What is the best add-on motion sensor that will trigger the Arlo Pro to start recording?

[crowl31]

I have just installed my cameras and the motion detection is terrible, so much so that I am considering returning the system.  I have read on numerous pages that people have similar complaints and have requested NetGear adding the that product line.  It would be extremely useful if they did.  

In my research on this topic I see that a lot people have incorporated Smart Things motion sensor into their systems, I started looking into those but before I get to far down that rabbit hole I figured I would ask if anyone else has other options I should consider?   I haven't been able to fully vet that the Smartthing sensor can be used outside.  

[crowl31]

@brh

No improvement, the settings changed instantly

[brh]

@crowl31

Sorry, I thought I was still posting to you when I responded to the other poster.

I will do a little more research and get back to you. Meanwhile, tape over the speaker and see if the notifications keep coming.

Brian

[brh]

@Redmoonstar

Ok, confusion over. Can you post the video to Youtube and give us a link to it? 

There are several problems here, and I don't know if there is a perfect solution. 

Firstly, PIR motion sensors work best when the heat from the object is moving across the face of the sensor, and don't work as well when the object is moving towards the sensor. Thus the range is signifigantly reduced when trying to detect motion coming straight at it. On solution is to try to mount the camera higher, (like on a pole on the verandah's roof if that is possible), and angle it down more so that the object is moving across more of the face of the sensor. The Pro models should have nearly instantant response if the object is moving across the face of the sensor.

Secondly, a human is so much smaller than an automobile, that the heat energy from the vehicle sends out a much stronger signal than the person next to it.

Thirdly, Smartthings does work in Australia but since there are no truly outdoor sensors that work with Smartthings, (besides outdoor sensors easily pick up changes in light of the sun crossing the yard, wind blowing the leaves, etc. that you will get a lot of false triggers), so you have to use a sensor that is really an indoor sensor and put it in some kind of enclosure to keep it weather proof and place it in such a way as to not give too many false positives. The situation is further compounded outside the US as many of the sensors can not be used as they interfere with the equipment that law enforcement and emergency responders use.

I don't know how large your yard is, but you might need to mount the cameras on a pole to get the best results. So that you don't keep having to climb up a ladder to change the batteries, you might need to use the cameras with the Arlo solar panels. 

With the Pro 2 series outside, you can set up Activity Zones which would hopefully block out the cars and pick up people easier, but the cameras must be plugged in to AC power for that feature to work.

Brian

[brh]

@crowl31

I have tested all three of my Pro cameras with several sensors and none of them change the audio settings when triggered by a Smartthings sensor and the speaker and microphone are turned off. I am now wondering if the camera has a defect where the motion and sound are acting together. I think I have read about that problem before, but can't remember where I read it.

Since you don't have another camera to test it with, I am not sure what other tests we can run.

Brian

[brh]

@crowl31

On the Smartthings Community forum I found that this was a bug that was reported last year, but as of yet, there was no solution listed. Many people were having this problem and supposedly Arlo knew about it. I guess that I am lucky.

Anyway, I can't keep my eyes open any longer so I will end this evening with these thoughts. 

First check to see that your firmware for the base and camera are the ones listed in the Release notes. Or I will tell you tomorrow what my firmware is. 

After that, try resetting the camera by  taking the battery out, (and not plugged into AC power), and reinsert the battery. If you were plugged into AC then also plug the cable back in.

If that doesn't fix it then power off the base station for one minute and power it back up. Wait for all the Lights on the base to turn green.

Brian

[brh]

@crowl31

Here is a link to the Smartthings post:

https://community.smartthings.com/t/arlo-pro-integration-bug-seems-to-re-enable-audio-detection/8321...

There were a couple of workarounds mentioned in that post.

It appears like the problem is on the Arlo side, not the Smartthings side and Arlo has known about it since May 2017.

From reading the Smartthings post, I can't tell if it is a software problem or a hardware problem as some people only notice it on certain cameras. Some people notice it on all their cameras all the time and others notice it sometimes, but not all the time.

If I thought it was a hardware problem, I would tell you to return the camera and exchange it. What is strange is that I haven't been able to replicate the problem on my cameras. So, it appears that only certain people are having this problem. What the difference between my system and yours is anybody's guess.

This post is too long, so I am going to try to start a new thread.

Brian

[brh]

@JamesC

I have been trying to help @crowl31 with a problem he and others are having. When Arlo is in the Smartthings Mode, any changes in Smartthings app causes Arlo to reset the saved audio settings in the Arlo app, causing the cameras to send many false notifications. This has been a known issue since May last year and appears not to be fixed yet.

https://community.smartthings.com/t/arlo-pro-integration-bug-seems-to-re-enable-audio-detection/8321...

