Vms3330

[Sdgoett]

Does anybody else hate their cameras? They are pretty useless. I get 100s of motion detected alerts when there is nothing there and very few actual video recordings. About 1 in 20 alerts will the camera actually record something. Why is this?

[StephenB]

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@Sdgoett wrote:
I get 100s of motion detected alerts when there is nothing there and very few actual video recordings. About 1 in 20 alerts will the camera actually record something. Why is this?

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Are these Pro 2 cameras?

Is the concern that you are missing recordings?  Or is that you are getting too many alerts?

[Sdgoett]

Box just says netgear arlo. Doesn't say pro or pro 2. Says model vms3330. I guess my concerns are both, too many alerts and no recordings for many of the alerts. The lack of recordings is far more of a concern. I could have just put up fake cameras to try to deter criminals if the cameras aren't going to record them.

[StephenB]

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@Sdgoett wrote:
Box just says netgear arlo. Doesn't say pro or pro 2. Says model vms3330. 

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FWIW, Arlo split off from Netgear back in 2018.

The VMS3330 is a system SKU, unfortunately there's no easy way for users to figure out what it included.

Your base should have a product label on it - though you might also recognize it here:  https://kb.arlo.com/000062284/What-is-the-difference-between-each-Arlo-SmartHub-and-base-station  But the KB article doesn't show a picture of the VMB4000, so it'd be best to confirm from the product label.

The cameras likely are Pro 2. 

1. Do they use single rechargable batteries, or do they have 4 batteries?  Pro cameras all have single rechargable batteries.
2. Assuming rechargable, look at the edge of the camera face.  That will tell you if it's a Pro (720p) or a Pro 2 (1080p).

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@Sdgoett wrote:
I guess my concerns are both, too many alerts and no recordings for many of the alerts. The lack of recordings is far more of a concern. I could have just put up fake cameras to try to deter criminals if the cameras aren't going to record them.

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The two options for managing too many alerts are

• adjusting the camera position to reduce the amount of unwanted motion in the field of view
• reducing the motion sensitivity in the camera rules. https://kb.arlo.com/42/What-are-modes-and-rules-and-how-does-Arlo-use-them

In my experience, adjusting the camera position works out better.  But there are situations with moving tree branches, leaves, etc. where this is difficult.

The cameras use passive infrared (PIR) sensors to detect motion.  The range is around 20 feet for people.  Vehicles can often be picked up at greater distances, but perhaps not reliably.  The sensors are arranged to optimize detection of motion across the field of view, and are more sensitive at the bottom than the top.  If you aim the camera straight up a driveway or walkway, the motion sensors will miss activity (since the motion isn't across the field the view).

[Sdgoett]

The base says vmb3000. The cameras have 4 batteries. They have a silver edge and not white or black. I understand I can make adjustments to decrease picking up unnecessary motion. You failed to address my most important concern. I often get an alert that there is motion but when I go to look for a video for the corresponding times there is no video. This happens a lot. Anyway to troubleshoot that?

[StephenB]

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@Sdgoett wrote:
The base says vmb3000. The cameras have 4 batteries. They have a silver edge and not white or black.

Ok. You have the original Arlo Wireless HD cameras (and an old base).

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@Sdgoett wrote:
 I often get an alert that there is motion but when I go to look for a video for the corresponding times there is no video. This happens a lot. Anyway to troubleshoot that?

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If you had a newer base, I'd have suggested adding local storage to it.   But unfortunately the VMB3000 doesn't have that feature.  

Are you seeing any evidence of connection drops when you live stream (or seeing any off-line indications)?  Or garbled video in the recordings are you getting?

Also, is this happening with just one camera?  Or all of them?

[Sdgoett]

It happens on all cameras but some worse than others.
Occasionally there is a garbled image at the very beginning of a video and then it clears up when the video is played. I don't live stream much and don't remember any dropping out. Sometimes when I am trying to get videos to appear in the library (like when I have alerts but there is no video for the times) I may see something about online and connecting issues but not frequently.