Motion detect works, but video does not show anything

[JohnB1947]

Set up a camera last night, enabled motion detection, tested the camera (blinking light worked), and even had several "detects" with emails sent while setting the camera up on my patio.  Middle of the night, camera records a 90 second video, but nothing was shown in the video.  I'm almost positive something set it off (there was other evidence that an animal was present on my patio last night), but nothing in the video.  What could cause a camera to detect motion but not record anything for 90 seconds, assuming that something actually moved in front of the camera?

(camera firmware: 1.3.319, hardware: H7)

[jguerdat]

False recordings or even proper ones happen for a number of reasons. A false recording is usually due to some object emitting or reflecting sufficient IR to trigger the camera. Read the FAQ here on best camera positioning to help eliminate these (don't try to capture eveything, just the real area of concern - streets are usually not needed). Otherwise, the usual issue with a recording that seems to have nothing in it is either something like a fast moving object that has moved out of sight by the time the camera starts recording (a 2-3 second lag is normal due to the way the system works), an insect that crawled or flew over the PIR sensor (I get spiders and moths at night that cause this although I generally get to see at least part of them) or something that may be small enough to be missed on a small screen (I have squirrels and rabbits that sometimes I have to view on a computer to find).

If it happens regularly and you're sure nothing should have triggered the recording, try lowering the camera sensitivity a bit at a time, test and check until you reach the goal you need. The sensitivity is set in your modes and rules, not the motion test.

[JohnB1947]

Thanks for your response, jguerdat.  If a stray IR triggered the camera or a bug crawled or flew across the IR range, it still should have also been triggered by whatever animal came onto my patio last night and ate food from a feeding dish (that was empty this morning, so I know an animal was here last night).  Camera was pointed directly at the dish, which was about 6-7 feet away from the camera, on a concrete patio.  So, even if there was an IR trigger, the camera still should have recorded video when the animal came to feed.  The camera did not trigger when that happened.  So, I was left with only one video of nothing, which I don't understand.

Tonight, I'm setting up two Arlos, both pointed at the feeding dish on my patio.

[jguerdat]

Size matters, too, with small animals having less of a signature. However, my cameras do trigger with small animals at longer distances so I would think yours should have done so. What sensitivity is set in your rules? You might want to crank it up as well as cross-trigger the 2 cameras:

cam1 detects, cam1 records

cam1 detects, cam2 records

cam2 detects, cam2 records

cam2 detects, cam1 records.

Finally, make sure the proper mode is selected overnight.

[JohnB1947]

Sensitivity is set at 80%.  I can bump that up, but before I do, I'll just try setting up a 2nd camera tonight (also set at 80%).  I'll try cross triggering tomorrow night if I get nothing tonight from either camera.  Thanks for helping me on this one.

[JohnB1947 · Accepted solution]

Thanks for everyone's help.  In the end, my issue was ME...I just wasn't setting up the cameras properly.  Now that I've learned a few things, the cameras are working as they should.  I was setting them up in my backyard to check on stray cats at night, but I also captured a very large RACCOON!!  That was a surprise, given the urban area where I live.  Thanks to all.