Camera tinted red / pink

[Skylane]

A week ago 1 of my 2 Arlo cameras shows a red/pink image. I tried pulling the batteries to reset it but that had no effect, still looking at a tinted image.

Am I missing something? Is it possible I messed up some setting somewhere?

[mrbrock72]

I have been dealing with the pink tint on 3 of my cameras for more than 6 months until I found this thread last night. The fix that is listed in this thread without having to contact support is to simply turn your camera upside and enable the invert image option under video settings. You may also need to open\close the battery door to power cycle the camera. So far my images are all normal! The only minor problem is that the image points up a little higher than before. I do not use any of the mounts. My cameras are all just magnetically stuck to metal posts around my house. So I will now need to use some of the adjustable mounts so that I can point the image down again. Thanks for sharing your fix! Gotta love google! I bought my system back in 2015 so I doubt my warranty is current and support probably would have told me I was SOL.

[BobW_NC]

Just bought the three pack from Sam's yesterday, and installed one of them. Did lots of playing last yesterday and last night. This AM, got up and decided to look at the camera. Pink / red video as others describe. Me thinks, huh.. that's wierd. Googled it and found these threads. I guess it's pretty common.

Tried setting night mode off and back on. No change. So went outside to go get it, and the tech in me took over. I happened to leave the camera in "no night vision" mode after trying to fix it. Brought it inside and figured that if it was "stuck" and someone else mentioned that their kid got the filter to change by smacking the camera, maybe I could "un stick" it by doing the same.

Smacking the camera isn't necessary. Kind of holding the camera around the outside, and doing a "wrist flick" almost like you were going to throw it will make it change modes - depending on position when you do this, it might go filter in or filter out. The filter is kind of a magnetic latching deal since they can't draw current all the time to hold it. And here's the interesting part. If you you have it set for no night vision, it will stay in that mode - filter or no filter - no matter what the lighting condition is. And.... if the filter is in night mode, and the camera is in light - so it doesn't try to enable night mode with IR at that point - it will stay in night mode. Put the camera in the dark, and on comes IR. Put it in the light, IR off, and filter goes to day mode. Camera now switches normally. While it's in this mode, and if you are out in the sun, it actually does the infamous "see through plastics bags, etc" thing.

So, the whole "batteries out, reset, whatever" routine seems to me to be because of a firmware problem, not a hardware problem. They don't say to smack it or anything to "fix" the stuck hardware. Rather, the camera goes and probably cycles the filter to get it in a known position. It appears to me that the camera "forgets" what position the filter is in. So, motion detected at night, and IR filter in night mode. Daylight hits, and you go look at video. No motion detected during day yet. Camera wakes up and forgets it's in night filter mode, and filter just stays where it's at. It's probably some odd sequence like night motion, long sleep, and It appears to me that the camera "forgets" what position the filter is in. look at video at crack of dawn with no motion to make camera switch - or something like that. I have no clue. Just saying my sequence of events. 

I have found that if the filter is in night mode, and the camera "knows" it, and you set no "night vision", It puts the filter in day mode. If the camera has the filter in "night mode", but doesn't "know" it - because you've gotten it there by flicking it, or as I'm thinking, it "forgot", it doesn't pulse the filter. Maybe it needs to pop it whether it thinks it needs to or not. The filter assembly has no feedback to the camera, so the camera has to "guess" what position it's in. It probably just changes polarity with the pulse to put it in one mode or the other. 

And, no. I've disassembled nothing.

IR Filter and lensIR filter alone

[manfredz]

happens to me about once a month to one of my 4 cams (different ones).  i've found opening battery cover/reclosing does the trick.  Once I had to do one cam twice before worked.  Fortunately my cams all readily accessible.

[BobW_NC]

if it happens again - maybe you've done this - while it's pink, and it's light out, cover the front of the camera completely so it thinks it's dark, and it's seen motion. Listen to see if the filter clicks - either when you cover it, or when you get away and it sees light again. Also, if you can see it, are the IR leds on when you uncover it?

[jguerdat]

Actually, the night vision setting is soley for allowing the IR illuminators to be turned on. It has nothing to do with when/how/whether the IR filter is moved. Any appearance of it doing so is coincidence which can be proven by using a different camera.

Also, I suspect the movement is done by a small solenoid.  A magnet would require too much effort to overcome and would still need something to move the filter.

[BobW_NC]

 I have to disagree with you on the night vision function. It controls both the IR leds and the IR cut filter.

You can prove it for yourself:

Live view. put your finger over the ambient light sensor for IR switchback. This is the clear part to the left of the motion sensor. While holding your finger there, cover the lens until you hear the click of the filter. Uncover the lens while continuing to block the ambient sensor. If you can see it, you'll see dim glow of the IR leds - not IR that you see, just out of band emission from the leds.

