Possible to change camera activity settings outside of modes?

[AvonPat]

Before we upgraded to the security hub, all of my cameras had specific schedules where they would ignore daytime movement for activities like taking the kids to school, etc., then start monitoring in the early evenings. We like to have the cameras active in the evenings and night in order to catch wildlife activity around the house, as well possible intruder activity. 

I've looked at the settings and automations, and I don't see a way to schedule the activation/deactivation of detections, only to adjust device sensitivity. How can I deactivate detections of specific cameras for a given period of time? This is functionality that has been lost with the Security Hub upgrade. (We've also lost the ability to disable our doorbell; all of the other cameras have an enable/disable switch, the doorbell does not. Why is this?)

[jguerdat]

Modes don't transfer to the new interface so you have to use Routines to set up new ones. Modes will allow you to configure the 3 provided modes but you can't add new ones so you have to figure out how to get what you need. Automations allows you to set up a schedule and/or geofencing.

[CaneZMD]

There is no way to do what you’re asking for anymore.   This is a major screw up by Arlo.  There is no way to do it with schedules or automations or any of that. 

Arlo has destroyed the functionality of its cameras with the poorly thought out integration of the security system.  

Further, they fail to admit that it’s a problem.  

[AvonPat]

Yeah, this "upgrade" to the new app and security system is a massive step backward in functionality. Can't schedule detections for the cameras, can't turn off the doorbell at all (WTF, Arlo?), can't batch-delete recordings. I'm about ready to return the security system and reinstall everything from scratch to regain what I had with the cameras I bought, and find another solution for door intrusion and glass-break detection (which Arlo can't support, even though they can hear smoke and CO alarms...) I'm really not impressed with this $400 "upgrade."

[highhopes]

Yup.  I was in the market to upgrade some Arlo cameras, then the neighbor across the street had a break-in.  I decided to try the Arlo Security System because I have 5 of their cameras.

Hey Arlo, because these are battery based systems, they commonly miss the video of the action that triggered them.  Having the ability of two nearby cameras trigger each other on motion was the only way to handle this.  Now that option is gone.

I am thinking they either dropped the ball, or did the math and decided to alienate existing customers.  In either case this is a show-stopper for me.  I am returning this system and will purchase a Ring security system.  Hopefully I can reinstall the old Arlo Protect app and get back my camera automations.

[jguerdat]

Cross-triggering is NOT gone. Edit the rule for a camera and choose Add an Action to do this.

[smndms]

Thanks jguerdat!  I actually found out the same thing after giving it another try.  Was going to post that today.

You have to go into the Routines/Modes and change each camera's (or devices) Rules.  This means you have to do everything for each mode.  For me that is 10 devices!  

I still think arlo made this much harder to do than it had to.  It seems to come from them changing the app from a camera monitoring app to an alarm system.  Then when you try to go back to the old system, you find you cannot.  Even if you don't have the alarm system, you have the new alarm modes.

I will give arlo some credit for the new app being MUCH faster to load recorded clips.  And the dashboard is a nice feature 🙂

[jguerdat]

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@smndms wrote:

You have to go into the Routines/Modes and change each camera's (or devices) Rules.  This means you have to do everything for each mode.  For me that is 10 devices!

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I haven't used cross-triggering in a long time but it strikes me that you had to do the same thing in the old UI, too. There was/is no way to set up any cross-trigger globally or across a few cameras without modifying each appropriate rule.

[StephenB]

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@jguerdat wrote:
it strikes me that you had to do the same thing in the old UI, too. There was/is no way to set up any cross-trigger globally or across a few cameras without modifying each appropriate rule.

Correct.

[highhopes]

Yes and no.  I am still on the fence on if I should keep this system.  I really appreciate your replies as you seem to know about this system and perhaps can give some advice.

The main feature I am missing is the ability to schedule a camera to stay quiet during the day, but at night record motion and notify me.  That was easy to do with the old code with the schedule.

The new system lost that.  All Automations can do is change some camera settings, and change alarm modes on a schedule.  I tried to set the alarm mode to Standby during the day (no recording) and Arm Home for night (recording on).  But in that mode if a door is opened (notifications on, sirens off) the keypad starts beeping and will probably alarm when the timer ends.  In other words, I can get it to do what I want in a limited fashion (two modes, not unlimited), but cannot include the door/water/motion/etc sensors because they will trigger an alarm in Arm Home mode.

I don't want an alarm system as someone is always home.  I just want notifications and recordings.  The only reason to keep this system is for the water/freeze sensors, which I really like.  Unfortunately arlo "upgraded" my app now so there is no going back 😞

Am I missing something, or is that about right?

Thanks again.

[StephenB]

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@highhopes wrote:

But in that mode if a door is opened (notifications on, sirens off) the keypad starts beeping and will probably alarm when the timer ends. 

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Have you tried editing the built-in modes?

[highhopes]

Yes.  That is where I setup the rules for the two modes.  Perhaps this beeping countdown to an alarm is a bug in the software?  If I have the device triggering a Rule for notification, and the "Sirens" option is off, I would not expect the alarm keypad to start beeping in preparation for an alarm.  This only seems to happen for the alarm sensors, not for cameras (thankfully).  Perhaps there is other configuration settings for the alarm keypad device that I cannot find.

I am thinking the only way to have my outdoor cameras sensing motion and recording at certain times of the day is to use the two alarm modes.  If that is true, then we are limited to only two time schedules (I don't want to use the "Arm Away" mode), which is fine by me.  Also, it means I cannot have the door sensors active at all since they will trigger a countdown timer on the keypad.  This means the ONLY benefit to having the Alarm system at all I(for my use) is that I can use the water sensor to notify me of leaks.

Thanks!

[StephenB]

It'd be worth escalating with support, as the keypad beeping bit (at least) sounds like a bug.

I'm tagging the mods ( @JamesC and @ShayneS ), to call their attention to the issues.

[PJT]

There are a few bugs I've found , the cameras trigger off audio when they are not suppose to, when it rains at my place I get all these audio notifications and I have them turned off. I also  get alot of motion notifications outside the activity zones.

All this started with their upgrade push. I'll be moving soon and will be going with a wired system I think.

Can't stand all the false notifications.