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False Motion caused by sunlight and....

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oldkid
Apprentice
Apprentice

One of my four cameras seems to pick up motion no matter what percentage sensitivity, right now I have set it to 10%.

 

Each time I go to check the footage there's no motion, just bright sun with shadows which I assume are setting it off.

 

Here's the weird thing, I have another camera which has trees swaying like crazy in front of it, and it's at 80% sensitivity and it never goes off, unless you actually walk by the camera.

 

Is anyone else having these experiences? I don't know if there's any other fix other than to move the camera somewhere else.

 

Anyone feel like sharing? Getting false alerts for 3 straight hours is annoying as it gets.

 

HELP ME!

21 REPLIES 21
TomMac
Guru Guru
Guru

Bright sun and/ or its reflection is a very big source of IR.  The PIR (passive ir ) detector works off of this.

The best suggestion is to possibly change the angle of the cams downward to avoid bright sun into the PIR.

 

The reason the other cam in the trees works ok is that the sensitivity is lower so the moving leaves don't make false triggers... Also the light is prob indirect.

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Morse is faster than texting!
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Kevin
Tutor
Tutor

I have the exact same problem. Way too many false motion detections. I had the camera in a closet. Completely dark, in air conditioned. The only thing I could think of was when the A/C kicks on the temperature in the closet drops causing the IR spectrum to change??? I think Netgear should add some kind of IR analysis to only trigger when a human is detected. 

TomMac
Guru Guru
Guru

An easy way to check if it's the camera or location is to swap with a good working camera and see if problem follows.

 

There's always a possibility of a camera being defective

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Morse is faster than texting!
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N91CZ
Aspirant
Aspirant
Same problem. Camera is looking at a door. While the door is in sun light I get false motion alerts every minute. Nothing in the frame is moving. The problem has been getting worse. I assume because the sun is getting more intense as we head through spring. The only thing in the camera view is the door. Sensitivity is down at 30. I can't really get rid of the sun shining on the door and this is my most important of all the cameras.
jguerdat
Guru Guru
Guru

Post a screenshot - maybe we can make suggestions.

1MadSci
Guide
Guide

Check this posting:

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Motion-Detection/Success-Mechanical-Motion-Detection-Zone-Masking/t...

I just added one to the camera mounted on my garage. The camera is about 50 feet from the street and it is not getting triggers from the people on the sidewalk or the cars passing by.  Great mod and a simple fix to a common motion detection problem.

Arlosuck
Aspirant
Aspirant
Yes im having the same problem no matter how low is the sensitivity the camera keeps going off
Bernard11
Tutor
Tutor

THIS model should not be sold yet! I just wasted over 30 hours trying to get the two cameras to work even remotely close to do their intended job.  I am very disappointed with the product.  I am not a beta tester consumer.  Arlo needs to remove this product from sales until they get it right.  Shame on Arlo and Shame on NetGear for trusting an untested Beta product!!!

jguerdat
Guru Guru
Guru

Arlosuck wrote:
Yes im having the same problem no matter how low is the sensitivity the camera keeps going off

Make sure you're changing and saving the setting in your modes/rules, not in the Motion Detection Test.  The test setting doesn't translate into the actual working of the camera.

 

A screenshot of the camera view can be useful for suggestions.

jguerdat
Guru Guru
Guru

Bernard11 wrote:

THIS model should not be sold yet! I just wasted over 30 hours trying to get the two cameras to work even remotely close to do their intended job.  I am very disappointed with the product.  I am not a beta tester consumer.  Arlo needs to remove this product from sales until they get it right.  Shame on Arlo and Shame on NetGear for trusting an untested Beta product!!!


It's working fine here.  Positioning is the key to proper operation.  Post screenshots so we can see what you are.  Tell us exactly what you've been trying.

AdKr
Initiate
Initiate

I dont know about Super Users who get paid by ARLO is write stuff on their site, I cant get my stuff working. ARLO should ont sell this and waste my time.. My camera detects changes in sunlight(It is facing the deck). OF course there will be changes in sunlight. What did Arlo expect? for me to keep the camera in a closet? Their motion detection is way off during the day. 

jguerdat
Guru Guru
Guru

Paid?  In T-shirts.  Get real.

 

If you're not willing to use the suggestions, read the FAQs, use different locations, understand how PIR detectors work, etc., etc. there's nothing anyone can do to help you.  "God helps those who help themselves." - Benjamin Franklin

Bernard11
Tutor
Tutor

Well good for you.  I am a disappointed customer looking for an affordable tried and true security camera that works... ARLO is not ready for the shelf yet.   Costco is selling these things as is other stores to the unwitting trusting consumers and guess what? The returns will be flowing in by the thousands.  I was told by a clerk at Costco that the ARLO returns are out pacing every product line!  The motion detection is absolutely useless.  It does not pick up obvious motion of a person yet if the Sun does a hiccup, the motion sensor picks it up. The range of the motion detector for people movement is less than 15 feet, if that.  I saw your snarky comments and all I can say is, dont quit your day job because ARLO wont last long unless they improve this product.  RIGHT NOW it is JUNK!  

Bernard11
Tutor
Tutor

Makes no difference. The ARLO does NOT work. It is defective outside in the real world. 

Bernard11
Tutor
Tutor

Christine, ARLO cannot help you. The product is not battle tested. The consumer was dumped on to Beta test a defective and ineffective product.  Take it back, they cannot be fixed.  Costco takes them back. Get your money back.

Bernard11
Tutor
Tutor

The fact of matter is, ARLO was prematurely dumped on the consumer before it was ready period. Stop making excuses for this JUNK.  Thanks

Bernard11
Tutor
Tutor

Benjamin Franklin suffered no fools either!  You are making a claim that is not supported by fact.  The PIR IR motion sensor is defective period! If i point it any further toward the ground, I'll be monitoring the movements of bugs.  Although bugs have been know to invade our homes, I am more concerned with the detection of intruders and unsolicited visitors.  ARLO does not work correctly or effectively. You'll see because folks are returning them by the hundreds.  

AdKr
Initiate
Initiate

I am going to return my Arlo cameras to CostCo this weekend. I have the brightness sensitivity set to -2 on the camera and the motion detection at 25%! I dont think that will detect humans, but the I get an email every 5 mins when the sunlight changes.

 

The camera is pointed at a 45degrees.. Cant lower it any further to shield it from the Sun.

 

I have several other battern operated motion detectors which dont have this problem with sunlight. The only problem is that they are no external (cant handle rain)

Sgtrick
Aspirant
Aspirant

I live in South Florida and just started having this problem with the sunlight causing false recordings on my Arlo system. This is affecting two of my four cameras. One on my rear patio and one on my driveway. I've had the cameras for over a year and this sunlight issue started a little over a month ago. When I get a motion alert, I check the video and it looks like a momentary solar burst of light in the video then it normalizes. No motion whatsoever. Sometimes it seems like a dozen or so motion alerts one after the other. Very annoying and I would return them if I still kept the packaging. I got these cameras as a gift and don't have the means for wiring my house for a real CCTV system. 

 

To new customers thinking about getting the ARLO....invest in a wired system if you can. You also won't have to worry about batteries.

JJ74
Guide
Guide

They don't work and they are overpriced waste of money

JJ74
Guide
Guide

You're full of it. Why should people trawl through mountains of opinions, hearsay and associated 'Super User' vitriol just to get the product they bought in good faith to work as advertised? Shameful behaviour.

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