Motion detection sensitivity seems to be changing, why?

[Draygen]

So I've had my system for a few months now, and up until now the motion sensitivity has been mostly consistent (about 95% of the time it captures), and the distance it captures hasnt changed.  The issue I'm having now is two of the cameras seem to have lost or changed their sensitivity. Both were detecting people walking 15 - 20 feet away no problem. Now they're only catching people about 30% of the time. I've tried the detection settings, signal is 3 bars and the other max, I've reset both the base and the cameras, and both have full batteries. I havent changed location or adjusted them other than that and this seems to have just started recently (maybe the past week or so). Has there been a new update or anything that i've missed or is it an issue with the cameras? Thanks!

[TomMac]

First plse post the versions of s/e for cams and base...

Second, the days are getting longer with the sun running thru a diff angle of the sky.... there's is a possiblility that the sun causes more IR and the camera is reacting differently  ( you don't say night or day ).

[Draygen]

Base fw is 1.4.2627

Cameras are all 1.2.2545

Issue would seem to be more during the day, however one camera in under a covered porch and one is not. I thought about the seasonal temp change as well but effective range went from 20 ft to 5 ft in less than a week. Either way the daily temps are well within the recommended ranges for the cameras. I would assume these are working off passive IR. Hotter weather may effect it but it seems too drastic to be weather changes or the sun's angle based on one being covered. I like the thinking tho!

[Rudy]

I have had the same issues, in my case its like the camera is in a deep sleep and there is momentary connection drops. Or there is a time out period exceeded while trying to wake up. Its become a very unreliable system.

Sometimes all is normal and you get video, sometimes you get nothing. All this started with the round of updates in May, they are still looking into the issue I guess, its very frustrating, I gave up trying to figure it out. Just hoping the next round of updates resolves these issues.

[Draygen]

Glad you posted, and now that you mention it I would agree. I've noticed the cameras are slower to wake up or respond to motion now. They used to turn on as soon as someone walked in frame. Now they wait till someone is halfway thru the frame or at the end of frame or not at all. Def frustrating, kinda defeats the point.

[Rudy]

I have three camera on my driveway, prior to these updates I would drive my driveway and get three videos (from motion), now its kind of the normal I only get 2 videos, just glad that I have the extra cameras so atleast one of them gets some video.

And its totally random which camera drops off.

In my opinion its all related to either a sleep mode wake up or a communication time out.

[Rudy]

And yes, the object is also further down the video, meaning the motion is often caught at the tail end, where it used to catch the action more towards the beginning.

[Hula_Rock]

NETGEAR ARE YOU LISTENING ?  You are jeopardizing our property and family safety

[jguerdat]

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Draygen wrote:
Glad you posted, and now that you mention it I would agree. I've noticed the cameras are slower to wake up or respond to motion now. They used to turn on as soon as someone walked in frame. Now they wait till someone is halfway thru the frame or at the end of frame or not at all. Def frustrating, kinda defeats the point.

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That _could_ be explained by the amount of IR being received that isn't involved with motion.  As the signal to noise ratio worsens, detection could be worse.  I have no idea how to measure it but possibly a repositioning of the camera (try tilting it down a bit if possible) or move the camera to a different spot (use double-sided tape to just test the new position).  You could also try a shield of some sort made of thin cardboard or plastic to block reflected IR although you'd have to be careful in how it's attached and positioned as well as testing to determine whether that would even work.

[Rudy]

Nothing to do with positioning of cameras, the cameras were wroking to satisifaction for a few months prior to the May upgrades, keep in mind there were three updates made this past May (the application, the base station firmware, and the camera firmware) not to mention any backend changes made as well. So allot happened, I just wish it would be resolved.

[Rudy]

And jguerdat forget about cardboard and shields, thats why there is a motion sensitivty setting (slider) is for,we shouldn't have to spend money on the system and then fabricate a shield. Thats what the software is for

[Draygen]

Good ideas And def worth a try! I have 4 cameras. I went back and reviewed the others. They all seem to have a lag with motion capture. It's not consitant but its definitely there. I tend to agree with Rudy. It seems to be software related.

