Motion Sensitivity Settings when on "Schedule"

[oldkid]

Let me start by saying the layout of the new interface is not user friendly. Having said that, I cannot set any of my cameras sensitivy settings or any settings for that matter when I'm in the "schedule" mode. I don't see any edit pencil icon, it's just the block of time for the schedule.

However, if I go into one of my custom settings and go into "edit mode", I do have the option to change the settings.

In my opinion, and this is based on common sense, but in the Devices tab where it lists all the cameras you have is where you should be able to set the cameras perameters. The Devices tab is almost useless as it only let's you test sensitivity but not set it, it makes no sense.

So can anyone tell me why or how to control my "devices" in schedule mode?

[jguerdat]

It's a scheduler. Why would you expect anything else? The others are modes. I suppose it could be clearer by separating it from the modes but I certainly never confused it with a mode.

[oldkid]

So you're telling me just because it's in schedule mode I shouldn't be able to control the motion sensor or how long it records?

Why not put the control of the camera where it's listed under "Device"?

If you cannot see the flaw in how the system is laid out then there's no use in trying to explain it, but it's fairly evident there's a flaw with the cameras to interface and how much control you have over EACH camera in any given mode.

[Schorschi]

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oldkid wrote:

So can anyone tell me why or how to control my "devices" in schedule mode?

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You don't.

The Scheduler is only to schedule when which mode is to be active, nothing more, nothing less.

The idea is to set up your modes, then schedule them, then forget about them.

If you need to temporarily turn on a different mode, you need to override the currently active Schedule and manually switch to the desired mode.

Once things are back to normal, you reactivate the Schedule.

[Schorschi]

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oldkid wrote:

So you're telling me just because it's in schedule mode I shouldn't be able to control the motion sensor or how long it records?

Why not put the control of the camera where it's listed under "Device"?

If you cannot see the flaw in how the system is laid out then there's no use in trying to explain it, but it's fairly evident there's a flaw with the cameras to interface and how much control you have over EACH camera in any given mode.

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Well, you can argue about bad UI until the cows come home.

Sure, it's not the greatest, but it's all we have right now.

In the December update they reorganized the way rules are embedded in modes. Before, once a rule was set up, it could be reused in multiple modes. They have done away with that now, all rules have to be created from scratch, even if they are identical and used in multiple different modes. Quite a few people have complained about it, and we're hoping we'll get the old one-to-many relationship back between modes and rules.

Netgear is open to suggestions from users and has set up a dedicated forum for just that purpose in the Arlo Idea Exchange. Other users, who support users' ideas increment the Kudos counter of an idea. That way Netgear can gauge interest.

Typically, if you want to control the parameters of a camera, you change them in the rule(s) of the respective mode and then activate that mode. If you need to flip-flop between different parameter settings a lot, create more than one mode and either manually select the desired mode or schedule the different modes accordingly.

For instance, I have a camera that if set to a sensitivity of 93 during the day will cause too many false alerts. At a sensitivty-level of 80, however, it's fine. I use the 93 level at night only. So, I created two modes, one for daylight hours, one for night, and scheduled them accordingly, so that the correct mode is active at the correct time. It's a one-time setup and then "you just forget about it", as I wrote in my other post.

In the meantime, is there anything you're trying to achieve that you can't currently, that we can help you with?

[oldkid]

So since schedule mode is just meant to be "active", which mode sets the recording times and sensitivity to motion? Or are they preset, and if they are preset what are the settings since you can't see anything but a block of time?

The Settings tab on the right side doesn't really do anything. To me Settings should be about setting the camera sensitivities and recording times, in any mode. There seems to be an overlapping of Mode and Settings.

I just want have the ability to control each camera in schedule mode, but all of you are telling me that's not what it's for. I understand what the schedule is for but why not add the editing ability to that mode for each camera, that's all.

[oldkid]

No, at least you understand the problem with the UI.

