Motion Detection

[AndrewVong]

I just purchased the Arlo Video Doorbell today and installed it with no problems. I had to install it horizontally, however no big deal as i will just rotate my phone to view everything. I am playing around with the motion settings and it is not picking up any motion until the person is right at the bottom of my steps. The camera points on to a street with a sidewalk and i would like it to detect motion on the streets (appx. 30 feet away from my steps), however it is not detecting anything. I set my sensitivity to the highest level (100) and still it picks up no cars driving by or people walking by. I did not set an activity zone. Is this normal? Thanks!

[jguerdat]

Are you changing the motion sensitivity in your modes and rules? The motion detection test just gives you a number to use in your rules and doesn't save/change anything. If you're changing the rules' settings a removal/reset of the doorbell and setting it back up fresh may help.

[StephenB]

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@AndrewVong wrote:

 I had to install it horizontally ...  and it is not picking up any motion until the person is right at the bottom of my steps. 

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The horizontal installation could be part of the problem here.  Normally the PIR sensors in Arlo cameras are set up to be most sensitive to side-to-side motion (entering the field of view).  They are also more sensitive at the bottom than the top.

I'm not 100% certain that they designed the doorbell similarly.  But if they have done that, then your horizontal mounting would make the motion detection most sensitive to vertical motion - entering the (rotated) field of view from the bottom or top.  About all you can do is set the threshold to 100% (as you've already done).

[AndrewVong]

Do you know if they’ll come out with something to correct this? To allow horizontal mounting?

[StephenB]

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@AndrewVong wrote:
Do you know if they’ll come out with something to correct this? To allow horizontal mounting?

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I don't know.  They'd have to add more PIR sensors, and ideally provide a way to physically rotate the camera 90 degrees.

It might be simpler for them to simply make a horizonal model. 

You could post this in the idea exchange.