What exactly does motion sensitivity do?

[AJ77]

When setting motion detection sensitivity, what is it going off of. Example: if I turn it up the whole way, is it taking more movement to set it off, is it looking at the speed of the movement or is it only picking up large objects moving (like picking up a person and not a small dog)? Also vice versa when set low. This is regarding the Arlo Q.

[AJ77]

I meant to say "taking LESS movement to set it off...

[TomMac · Accepted solution]

Turning the sense level up on the Q does exactly what it says... it makes it more likely to trigger a record event to objects that  can be 1) smaller 2 ) faster

3) wind blown, etc

The Q cams detects changes in the pixels ( what the camera sees )

You settings should be adjusted so you get the response you want BUT don't get false recordings of every bird that flies by....

[AJ77]

So could I potentially make it not pick up my little 20 lb dog but pick up a person? Or is it not that advanced?
Now what about the Arlo Pro Cams. I hear they go off IR? Same kind of thing with sensitivity or totally different?

Thank you so much for your answers!!

[JamesC]

AJ77,

It sounds like you may be interested in a new feature...Arlo Smart... that will be available for Arlo soon. For more information on Arlo Smart, take a look here: What is Arlo Smart and how do I benefit from it?

JamesC

[slojim]

in terms of scheduling and modes, whats the difference between a sensitivity setting of zero and leaving the camera disarmed?  My guess is that maybe at night, the IR lights will still come on and consume power if sensitivity is zero, but not if disarmed.  Im just trying to simplify my schedule, but not at the expense of too many extra battery changes.

[jguerdat]

I'd set up the mode with only the cameras you want operating. Setting the sensitivity to 0 just complicates the mode since any camera without a rule is disarmed and is in sleep mode. That's what you're trying to do anyways so just don't add that camera.

[rottielover]

That sounds a lot like what Sighthound was/is doing, and I LOVE the idea that this is on it's way!!!

I used to use the Logitech Alert system.  The Arlo Pro's are on-par with the old 750 outdoors I had from that system.

I think that is the one thing I miss though, is that I could setup Motion zones and essentially I could mask out part of the image frame to keep the motion detection from triggering on that part of the video.  However if you're going to have object detection ala Sighthound I would be VERY interested in that, espeically if your going to allow me to use Stringify and trigger events based on the object detected!!

[ronocca]

This is a confusing subject for me made so by the graphic on the setting control. "0" shows a person at rest and "100" shows a person running. That implies a "0" setting will detect/trigger on a person at rest and a setting of "100" will only detect/trigger on  a person running very fast. However, the definition of "sensitivity" is the exact opposite. "0" is sensitive to nothing and "100" is senstive to everything.

Using the semantics of "sensitivity"

"0" - a massive object moving very fast not trigger.

"100" - an ant moving very slow will trigger

Using the graphics on setting control

"0" - a small person at rest is detected

"100" - only a large person running very fast is detected. 

Which is it?

[JamesC]

ronocca,

Adjusting the motion sensitivity slider to the right (higher number) will result in increased motion sensitivity. Adjusting to the left (lower number) will result in decreased motion sensitivity.

JamesC

[ronocca]

As I would have expected. Thanks. Now, I can set the sensitivity with the confidence that I'm going the right direction.

[AZDesertGal]

This is all fine and dandy but where do you sent this sensitivity?  I see nothing that even mentions sensitivity.  Maybe it is my computer?  I am using Windows 7.

[jguerdat]

Mode tab, click on your camera, edit your modes or, better yet, create your own custom mode for complete control. All settings are in your modes.