.  Anyone else notice this?  Workaround? Solution?

 

I want to use the Qs outside (in Chicago - hot and cold).  I'm gonna try to weatherproof a Q with an optically pure lens and silicone sealer.  Has anyone done this?

 

Or should I light the back with 950nm infrared and keep the camera indoors?

 

Thanks all,

 

 

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brdoddsjr
Apprentice
Apprentice

Correction above:  I bought a wire-free Pro and ran them side by side for a couple of weeks.

TomMac
Guru Guru
Guru

You are trying to compare apples and oranges....

The Qs use pixels based detection ( changes in picture it sees ) for motion and the Arlos and Arlo Pros use PIR device to pick up motion ( not as sensistive) ....also the Q has a bit of "pre-buffer" so it records about 4 seconds and adds it to the file from the trigger event.

 

You can do a couple things...

Turn up the sense level on the Arlos/Pros as you state it's currently set to 80%

 

Use regular sensor flood light outside ( ir is good but not necessary if well lite ) as also providing light, it is an overt signal to any one thinking of doing bad that they made be noticed ( light is a cheap alarm system ).

 

To the final question, yes, someone has sealed up a Q.... tho it wasn't pretty, it did work.

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GearNetRouter
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

TomMac pointed out the differences well in motion sensing technology. To add to that, don't discount the benefit of continuous recording. That's were non NG solutions come into play. I use my Arlo for special situations such as wanting to focus on certain areas and inability to wire in a solution. But when a serious event goes down I prefer to have a full video of the day. You might complain about hunting for the frames but trust me you want to see all that happened. The Arlo Pro's work fine and I'm happy with them as well. You have to set it up so motion goes across not toward the cam. Mine have not missed anything inlcuding motion beyond the stated range. I know because I compare it to what a continous recording cam picks up.

 

Let us know if the 950 IR illuminator actually works with the Arlo Pros. 

brdoddsjr
Apprentice
Apprentice

Could you expound more on 850 versus 950 nm?  All I know about night vision is from a whitepaper from the LIFX web site.  I would be grateful to hear your thoughts and recommendations. -B

jguerdat
Guru Guru
Guru

It's just what the sensors are sensitive to.  The use of 850nM vs 950 may be due to cost differences as well as quality of the image.  Hard to say without data on all this. Suffice it to say that if you're going to use external IR illumination, choose 850nM since that's what the system is tuned to.

GearNetRouter
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

Neither the 850 nor 950 emit any beam of light like what you would see with a regular light. However, if you stare at an 850 you will see the glow of red LEDs just like you do when you look at your Arlo Pro in a dark room. 850s are used in almost all consumer grade CCTV cams IMO for cost reasons. The 950 however, shows no such glow. In terms of range per dollar you are gonna spend a lot more for 950. Having said that, your Arlo Pro cams are tuned to 850 with the proof being you see red LEDs on them. So the 950 is not likely to work. 

GearNetRouter
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

Neither the 850 nor 950 emit any beam of light like what you would see with a regular light. Its not visble to the human eye. Only the IR cut filter within the cam sees the beam. However, if you stare at an 850 you will see the glow of red LEDs just like you do when you look at your Arlo Pro in a dark room. 850s are used in almost all consumer grade CCTV cams IMO for cost reasons. The 950 however, shows no such glow. You wont be a able to tell its there. That means a thug trying to steal your lawnmower wont see any IR LED glow. In terms of range per dollar you are gonna spend a lot more for 950. Having said that, your Arlo Pro cams are tuned to 850 with the proof being you see red LEDs on them. So the 950 is not likely to work.