Camera routines do not work App version 4.12.28637

[Rritch01]

I have four outdoor Ultra 2 cameras that I had on the following schedule:

- Porch camera - 24/7

- Other three cameras only during certain hours

That was hard enough to set up, since the logic was coding logic. I haven’t coded in 30 years. Good thing our daughter had. 

We then bought an Essential Indoor Camera. When we set it up, we were forced to update the app. I didn’t think much about it, until I realized the entire look was different and, more importantly, it had blown out my schedule. 

I’ve started over more than once on the setup. I’ve worked with the Chat text a couple of times. That used to be good and now is horrible. 

I was happy to see that there are sunset and sunup options. That’s what I really want. 

So, here is what I want to do:

- Sunset - all outdoor cameras on

- Sunrise - only the porch camera on

We only activate the indoor camera when we want to see that area, so I don’t need it on a schedule. 

I thought, yet again, that I had it set up correctly yesterday. It changed modes as expected at sunset. It did not change modes at sunrise this morning. 

Please, please, please do not send me to some Arlo page. I’ve used them twice with no luck. 

Any experience/insight would be appreciated. 

Thanks!

[jguerdat]

Maybe screenshots of your schedule automations would help.

Basically, you should just create a new schedule, name it, use sunset or sunrise for When and finally add an action to Change Mode to the appropriate mode for that time period. You'll need to modify 2 modes to be able to pull this off so pick your poison (you can use any of the 3 default modes regardless of their names). One mode will have rules for only your outdoor cameras and the other mode will have a rule for only the porch camera.

Note that you need 2 schedules - one to start at sunrise and the other to start at sunset.

[Rritch01]

Thanks for the quick response. Screenshots attached. Probably something simple...appreciate it!

     

[jguerdat]

I note that the Sunset schedule is disabled - did you do that? I would reenable all options in Always Enabled.

I have on a few occasions seen my automations disabled with no input from me. I never figured out how it happened as well as how I enabled it eventually because I tried too many things. I suppose logging out and back in, rebooting the hub, etc. may be the trick but I can't be specific.

[Rritch01]

Thanks. I think I did what you recommended. See below. 

I did not disable Sunset mode. That is a problem I've had every time I set it up. 

    

[jguerdat]

I see we can disable an automation by going to Add an Action, Enable/Disable an Automation but it requires that you have both schedules and geofencing (Arrive/Leave) set up. I suppose it's worth checking if you do have GF configured. Otherwise I'm no further along than you. I'll tag the mods, too, in case I'm missing something. @JamesC , @ShayneS , @BrookeN 

[Edinburgh_lad1]

@jguerdat How can you screenshots and we can't, until they're approved by the mods to show. I thought you said you didn't work for Arlo. 

[jguerdat]

FWIW, I retired 19 years ago from an east coast chip design company and have no desire to join the rat race again. No, I've never been employed by Arlo or Netgear. Apparently, even though just another user like you, apparently as a "guru" I've been granted certain permissions that others don't have. I can't approve the images - they just showed up for me.

[Rritch01]

I found the solution!

1. Disable everything
2. Ask our wife to try it
3. Don't say anything

If it works like it did with my wife, she has no idea what she did...but it works...

[jenhurley]

I am having a similar issue but it is geofencing with the new app update. My phone is not listed and so geofencing is not working. I have allowed the phone to be seen and location services set to allow always. The system seems to decide randomly which mode to be in whether I am here or not and it goes to standby at night which is not in the settings. Any thoughts?

[Rritch01]

Boy, I wish I could help. I haven't even touched geofencing, other than to set activity zones. We had the same issue with randomly deciding what mode to be in. Neither my wife nor I have any idea what she did different the last time than either of us did any other time we tried to set it up. If it wasn't for the expense, I would swap to different hardware. The app seems set up by software engineers for software engineers. 

I am really sorry I couldn't offer more help!

[jenhurley]

Thank you. I tried a few settings today to see if I could force it to work. Definitely not intuitive or user friendly. I guessed which iPhone was mine in the list - the fact that it doesn't identify the phone by the name of the phone user is a real issue - there are several phones and iPads listed so a process of elimination. QA process before release would have been helpful!