Arlo|Smart Home Security|Wireless HD Security Cameras
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ad9i3f
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setUp:

vmb4000r3, 5 original Arlo pro (came with base) cams (and 2 newer 1080p essentials) + video AVD1001 doorbell.

 

Example 1: (video in color)

https://my.arlo.com/#/viewShared/A69E81575816F66A_202103

 

Example 2: (video NOT in color - well it appears NOT in color)

https://my.arlo.com/#/viewShared/9ABE57679CA19391_202103

 

I just noticed this happening. 

It seems random - night vision is on - I have not changed any settings for any part of the system.

I have the latest firmware - the latest software - and i use android and iOS

 

Can anyone help with this? 

Night vision IS on - and @ night - I can see the little red light on the doorbell - IS on

This is consistently inconsistent - happens one time in "color" - then the next "dark" like in the video - then back to "color"

When i look in real-time - its never "color" - its "dark"

 

Suggestions?  

 

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jguerdat
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To be clear, night vision means turning on the IR LED when the ambient light is too dim. The camera itself switched between daytime (color) and nighttime (B&W) based on internal sensing of light levels. I would suspect that the ambient lighting is at the threshold of the camera switching. Increasing the ambient light would help force the camera to remain in color so a next-brighter lightbulb for the ceiling fixture may be the cure.

ad9i3f
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thank you for the reply: 

 

so to be clear ... i have never adjusted the light that you see in the camera hanging from the ceiling on the porch - that is also the same bulb from the installation of the doorbell... i have always noticed that the IR light has ALWAYS been on (the red light on the cam) @ night time ... 

 

i have examples of it in color and then less than an hour later - its in B&W (always @ total darkness beyond the porch) and When i go live currently it is NOT in COLOR except the daytime ... so are you suggesting I make the light brighter on the porch - and that will solve this? 

 

If you are - i can try - but i do not understand why increasing the brightness would all of a sudden make a difference when this issue just started happening.

 

Thanks - i look fwd to you thoughts and suggestions

 

 

jguerdat
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It's hard to say whether putting a brighter bulb in the fixture would help - you have to test to see whether it does. The camera has to have adequate light to be able to record in color but if the light changes for some reason the threshold in the camera firmware may be right on the edge and toggle between color and B&W. AGain, testing is needed on your part.

ad9i3f
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thanks for the response --- i understand fully what you are saying and yeah - I would need to test...however - nothing has changed in regards to the light or anything physical on the porch where the cam is - so im having a hard time with the changes that are occurring. Im almost convinced @ this point - to take the cam back and get a replacement ... 

 

i DID up the light brightness to 100% last night and played with the settings - but nothing made the cam change back to the way i 100% know it was working up until recently. 

 

I do realize a firmware upgrade could have happened - but currently there are no updates.

 

I will continue to test and mess around but because I know this just started - im starting to think the cam is maybe going "bad" 

 

any more thoughts? 

Thank you

 

jguerdat
Guru Guru
Guru

Nope. A different camera may well have a somewhat different threshold for switching between color and B&W but that could go either way...

 

BTW, changing brightness in the camera video settings won't change a thing for this threshold. You would have to change the ambient brightness to make a difference.

ad9i3f
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Thanks again for your reply.

I wanted to make sure i was clear about playing with the brightness -- i meant i played with the porch lightbulb brightness - not the doorbell camera brightness - i didnt touch that.  its a smart home wi-fi lightbulb with adjustable settings - thats what i adjusted - the porch lightbulb - no change to the camera was made as far as brightness ... the camera was not affected by this light bulb brightness change. 

 

also - i have another camera that came with the original base system (much older cam) that sits right above the door hidden from view - its always in "color" when live or recording @ night... 

 

again - this doorbell cam just started doing this - it has never done this and ive had it about 10 months. Im SUPER OCD about the security system - so thats why this has my attention all of a sudden

 

Thanks

 

 

 

Retired_Member
Not applicable
I am having the same issue. All of a sudden there’s no night color from doorbell. Nothing has changed with my ambient lighting or the camera’s settings. I’ve even uninstalled and reinstalled. Did you figure anything out? Customer service with Arlo is awful!
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