Don't get me wrong, I love the Arlo system, I have 5 cameras and I rave about them to everyone as it being the best available system. I have had many friends buy it and they love it too.

The schedule thing is just an oversight in my opinion I'd thought I would voice my opinion over. I guess I'm just a control freak, I'll just live with the schedule and hope it records long enough when it's activated by motion at a sensitivity level I can't see or change. I know, I'll stop being a DB.

And could you guys work on getting the delay worked out, that's the only other flaw I notice daily. One camera from side of my house will pick up the postal delivery guy, but the camera I have facing him walking directly in the path of the camera doesn't even come on. What's that about...I have the sensitivity at 100 on that camera, and call in ninja mode since. Right now it's in not picking up motion unless you're driving garbage truck mode.

[Schorschi]

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oldkid wrote:

So since schedule mode is just meant to be "active", which mode sets the recording times and sensitivity to motion? Or are they preset, and if they are preset what are the settings since you can't see anything but a block of time?

The Settings tab on the right side doesn't really do anything. To me Settings should be about setting the camera sensitivities and recording times, in any mode. There seems to be an overlapping of Mode and Settings.

I just want have the ability to control each camera in schedule mode, but all of you are telling me that's not what it's for. I understand what the schedule is for but why not add the editing ability to that mode for each camera, that's all.

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Ah, I think you haven't grasped the concept of modes, rules and the schedule yet. It's actually quite logical and makes sense once you "get it". This is beyond UI now, just the concept of rules and modes.

Here's how it works:

1. Only one mode (or the schedule) can be active at any given time.
2. All programming is done via modes, the rules inside them and the schedule. Forget about Settings to do programming.
3. If you were happy with the default modes (Armed=all cameras on, and Disarmed=all cameras off) and wouldn't mind manually activating them, you could arm and disarm the system at your leisure. But this gets old fast, and you might want to consider scheduling them, so schedule Armed on the schedule at your desired times, and instead activate the schedule, which will take over activating and deactivating the Armed mode according to your programming, so you don't have to do that any more manually. Btw, not scheduling any mode at a certain time is equivalent to disarming all your cameras.
4. It may be, however, that at certain times you don't want all cameras to be armed, but only a certain subset of them. In that case you have to create a custom mode and in it create rules for it, so that only your desired cameras are on. You then place the mode on your schedule for the desired time(s).
5. Likewise, if you want different variations of sensitivity and recording duration to be active you create a custom mode for that.
6. Basically you need to create a new (or use an existing) mode for each combination of camera activations, sensitivities, recording lengths and trigger-combinations that you want to be active at any given time.

Here's an example:

Let's say you have two cameras, A and B, and you wanted camera A to be on from 8 to 10 AM and camera B from 9 to 11 AM. Note, there is an overlap here. How many modes do you need? Three, because each combination of camera activation that covers the above requirements is

1. Camera A on. (8 to 9 AM)
2. Camera A and B on (9 to 10 AM).
3. Camera B on (10 to 11 AM).

So you create one mode for each of the three combinations above and schedule them accordingly.

[Schorschi]

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oldkid wrote:

One camera from side of my house will pick up the postal delivery guy, but the camera I have facing him walking directly in the path of the camera doesn't even come on. What's that about...I have the sensitivity at 100 on that camera, and call in ninja mode since. Right now it's in not picking up motion unless you're driving garbage truck mode.

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Hm, that shouldn't be happening. Try removing that camera from the system (Settings->Devices->[Desired Camera]-> Remove Camera). Open the battery compartment of that camera for a few minutes, then synchronize it again with the base station. Test it, if it reacts to motion, before mounting it again. If it doesn't, you may have a defective camera.

Also, it is a known issue that motion that is expected to come head on towards a camera is not picked up very well and/or very, sometimes too late. Try repositioning the camera such that the expected motion occurs from left to right or right to left through the whole frame.

