Motion sensing distance day and night

[Fizzgig656]

Hello all, I have a few questions, (sorry). I've had my doorbell setup for about 4 days now, couple of days temporarily to find the best spot and then installed it where I finally felt it captured everything I wanted. It is mounted high, nearly 5ft up, slightly pointing down and to the right. I need it slightly higher to see over my car. Generally I found most of the features good, took a day to get my head round things and finding where all the relevant settings where, I wish you could set the incoming call as a different ring tone but that's minor. I would of thought the active zones could of been set at any shape and not limited to horizontal/vertical rectangles, some need to be angled lower one side than the other. Anyway....

But at night I'm not to impressed with the motion activation so want to ask what should be the motion sensing range for the day and night?
Is the day/night range different?
What can I do to improve the motion sensing range?
Can I get a extra IR light or something?
For a premium product at a high price like this, I would of hoped there would be something I can do to improve this!
Thank for your help.

[Fizzgig656]

Also what angle does the sensor project at? As in does it sense motion front the ground level up to horizontal/level with video camera (90deg projection), or a degree angle down?

[jguerdat]

There's no difference in day vs night detection. The detection is via PIR sensor so covers the whole image area (which is why many of us use zones to eliminate the street from detection).  You can define multiple zones to create the non-rectangular area you want rather than a single multi-point zones.

[Fizzgig656]

That's strange then, as the doorbell is now only sensing less than 12ft away. So PIR senses the whole viewing area (180deg horizontally and vertically) of the video doorbell? And what distance should it detect up to in best conditions?
If I understand correctly all the area that the video records is PIR active for motion detection?
The distance is definitely less than the 1st day of "testing" where to install. Only difference now to where is was initially is it's slightly pointing down and to the right.
Please can you let me know.

[Fizzgig656]

I should add to the above, assumption is, if the whole area is set as an active zone.
Thanks

[Fizzgig656]

Not very impressed, had a few hours walking about out side in the dark and only activating 1 in 4 times at best. I can see the ring of led lights slowly pulsing when it detects me but only getting an active alert 1 in 4 times of my test. I've set the motion to be 100% and 50% where 50% was less activations. Originally it was set to 80%(default) not left on 100%.
If the doorbell is registering motion (and slowly pulsing I assume means sensing motion) but I'm not getting a recording or notifications, what's not working? In my test I was walking across the field of view at 10 to 20ft away. Activity zone is the whole area.

Thoughts please. I don't want to send it back, but I'm feeling as if it's not working.

[jguerdat]

I would guess you're using Arlo Smart which is deciding that the subject isn't one of the selections you've made. In Settings, Smart Notifications, deactivate the doorbell for Smart and see if that helps. Does the doorbell have subscription (the trial should be in force)?

[Fizzgig656]

Ok thankyou, ill give that a try, great response as well, cheers.

Ii did have it in smart notifications with all items selected (and has been since installation). so i guess i should still get alerts and notifications, just not labelled as "person" "motion" etc and assume ill now now get the push notification with a captured image of the car or person??

Yes im still in the free 3month trial.

Some of the setting are taking a bit of time to get used to and find. everyone has a different logic as to where they are i guess.

[Fizzgig656]

ok, so i took the video doorbell out of the smart notifications. and it seemed a little better, so ill play with that a bit more and do some more testing, but now ive noticed that my google mini is not charming or anouncing when someone presses the doorbell? Im sure its been working the last few days as my children find it funny to press it each day on the way in (google would anounce but my hone would not ring as its in silent mode).

In the settings of the doorbell i have turned silent mode "on", i have had this on most of the time and google has still be anouning, but now as of today, it will only announce when the silent mode is off? is that how it should work?

I dont see the point in having the phone ringing while at home, but still want to my google mini to announce when someone presses the doordell. so how can i do this, whats the best?. i still want the doorbell to be armed etc as well. Hope that makes sense.

[Fizzgig656]

If anytihng i would of thought the ideal modes would be 3 toggles, turn on/off chimes, turn on/off phone calls, turn on/off notifications.
 
for me the reverse of the current setup would also make sense
when silent mode is on, your mobile gets notifications but no ringing when doorbell is pressed, Google or alexa also chimes.
when silent mode is off, your mobile gets notifications and rings when doorbell is pressed, google or alexa stays quiet?
 
I know i can silent my phone for incoming calls etc, but dont see why i should silent my phone when i onyl want to silent arlo incoming calls when at home.

Also anyone know how to turn off or change the voice (ideally turn off) when someone presses the doorbell and get asked to press again to leave a message.?

[Fizzgig656]

With addition to above 2 replies, I've noticed it's not recording prior to trigger. Is this because the camera is not in smart notifications? I walked round a corner where the camera triggered but I have no footage before I walked round the corner? This is only 2m away from the doorbell?
Thanks. Seems this doorbell isn't quiet what I expected? Would be good to hear the answered to the above too?

[jguerdat]

Deactivating Smart doesn't turn off detection and recording. That's controlled by your modes and rules. 

Given your issues, it may just turn out to be a faulty doorbell. Swap at the store or use the Contact Support link at the bottom here.

[Fizzgig656]

Ok Thankyou for your help. That's a shame though.

[jsaus63304]

I find on my doorbell that the sensitivity is different on cloudy vs sunny days as well as at night.  Seems the brighter it is, the more alerts I get from cars/trucks.