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Mkword · ‎2024-10-29

1) When you set rules for a camera and turn on Motion Detection there is no ability to set the sensitivity of the Motion detection or recording length.

2) So — you need to Add Action>Customize Device>select device>Customize> and then select either Motion Sensitivity or Record length.

Both of those sliders have a toggle switch beneath them that is labeled “Permanently Apply Action.”

The problem is that toggle switch is always grayed out and is not changeable.

It would help me enormously to create some slightly complicated scheduling if there was a way that I could be able to toggle that switch OFF.

Anyone have any info on how to do that?

I’m not even sure why those toggle switches are even there if you can never use them! 🤷‍♂️

@JamesC or any other Arlo moderator/support person have an answer?

StephenB · ‎2024-10-30

@Mkword wrote:

1) When you set rules for a camera and turn on Motion Detection there is no ability to set the sensitivity of the Motion detection or recording length.

That is because those are in the "Default Mode Settings" area of the camera settings.

@Mkword wrote:

2) So — you need to Add Action>Customize Device>select device>Customize> and then select either Motion Sensitivity or Record length.

Both of those sliders have a toggle switch beneath them that is labeled “Permanently Apply Action.”

The problem is that toggle switch is always grayed out and is not changeable.

Yes. FYI, it is not grayed out with the new wired floodlight camera. But I agree it should be available on all cameras.

FWIW, I took this behavior into account when I suggested experimenting with adjusting the camera motion sensitivity for your porch cameras.

Mkword · ‎2024-10-30

Hey Stephen,

The details of what didn’t work for your Standby Add Action sensitivity modification is very simple.

First - for the 9am Schedule to change mode to Standy - I added Actions to the Porch cameras to reduce sensitivity to 1.

Then I added a Schedule at 11am to Add Action to just Porch camera to increase sensitivity to 80.

Then I added a Schedule for 9pm to Add Action to Porch Cameras to reduce sensitivity to 1 again.

I left the original 2am Schedule to change mode to Arm Home. As I figured in that mode it was unnecessary to make any modifications to sensitivity.

The problem is also simple. During the Scheduled periods when the Porch cameras have sensitivity reduced to 1 they did detect motion and recorded/notified. I thought maybe they were a little less sensitive — but honestly they seem to operate very normally with normal sensitivity.

My one last thought is to find a way to access the default settings for the Standby rules — or the cameras themselves — and set that to the lowest setting to see if that might help. But I think the better solution would be to have the capability to disable the “Permanently Apply Action” switch.

But I’m theorizing at this point.

If you see any error in my set up as you suggested let me know. Thanks!

StephenB · ‎2024-10-30

@Mkword wrote:

But I think the better solution would be to have the capability to disable the “Permanently Apply Action” switch.

Why are you thinking that? While I agree it would be better to be able to turn that feature on/off, it only updates the default mode setting to the value in the automation (or mode).

That shouldn't affect the issue with the camera still recording when you've changed the setting to 1.

@Mkword wrote:

During the Scheduled periods when the Porch cameras have sensitivity reduced to 1 they did detect motion and recorded/notified.

Do you also have audio detection enabled for those cameras?

Maybe try removing the automations, and just set the sensitivity in the default mode for the camera to 1. Then see if you still get recordings.

@Mkword wrote:

I left the original 2am Schedule to change mode to Arm Home. As I figured in that mode it was unnecessary to make any modifications to sensitivity.

Since you can't disable the permanent setting, you should modify all three modes to set the sensitivity to 80 for these two cameras.

Mkword · ‎2024-10-30

Sorry Stephen — just two last quick questions:

I’m trying one last attempt to modify the Standy schedule approach by altering the camera sensitivity.

Failing that — I will likely revert to your original suggestion to use all three modes to be able to make a separate set of schedules for the Front Porch cameras.

My one last question concerns your mention that in this scenario when I leave the house and want to use Arm Away to activate/arm all cameras when leaving the house — I’ll need to disable 3 of the 4 schedules.

1) Do I disable those schedules on the Arm Away menu at the bottom?

2) Couldn’t I simply disable all schedules when leaving the home? Since all I want is to have all cameras armed/active and the rules for all the cameras should be for record/notify in this mode — seems like simply disabling all schedules should put all cameras in the active mode once I choose Arm Away once leaving the house.

Thanks again!

StephenB · ‎2024-10-30

@Mkword wrote:

1) Do I disable those schedules on the Arm Away menu at the bottom?

No, as that will disable the schedule automations whenever you are in "Arm Away". Once you go into that mode at 2 am, the schedules will stop working.

@Mkword wrote:

2) Couldn’t I simply disable all schedules when leaving the home?

That was what I suggested. (Though you only really need to disable the ones that trigger Arm Home and Standby).

Mkword · ‎2024-10-30

I’ll try that — and if desired results don’t produce desired effect I’ll experiment with some options.

If nothing works then I may revert to your original suggestion of using all three modes. And you see I have a couple simple questions as to disabling schedules when leaving the house and putting the system in Arm Away.

Mkword · ‎2024-10-30

Sorry — but this is confusing me.

When you first suggested using all three modes with Arm Away being the mode that was activated for the overnight 2am-9am schedule you then said when I left home and used Arm Away to arm all cameras I needed to disarm Schedules 2-4.

Then the schedule automations you need are
Schedule 1: At 2 am switch to Arm Away
Schedule 2: at 9 am switch to Standby
Schedule 3: at 11 am switch to Arm Home
Schedule 4: at 9 pm switch to Standby
One drawback here is that when you go away you'll want to manually disable schedule 2,3,4 so that all the cameras stay armed. That is not that difficult, but not something you can automate.