If that doesn't work for you, and you have that other camera by the side of your house picking up on motion, create a custom mode in which you add an extra rule that records on the head-on camera when the side-of-the-house camera picks up motion. So, you'll have two rules that get triggered by the side-of-the-house camera. The first rule will cause the side-of-the-house camera to record, the second rule will cause the head-on camera to record.

[JTP1]

You would think that if the Devs made the Schedule Mode that it was because people wanted to only use their cameras during certain times. 

I only want my Arlo cams to record during certain hours, thats it. 10 pm through 7 AM. I put my camers out in the driveway out of site during the night to catch would be car break in people. Its great because they can be placed very close to my vehicles and the robber wont see them until its too late. In the morning I put them up so no one will see them during the day. 

The Devs should have also determined that at those specific times that a customer would want the cameras to be "armed" and record that they also might want the LONGEST POSSIBLE VIDEO RECORDINGS> NOT JUST 10 SECONDS

Just a very bad oversite. Will wait and see if its a failure for them to follow up and fix their mistake. 

My Drop Cams kick ass while the Arlo cams do nothing all day. Maybe I should ask Nest if they plan on making a battery powered and wired version outdoor camera. 

[Schorschi]

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JTP1 wrote:

You would think that if the Devs made the Schedule Mode that it was because people wanted to only use their cameras during certain times. 

I only want my Arlo cams to record during certain hours, thats it. 10 pm through 7 AM. I put my camers out in the driveway out of site during the night to catch would be car break in people. Its great because they can be placed very close to my vehicles and the robber wont see them until its too late. In the morning I put them up so no one will see them during the day. 

The Devs should have also determined that at those specific times that a customer would want the cameras to be "armed" and record that they also might want the LONGEST POSSIBLE VIDEO RECORDINGS> NOT JUST 10 SECONDS

Just a very bad oversite. Will wait and see if its a failure for them to follow up and fix their mistake. 

My Drop Cams kick ass while the Arlo cams do nothing all day. Maybe I should ask Nest if they plan on making a battery powered and wired version outdoor camera. 

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Sounds like you haven't discovered all of Arlo's functions yet. All you describe above can be done with Arlo. Recording durations can be set between 10 and 120 seconds.

You must create custom modes, in which you define rules, in which you specify the motion sensitivity setting and recording length of each camera.

Once a mode is defined you place it on the schedule to be active only during the times you want it to. When creating a new time window for a mode in the Schedule, note that you cannot span it across midnight in one go. You have to define one time window from 10 PM to midnight, then create another and schedule the same mode from midnight to 7 AM.

There are several articles in the forum that explain how to work with modes, rules and the schedule. Use the forum search. In fact, in this very thread a few postings up I provide basic instructions on how to program your modes and rules. If you still need help, get back with more details on what you're trying to do and we'll help.

[JTP1]

"Once a mode is defined YOU PLACE IT ON THE SHEDULE to be active only during the times you want." 

I get and have "discovered" all of the other Arlo functions that you mentioned. 

Would nice to "discover" how to PLACE THE CUSTOM MODE on the schedule. 

[JTP1]

I set two seperate record times in SHEDULE MODE to cover 10:00 pm through 11:59 pm and from 12:00 AM through 7:00 AM. Pretty easy to "discover". 

THERE IS NO OPTION TO ADD THE CUSTOM  MODE THAT I CREATED WHERE I ADJUSTED THE RECORDING LENGTH TIME FOR ALL OF MY CAMERAS TO MY SCHEDULE. 

The only option avaliable in SCHEDULE MODE is to add another time frame. 

Please advise. 

[JTP1 · Accepted solution]

GOT IT FIGURED OUT. 

CLICK ON THE TIME FRAME IN SCHEDULE MODE THAT YOU CREATED. A NEW SMALL WINDOW OPENS. 

CLICK ON THE ARROW TO THE FAR RIGHT OF  "ARMED"

A DROP DOWN MENUE THEN SHOWS THAT YOU CAN CHOOSE THE NEW MODE THAT YOU CREATED

THEN SET THE TIME TO MATCH YOUR "SHEDULED TIME" FOR THAT MODE TO APPLY. 

