Not being able to arm cameras separate from the alarm is a major problem

[CaneZMD]

Like the title says. These should be separate actions and schedules. Say you want the cameras to come on at sunset and the alarm at 10 pm… you can’t do that. The only option is to arm the alarm at sunset OR run the cameras 24 hours a day by arming them in standby alarm mode. Really dumb. 

[ShayneS]

Hey @CaneZMD

Can you provide me with a detailed schedule you would like the various cameras/devices activated and I will work on this for you. This should be possible within 3 combination/routines. 

Thanks 

[CaneZMD]

I would like the following: 

cameras on from dusk till dawn. 
cameras on from 10 am until 3 pm. 

alarm home from 10 pm until 5 am

alarm away from 10 until 3. 

The days work out fine, the nights are impossible with the current system. 

Further, the motion sensors on my cameras used to turn on my drive way/coach lights at night through Apple HomeKit. Now, the cameras only detect motion when the alarm is on. 

[CaneZMD]

Any ideas??

[ShayneS]

I provided the desired schedules to my team yesterday and I will update you as soon as possible. 

Thanks 

[CaneZMD]

Thanks for trying, but based on the delay… I think you guys are finding that what I said was true. 

There is a major flaw in the implementation of the security system.  Adding the security system severely limits the usefulness of the cameras. The cameras are far more configurable without the alarm system. No one thought this through. 

Please fix the app!

Let the alarm and cameras be programmed independently. 

[CaneZMD]

Any updates?

[ShayneS]

Hi CaneZMD

Sorry for the delay, at this time we do not have independent scheduling for the Security system and cameras. You can utilize the various modes to allow for specific cameras/device to remain in a disarmed state or standby. There are various automations you can select for each camera to try and achieve the desired result. You may want to try selecting a specific time vs the sunset automation. 

[AvonPat]

There AREN'T any automations that can turn cameras on/off. There are only automations that adjust device SETTINGS (things like motion detection sensitivity, etc.)

[ShayneS]

Those settings being disabled will implement a camera being disabled (toggled off). When a camera is off it is merely in standby mode and not detecting any motion or responding to any actions or mode changes. 

You can also use the standby mode and add remove actions for any cameras/devices regardless of the mode. 

[AvonPat]

No, it doesn't work that way. Toggling the setting doesn't disable it; it disables the ability to change the setting. I just set the motion detection on my driveway camera to the lowest setting and triggered the automation, and the camera still detected me. There is currently no way to disable a camera via automations. Toggling the setting off in the automation does absolutely nothing.

I don't want to use standby. I want to be able to disable detections for specific cameras for specific times, such as the school morning rush, while leaving other cameras on to detect animals and/or intruders in my back yard. I used to be able to do that. Now I can't.

[CaneZMD]

Shayne,  does Arlo recognize that this is a major problem?? Are there any plans to allow independent scheduling of cameras regardless of the state of the alarm in a future update??

[CaneZMD]

Any updates on this functionality?

[ShayneS]

At the time being there is not a means of operating the separate systems individually. With our new architecture, an entire location has an active mode and the user defines which devices participate in that mode.

You can try creating a new location and managing the devices per location. 

I'm in the works on trying to receive a definitive answer from the appropriate team. I will provide more updates when received.

Thank you 

[ShayneS]

Hey @CaneZMD

I pushed this topic pretty hard internally. I was able to gather this info from the developers. I believe it should help you achieve the desired results you were looking for. I'll paste it below for you:

"User ask

cameras on from dusk till dawn
cameras on from 10 am until 3 pm

alarm home from 10 pm until 5 am
alarm away from 10 am until 3 pm.

User can create the schedules below (and enable them for all modes).

Schedule #1: At 5 am, change mode to Standby

Schedule #2: At dawn, disable cameras (with Customize Device)

Schedule #3: At 10 am, enable cameras and change mode to Arm Away

Schedule #4: At 3 pm, disable cameras and change mode to Standby
Schedule #5: At dusk, enable cameras
Schedule #6: At 10 pm, change mode to Arm Home"

[AvonPat]

Shayne,

There is NO WAY to schedule enabling/disabling a camera via Automations in the new app. The switch doesn't exist. There is no "customize device" setting in Automations. There is only an "Adjust Device Settings," where only thing you can do is adjust Motion Sensitivity, Audio Sensitivity, Recording Duration, or Siren Settings. There is no option to enable/disable the camera anywhere other than manually in the device setting page itself (And that switch is missing on the Wireless Doorbell settings page, BTW.). That's the entire point of this thread. What you and the developers are talking about doesn't exist in the published version of the app. (Arlo Secure Version 4.0.4_28512 on Android).

[ShayneS]

Thanks for the update. I'm continuing to have this looked in to. from everything I am hearing, this capability is a topic for possible implementation. The team is still improving on the new interface and modes etc. I'll be sure to update you as soon as I hear more, I'm still conversing with members of the Dev team. 

[CaneZMD]

Yes, what Avonpat said is completely true. 

There is no ability to do this in the current app. 

Shayne, again, thanks for pushing this… we’re all hoping that it will get resolved soon. 

[dphwnc]

First off - ARLO needs actual in person over the phone support, period.  Second, on this topic, I am so disappointed that I bought and set up ARLO secure, it renders cameras nearly useless.  I am going to cancel the alarm service ASAP, how this could get past engineering and into production is beyond me, this is very basic level functionality.

[AvonPat]

@ShayneS ,

Any news on this front? This is a daily bother. AND, without the ability to batch-delete videos, I have hundreds of videos piling up on a daily basis. Right now, my camera system is worse than useless.

[alexmmartin]

Completely agree here. Support team seems unaware of this issue as well, keep pointing me back to the automation area which doesn't have an action to arm and disarm a camera. Without the ability to schedule cameras or create custom modes and assign specific cameras to the mode the value of the system is drastically decreased.