camera sets

[Rodolfo]

Although it was said on several responses to reviews on Amazon by the Netgear team that the system was not intended for security, it is hard to understand why would someone would install it if not to detect abnormal activity on personal premises, so I have several concerns about why some things were not done better, such as:

A) Detect movement regardless the angle of its activity,; front is essential to recognize faces and is ignored by the system, capturing movement sideways with a delay almost guarantees the lost of important images of the event , and it is almost certain that faces will be missed unless the subject happens to turn the head and view the camera while the event is still recording. In other words, useless for any other than curiosity of seeing familiar people visiting you when you are out.

B) If cameras only detect heat in motion, such as a person, animal, warm car, why the motion of leaves on the covered area triggers a recorded event? Why not having a feature to have only certain part of the image detect motion but still capture the whole image?

C) I have purchased the 2 camera version as per your web site, I do not recall seeing other multi camera sets on your Arlos web site when I bought mine a few weeks ago, but when looking for additional single cameras to add to the system I found that Amazon has sets of 3 and 4 cameras at prices that makes my only option of camera expansions more expensive. I would have bought a set of 4 for about $100 per camera but now I am paying $160 for adding single cameras?

D) Why not offering a larger case camera to hold higher amp batteries, with the same exact internals and functionality, that would last longer for those that want to use them for outdoor security and are not eager to go up and down ladders changing the smaller batteries of the current design? The larger camera box would end up probably the size of most security cameras to hold the larger battery pack and be more useful and require less maintenance, which would also benefit if having a mini USB female connector to externally charge a rechargeable battery pack without even having to open the case or dismount the camera, which would have to be repositioned and retested as an original installation..

I imagine and I hope that this innovative wireless product is just at the starting point but please consider the above requirements to allow the cameras to be more useful for outdoor and for security.

[TomMac]

As a satisfied user, I will try to respond... BTW I've had the Older system Vuezone for a few years now. Also upgrading to full Arlo.

First I don't believe the system was designed primarily for security as Netgear does state, though it does add much to a full system and has other uses... so one must know the limitations before applying it.  It is great for the lack of wires, ease of relocation, ease of set up, viewable remotely, all while obtaining a hi-rez picture/video.

Detection of movement does take some time to get proper functionally. It will work , but sometimes not on the default settings.  I have no real problem with direct sensing ( into/away from cam ) of movement but will agree it isn't as fast a response as across the field of view.

I do have some of my cameras with overlapping views and have used this to my advantage. Rule/Modes can be set so as a person is detected on one camera, the other actually does the recording.This for me allows a recording of a person approaching the second camera with a full face view ( instead of walking away )... since the camera's motion detectors are in-effect "flip-flopped" I can record a person walking towards the cameras.

The cameras use PIRs ( passive ir detectors ). PIR sensors don't detect or measure "heat"; instead they detect the infrared radiation emitted or reflected from an object. So if objects that are reflecting IR (like leaves) will trigger the sensor... There is a sensitivity adjustment slider bar for this ( to lower false triggers ) and placement with angle also make a big difference ( not having the sun relection off of passing cars,etc ).

As to a large camera to hold more batteries, I think this goes against the original design plan for the system, though only Netgear knows what other products may come out later to add to these systems.

The best thing to do is if you don't like something or would like options not offered yet is to put in an idea for same.

Post to   ;   https://community.netgear.com/t5/Arlo-Idea-Exchange/idb-p/arlo-idea-exchange

I know that Netgear reads these and the more people that 'kudo' the request, the better the chance is of seeing it come to fruition.

[StuBee]

I don't see the set of 3-4 Arlos Cams on Amazon, can you provide a link?  I just see:

- 2 Pack with base

- 1 pack with base

- 1 pack without base

Maybe a reason they can't do the motion "area" is that the camera lens isn't used for motion detection, but that blackball thing underneath it.  I could be wrong, but it would explain if it's an all-or-nothing IR detection area.

[Rodolfo]

You are right Stubee, I meant Best Buy, below is the link for the 4-camera set, they have -3-camera set as well:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/netgear-arlo-smart-home-indoor-outdoor-wireless-high-definition-security...

[Rodolfo]

Thanks Tom for the link to propose ideas I did not go yet to the whole site and I am glad there is one.

In general I am satisfied with the cameras for the same exact reasons you said on your first statement, specially the totally wireless solution, which I was looking for the past few years and nobody from the manufacturing community seemed to get the picture that with today's advanced technologies there should be no reason for a homeowner being bothered running wires, or hiring an installer.

I also said on my introduction that I was very aware that Netgear "very smartly" does not sell this product as for security purposes, but as I also said what else could they be for? An expensive toy to just get a glance of what is going on around a property and leave one empty handed when the recorded missed the important part or car tags cannot be read or faces cannot be used for identification?

Regardless, I am keeping mine and expanding on the hope that some of the "ideas" may actually be implemented on firmware updates, or one can expand it with better cameras, longer lasting service, etc.

I thought also like you about adding more cameras to cover key areas from other angles but at $160 a pop it reaches a point that it maybe overkill, and pushes one to subscribe to the 10-camera subscription.

Thanks for your response,

Best Regards,

Rodolfo

[TomMac]

Hi Rodolfo,

"but as I also said what else could they be for? An expensive toy to just get a glance of what is going on around a property "

Well , I've used the older system for

1) keeping an eye on my elderly mother (lives with my sister) when sister was away , easy to check rooms without disturbing. Able to easily move.

2) an sickly cat when we went away... left it aimed at the cat food and got an email/text every time she ate.

3) also including it an extra backup for my house security system... any video is better than none. Sometimes a faulty alarm call and it allowed us to look real fast to know if its real or not.

There's prob so many more uses but those are mine so far...and it was well worth it.

With the older system, I'm running 7 cams total right now. Waiting to fully swap to the newer and since I have the 10 cam service it will be no problem.

best also to you..