One-story house, where to install now!!

[Baptize]

So I just learned by searching online that Arlo Ultra IR detection would not work from behind a window. Notwithstanding that, the video on the Arlo Ultra shows that the camera detecting and following the burglar from behind the window!!

See it here:

https://www.arlo.com/en-us/products/arlo-ultra/default.aspx

I was planning to install the camera behind the front window of my kitchen because I live in a ranch-style house and I don't want someone to steel the camera!! It's a lot of money down the drain if the camera was stolen. I could have bought a cheaper camera and not worry if stolen.

[jguerdat]

There's a video clip in that link that seems to imply motion detection through glass (prowler outdoors) but nothing that says that what it is. All the other images show the cameras outdoors.

Whether you really need to worry about someone stealing the camera depends on your situation and level of paranoia. Mine have been outdoors for years with no problems. You can use a threaded outdoor mount for extra security and even cobble together a security lanyard to even if unscrewed it's still connected to the house. Plus, any attempt to remove the camera would be recorded. Also, Arlo has a theft policy listed here in the FAQs so you can get a stolen camera replaced.

If you really want/need n indoor camera, use a Q camera which is powered (no batteries) and uses pixel detection so works behind glass.

[Kammfam]

That video is pretty misleading (as is a lot of their other marketing, like "color night vision"). But I think it's possible to have the camera running 24/7 if it's plugged in and if you pay for a more expensive plan, rather than having a motion activated. Maybe that's what they have going on in that video.

[jguerdat]

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@Kammfam wrote:

That video is pretty misleading (as is a lot of their other marketing, like "color night vision"). But I think it's possible to have the camera running 24/7 if it's plugged in and if you pay for a more expensive plan, rather than having a motion activated. Maybe that's what they have going on in that video.

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First off, there IS color night vision - it works fine here. You need to have the built-in spotlight enabled to get this.

The 24/7 recording (aka CVR) isn't the same thing since you don't get notifications. It's useful as a backup to recording to see what happened before and after but you'd have to know where on the timeline to look.

An outdoor camera could be used to trigger the indoor one, if that's of any help.

[Kammfam]

No, there is not color night vision. There is black and white infrared *night* vision, and color recording when your frame is in full light, like when you have the spotlight on. If it was true color night vision (as many other brands of security cameras offer), you would have color without having to have a spotlight.

[jguerdat]

Unless you have an expensive camera with an expensive sensor (one that can gather more photons per pixel than the typical tiny sensors used), the lack of light does not allow color or, if it does, the results are very muddled, grainy and unsatisfactory. Software can be used to help this but can't solve the issue of low signal to noise ratios completely. The addition of light (built-in spotlight, porch lights. etc.) change the equation and allow reasonable color recording in nighttime scenes. I have plenty of videos in color from older cameras without the spotlight due to the external lighting.

[Kammfam]

But that's exactly my point. There are cameras that have sensitive enough sensors to record color in very low light, and Arlo is not one of them. So they are advertising a feature that the cameras don't actually have.

[Baptize]

I'm impressed! Software is good, video quality is good, video at night is also good (I have enough lighting where I installed the camera).

1. I wish the microphone and the sirens were louder. I hear people very good on cellphone but my voice on the outdoor camera is low.

2. I'm not getting a strong wifi signal on the outdoor camera. Is there something I can install between the base station and the outdoor camera to strengthen the wifi signal?

I'm so far very happy with this purchase and the theft policy.

[StephenB]

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@Baptize wrote:

2. I'm not getting a strong wifi signal on the outdoor camera. Is there something I can install between the base station and the outdoor camera to strengthen the wifi signal?

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Not at present.  Options are to move the base or purchase a second base.  Either way you need ethernet to the base.

[Baptize]

Audio detection is sending me lots of notifications. Why do I need audio detection? I'm thinking of disabling it but can't think why do I need to leave it enabled!