What is strange is that I have 3 Arlo Pros set up the same way as @crowl31 and I can't replicate the problem on my systems. 

What is the status of this fix? Should he exchange the camera for another one?

Thanks for your assistance in resolving this matter,

Brian

[Redmoonstar]

Thanks Brian,

                       I use a solar panel on one of my camera's as the camera is to high for me to have to charge the battery. We are on a hill and the ground slopes quite a bit and is hard to get the ladder stable for placing the camera's. I'm hoping this works as I don't do you tube. Hopefully the first attachment is Camera 3 that was recorded this afternoon, it picks up my husband coming from the house but doesn't pick up motion coming from the direction of the main road. This is my problem coming from main road it doesn't pick up motion until person is at the shed unless they are walking / driving close to garden. I have placed it on the other side of the shed but then I don't get theshed  doors in the picture. The second attachment is the same camera this mornig at 6.30am and an employee is walking to work vehicles. The 3rd attachment is the other camera no 5 I have it set to record when camera 3 detects motion so it picks up the employee walking to vehicle but not when he gets there and gets in and drives away, this is the problem because if someone tried to steal/ damage the vehicle it won't be recorded. The 4th attachment is camera 5 this afternoon when employee returned and has been set of by camera 3 but it stops before he parks and gets out of the vehicle and walks to his vehicle. I may try setting recording to a set time once it has been triggered by camera 3 but if the person comes up the other side of the driveway there won't be any recordings as it won't pick up the motion. The last one is camera 5 when my husband comes home it is triggered by camera 3 but does record him exiting the vehicle. We live on an acre block and the house is set on the back half of the block, we had a lovely area here until a neighbor down the road hooked up with some not so nice people and we have had lots of trouble around 4.30am hence the camera's. Any advice is appreciated. Monica

https://arlo.netgear.com/hmsweb/users/library/share/link/AC19171F1364F6E9_201803

https://arlo.netgear.com/hmsweb/users/library/share/link/E46C848EAAFE1672_201803

https://arlo.netgear.com/hmsweb/users/library/share/link/DB052192CA40091B_201803

https://arlo.netgear.com/hmsweb/users/library/share/link/22E31F6431D9AC36_201803

https://arlo.netgear.com/hmsweb/users/library/share/link/33D156CB61DDBCAE_201803

[brh]

@Redmoonstar

Success with the videos! Great!

This post has gotten to be too long. Please start a new thread with the title something like Arlo and Smartthings in Australia so that we can reply only to you.

Firstly. though I see that most of the videos are only 16 seconds long. Try setting the record lengths to as long as you can. That will solve some of your problems. I will comment on the Smartthings on the new thread.

Brian

[crowl31]

@brh

So I have some news to report, I set my Arlo app to Armed Mode which is set to record on motion. I don’t have smart things built into that mode however I have the motion sensor triggered via SHM in the smart things app. So my SmartThings sensor triggers the driveway camera to record for 2 mins but it doesn’t change any settings in the Arlo Armed Mode I’m running.

This will work for my set up and give me what I want but doesn’t fix the issue between Smartthings and Arlo app others experience.

[brh]

@crowl31

Great to hear that you have found a workaround to your problem. I was concerned that if it was a hardware problem that you didn't get stuck with a defective camera. Still. you have your 1 year warranty.

Brian

[crowl31]

@brh

Brian - quick question for you.  I couldn't find a simple answer on this from SmartThings.  After I set up my Smartthings hub do I have to leave it plugged into the modem/router with the Cat5 cable or can I pull the cat 5 and just plug it in a different electric outlet without out being hard wired to the modem/router.  It's currently not in the best locatoin of my house and it would be better if place it in a more central location.

I read its best not to leave it next to the router.

[brh]

@crowl31

The hub has to be physically connected to a router, but I think that it can plug into a wireless range extender that has an ethernet port. I recently purchased one from Amazon for under $60 to hook up my second Arlo base station and it is working great.

If you are not experiencing any drop offs from interference, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Brian

[crowl31]

@brh

I'm experiencing my ST Motion sensors going unavaliable.  I was thinking maybe they are to far from my HUB.

[brh]

There is a lot of confusion over at Smartthings this month as Samsung merges its home automation system with the Smartthings system that Samsung owns.

Do not get confused and upload the new Smartthings (Samsung Connect). Stay with the Smartthings (Classic) until you are forced to change as the new app is not fully functional yet.

Brian

[brh]

@crowl31

This is the wifi range extender that I bought.

NETGEAR AC750 WiFi Range Extender (EX3700-100NAS)

Your problem is probably range related, but for now move your hub as far away from the router as the ethernet and power cables will allow.

Brian