So when you say “no” do you mean can’t disable the scheduled at the bottom of the Armed Away menu and need to disable them another way?

No, as that will disable the schedule automations whenever you are in "Arm Away". Once you go into that mode at 2 am, the schedules will stop working.

Or are you saying — yes that’s where you disable schedules but NO if you only disable the 3 schedules the 2am schedule will prevent the cameras from being armed?

Which doesn’t make sense to me since 2am is the schedule to enter Arm Away. Since I will be away from home in this scenario, I’m not sure why it matters if those other schedules are disabled. The goal when I leave home is to have all cameras active all the time.

That was what I suggested. (Though you only really need to disable the ones that trigger Arm Home and Standby).

Just to be clear in your original proposal you said “when you go away you'll want to manually disable schedule 2,3,4 so that all the cameras stay armed.”

I’m sorry for not being able to easily understand. Say I left the house at 10am for 2-3 days and the system at that point is in Standby. I manually change to mode to Arm Away and disable schedules 2-4, but leave 1 (arm at 2am) enabled. You’re saying that this then arms all cameras — but at 2am something goes wrong? The other schedules won’t run? But during this time I don’t want the other schedules to run.

So — unless I’m wrong — it sounds like if I leave the house for 6 hours or 6 days — if manually select Arm Away and deselect all schedules — all cameras should be armed/activated all the time 24/7.

And when I return I just re-enable the schedules and manually select the mode that is appropriate for the time of day/schedule.

Hopefully that makes sense. I’ve tested this earlier by altering the 2am schedule to a time I could monitor and everything seemed to keep working fine.

Thanks as always.

StephenB · ‎2024-10-31

@Mkword wrote:

Sorry — but this is confusing me.

When you first suggested using all three modes with Arm Away being the mode that was activated for the overnight 2am-9am schedule you then said when I left home and used Arm Away to arm all cameras I needed to disarm Schedules 2-4.

Then the schedule automations you need are

Schedule 1: At 2 am switch to Arm Away

Schedule 2: at 9 am switch to Standby

Schedule 3: at 11 am switch to Arm Home

Schedule 4: at 9 pm switch to Standby

One drawback here is that when you go away you'll want to manually disable schedule 2,3,4 so that all the cameras stay armed. That is not that difficult, but not something you can automate.

Correct. While you can also disable schedule 1, it isn't necessary because it switches you into the mode you are already in.

@Mkword wrote:

Sorry — but this is confusing me.

When you first suggested using all three modes with Arm Away being the mode that was activated for the overnight 2am-9am schedule you then said when I left home and used Arm Away to arm all cameras I needed to disarm Schedules 2-4.

Then the schedule automations you need are

Schedule 1: At 2 am switch to Arm Away

Schedule 2: at 9 am switch to Standby

Schedule 3: at 11 am switch to Arm Home

Schedule 4: at 9 pm switch to Standby

One drawback here is that when you go away you'll want to manually disable schedule 2,3,4 so that all the cameras stay armed. That is not that difficult, but not something you can automate.

So when you say “no” do you mean can’t disable the scheduled at the bottom of the Armed Away menu and need to disable them another way?

No, as that will disable the schedule automations whenever you are in "Arm Away". Once you go into that mode at 2 am, the schedules will stop working.

Or are you saying — yes that’s where you disable schedules but NO if you only disable the 3 schedules the 2am schedule will prevent the cameras from being armed?

Which doesn’t make sense to me since 2am is the schedule to enter Arm Away. Since I will be away from home in this scenario, I’m not sure why it matters if those other schedules are disabled. The goal when I leave home is to have all cameras active all the time.

Sorry for the confusion. Disabling the schedule automations in the Arm Away mode and manually selecting Arm Away would work. Then of course you'd need to re-enable those automations in the Arm Away when you come home.

I was thinking you were asking if you could disable those automations permanently in Arm Away - which won't work.

Mkword · ‎2024-10-31

Ah! Got it!

No, I did understand that I needed to re-enable those schedules/automations upon returning home.

Since my Standby modification isn’t working out it looks like I’ll be going with your original suggestion. Thanks so much for taking so much time to help me! Don’t think I would’ve figured it without your input. And support unfortunately was not helpful.

If I can quickly indulge you with one last question — if I decide to use the geofencing Leave/Arrive for Arm Away during trips from home — if I list two specific users in Leave and Arrive — does the mode change to Arm Away when BOTH people leave the zone? Or when either one does? And vice versa for Arrive?

Thanks!

StephenB · ‎2024-11-01

@Mkword wrote:

if I decide to use the geofencing Leave/Arrive for Arm Away during trips from home — if I list two specific users in Leave and Arrive — does the mode change to Arm Away when BOTH people leave the zone? Or when either one does? And vice versa for Arrive?

That is the default (and is almost always what people want). But there are other options you can configure. Of course the app is really tracking is mobile devices, and not people. (One consequence is that you can use the same account credentials on both phones).

If you have the app installed on other devices (for instance, tablets), you want to make sure they are removed from the available geofencing devices. You probably will want to go into the "available geofencing devices" anyway, and make sure the phones aren't duplicated, and have unique names. You'll find that them in the privacy center (select accounts on the tab at the top)

https://kb.arlo.com/000062614/About-the-Arlo-Privacy-Center

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