Now, on the app, click settings, you'll see the leds turn off because camera is no longer active. You don't hear the click of the filter switching because they probably assume it's still dark out, so why waste battery switching every time. Go to night vision. Wait as long as you like, but as soon as you turn off night vision, you will hear the click of the IR filter being put in path. If you like, you can actually see it happen if you look in the lens with backlight behind you - like an outdoors window.

In the end, I still think this is the result of a firmware bug where it forgets to put the filter in path because it's light outside now.

You are right about the method of motion being a solenoid. It's really weak, and it latches in the last position. In or out depends on polarity of DC last fed to it.

Different form, but some explanation of how it works.

http://www.cctvcameramodule.com/product/mechanical-ir-cut-filter-m12-lens/

Heres what's actually in the camera:

Filter in pathFilter not in path

[BobW_NC]

Ok. Second morning in a row.

Motion detection events last night while dark, and a live view last night while dark, and night vision enabled.

This morning, I went live view at about 7:30 local time prior to any motion events while light out. Picture pink.

I went outside, and covered face of camera with hand - to simulate dark - and removed hand. Heard click, and picture went normal.

This is with a different camera than yesterday's inital discovery of issue.

[manfredz]

since this morning one of my cams went pink, I tried your trick - didmt help.

Opened battery cover and reclosed and all back to normal.

[BobW_NC]

Whatever the cause of this or the other issues is, Netgear needs to get on top of it. I bought these Saturday, and immediately had the pink video issue. It's clear from the responses I've gotten in addition to other posts here and on other sites that this is a common problem. I went down the path of trying to determine a cause for it. Then there's the issues of not sending video for multiple other reasons. "Reset the controller" or "take batteries out and put back in" is not a reasonable resolution. Power fail and controller forgetting cameras is cute too. Haven't tried that yet, but you'd think they would have included the tape drive or floppy drive for it to restore from if the technology behind this is that old.
This is not for me or anyone else to be playing with like say a Raspberry Pi. It's a purpose built commercial product for use by consumers to help with security. Routinely going inop isn't good.

[jguerdat]

Have you opened a case with support?

[BobW_NC]

"Have I opened a case with support?"
No. Not yet This morning I waited on hold for about 45 minutes, and gave up.

These were bought on Saturday. Monday morning, I noticed first sign of trouble, Disovered that this is a common problem. Other camera did the same thing this AM.

Been on hold for past 25 minutes while typing this.
Finally got an answer. Offshore support. All she can do is replace the camera. No way to explain the sequence that I found triggers it. She said she has never actually worked with one of these cameras. I'll go back to Sam's and replace them - much easier.

If nothing else, I'll try the same thing I did last night and this morning. Motion detect then live view while dark. Live view before motion detect first thing in the morning after it gets light out.

Hey netgear support.... I know you read these. How about putting someone on fixing the issue.

[jguerdat]

If you've read through any of the threads on this you'll already know that it's a hardware problem that can only be solved by replacing the camera. This can be done by swapping at the store or by opening a case with support.  The support agent's response that she could replace the camera is the correct answer.  You have the above choices as to how to do that.

[BobW_NC]

Well.... I got transferred to a "tier 2 tech" who actually had a clue about the issue - I pushed send on my prior message maybe too soon.
Right out of the gate, she told me that this is going to be fixed via a firmware update. She didn't know when, but said that they have a fix for it.

In my case, even if I had to replace them, they're going back and I'll get different ones on the spot instead of jumping through the shipping hoops. Replacements don't seem to be the answer since many who have gotten replacements had the same issue after getting them - which makes sense since I now have had it comfirmed that it is due to firmware, and the first thing that happens is you get the same firmware pushed as was on the one you sent back.

[Sugarboss]

We are having many problems getting these cameras to work. One is so cloudy at night it doesn't pick up anything.. Another has a red picture. Overall the night vision is terrible on all. Help...

[steve_t]

Haven't heard of the Arlo Pro having the red picture problem. Could you please post a screenshot or video?

[TomMac]

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Sugarboss wrote:
We are having many problems getting these cameras to work. One is so cloudy at night it doesn't pick up anything.. Another has a red picture. Overall the night vision is terrible on all. Help...

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You're not using them thru windows are you ?

[Sugarboss]

No, not through windows

[Sugarboss]

I don't know how to post a shot from my phone.

[jguerdat]

Use the screenshot feature of your phone to capture an image.  Then upload it here using the Photo icon just above the text box when you're replying.

[Sugarboss]

There is no photo icon. Or upload icon.

[pc2k17]

Hit the reply button......... it's the photos button......... (see screen shot below)

[Sugarboss]

I do appreciate the help. But I don't have that toolbar in or above my reply box.

[pc2k17]

What browser are you using? If your using windows 10 use the edge browser. Works good on this website. If you're using OSX (apple/mac) and the safari browser, try another browser if available.

[Sugarboss]

Thanks. I am using my phone., which is where the picture is. I use arlo with my phone and pad., not a computer.

[pc2k17]

If you have a one drive, or icloud, or google drive account you could upload the picture to one of them, then share the picture, then post a link to the shared picture.