NOW YOUR NEW MODE (TO RECORD VIDEO LONGER IN MY CASE0 IS APPLIED TO YOUR SCHEDULED TIMES. 

SORRY BUT ITS JICKEY HOW THIS IS SET UP

[oldkid]

@JPT1 I use to use the DropCam but I got sick of paying for cloud service I never used, plus it's only indoors and the outdoor third party attachement is a PIA and not worth the price and hassle. I will say that the DC Pro has the best video quality I've ever seen in a security camera, and Piper being the worst. Another thing that sucked about the DC Pro was the lousy motion sensor, it would pick up clouds rolling by, or a shadow on the driveway.

Arlo is the closest thing to perfect so far, but I know it can still be improved upon in so many ways...but I'll only use Arlo, for now. So if they want to keep selling new cameras in the future they better step up their game. But for now nobody I know of comes close to Arlo.

And if Arlo starts charging for cloud service, I'm selling my system the same day that's announced. In case you're listening Arlo execs.

[JTP1]

Its been a Love Hate relationship wiith Drop Cam for sure. Cams are great, app has been great, but the annual cost of the cloud storage is a real issue and not being able to put one outside is a problem. Just last Friday night I caught someone around my vehicles in my driveway on Drop Cam but since it was dark and the camera was shooting through a 2nd story window I could not get a good look at who it was. They fortuantely didnt do anythingi to our vehicles!

I had researched prior and liked the Arlo cams the best. I hit the internet and found the 3 camera Arlo sytem at Sams for $399.99. Saved 45 bucks over everywhere else which paid to renew my Sams Club membership plus I had them in hand in about 45 mins. Ive been running all three cams outdoors for the past few days and so far so good. Got Shedule and Custom Mode to work together now so I am almost there. 

I want to be notified and clearly see someone BEFORE they are in my house not after. Drop Cam is great for monitoring from the inside out a window during the day but as mentioned almost useless for shooting clear video out of a window after dark. 

I caught a cleaning person in my office which is located in an office building up to no good one evening. He came in my office, turned on the light, and started going through my stuff. I immediatly called security at the building and they went right up to my office. Within 10 mins of me getting the notice that someone was in my office, down loading the video, and emailing it to the building manager the person was escorted off of the property never to return. 😉 NICE. I figured that the cost of the storage just paid for me not loosing my stuff that one time. Again, indoors is great but outdoors is pretty much useless. 

After extensive research I am optimistic with the Arlo sytem. Its raining today otherwise I would be out dialing in my motion sensitivity for day time use. I will continue to run my Drop Cams until my subscription runs out and evaluate their future from there. Im pretty sure that Nest is going to loose a few customers if they dont reduce or eliminate the cloud storage fee and come up with an outdoor version. Im probably going to be one of those customers. Battery cost over the next year and relaibility with Arlo will tell the tale. 

I found a smoking deal on 20 of the exact same OEM Panasonic CR123A Industrial Lithium Batteries on eBay for $29.90 with no tax and free shipping. Amazon wanted $8.50 a piece for the same battery, OUCH! Since Arlo put these in the cams to begin with I figured that they used the best possible battery so I grabbed them. Were a little more pricy, about $12.00, to some of the other batteries that I have seen mentioned on here but I figured why not spend the exta dough to get the same exact battery and best possible performance. 

Will see what kind of run time I can get from the first set that came with the cams and go from there.  Will use up what I just bought and see how they do. Would be nice to switch over to rechargables next battery purchase once its determined which rechargables work the best. Have seen a bunch of testing going on here and will wait and see what battery "wins". 

[Sccabindad]

can't figure out how to adjust sensivity of 1 camera.  Help please!!!

[jguerdat]

Mode tab, click on your base, and edit your modes. The sensitivity settings are in your rules for each camera.