[Rudy]

The issue is most noticeable for folks that have allot of cameras, I am thinking of upping my service to premier and adding a second base station to share the load, but I shouldn't have to the one basestation should be able to support 9 cameras.

[Rudy]

And Draygen try flipping streaming on and off several times throughout the day across different cameras sometimes they all work correctly, sometimes a few can't connect. Its hit or miss.

[Rudy]

Flip them on (wait 5 seconds) flip them off, do it on different cameras (in banks of 4 at a time)

[Hula_Rock]

WOW now we are talking about Signal to Noise Ratio, RMS, Thermal Noise, etc.  Fabricate a shield ???????  FOR WHAT?

This system is basically advertised as PLUG AND PLAY !  You plug it in, follow the set-up instruction, done.  We are suppose to have the abililty to place the cameras ANYWHERE!!!  I mean, come on,  the website shows a camera installed in a tree. Part of the "lure" of these cameras is the ability to install them in insconspicuous places so they DO NOT stand out.  How silly would it look if you have a shield installed, whats next? does Net Gear wnat use to run a ground wire in attemp to de-tune rouge frequencies that might interfere with the Wifi Channel?

Netgear/Arlo does not care, their latest Twitter campaign focuses everything on but addressing our concerns:

From Twitter

Hey MWhitleyDesigns - Which LA beach is the most family-friendly?

Hey ChelseaKrost! If you had to choose, what are the 3 gadgets you can't live without?

Hey there, team GiveawayBandit! Which tech gadget is your favorite right now?

MomSpotted Hi Jennifer - Which fun and educational gadgets are the little ones loving right now?

and my favorite:

[Rudy]

Not too mention the aesthetics, a camera with a hunk of cardboard around it wouldn't look too attractive

[Rudy]

Learned my lesson with this product, if its working and you are not having issues, do not update the firmware. One is always eager to do the update hoping to take advantages of new feautures and bug fixes. 

It's a shame that we can not roll back the firmware or that netgear doesn't offer a download location for the firmware and a base stations firmware update tool. Which would allow a re-apply of older firmware

[Rudy]

I have my video duration at 10 seconds, also seeing some strangeness there; I get some videos that are 8 seconds in length, and some videos are 10 seconds in length and some videos are 11 seconds in length.

But they are all set to 10 seconds in the application. matter of fact there is no setting available that is less then 10 seconds.

[Hula_Rock]

I have seen the samething,  Camera set to 30 seconds, seeing 24 28 29 seconds of recorded video.  Thinking about installing a shield made of Dilithium Crytals around the camera............    I kid...... 

[jguerdat]

Lots of replies but only to rebut my suggestions. I'm simply theorizing since we don't have access to tech specs and testing data. I never said anything about these things working but just things to try. Ugly? Sure. Unnecessary? Maybe. Or not. Know of a brand of car that doesn't have issues, especially for the first year/version? Macs don't have problems, only PCs? Arlo may be advertised as plug and play but we all know (or should know) how well many such devices are. When USB first hit computers there were tons of problems. I don't expect Arlo or any other product to be flawless to begin with. Will it work for you? That's up to you. Take it back or sell it if it doesn't. I can only hope the next "solution" you try works perfectly.

Also, FWIW, I have allowed all updates on my working system and have e perienced no problems. Maybe I'm lucky or you aren't. Who knows?

[Hula_Rock]

I was venting, I apologize......

Sure when things first come out, they aren't perfect, I have no problem with that.  This is what I have a problem with:  I saw Arlo work flawlessly at CES2015, ccould not wait to buy it.  When I saw it on the store shelves, I bought it without thinking twice. NOW, this this is nothing but a glorified webcam good for watching cans of yogert in the frig, random birds flying around, etc.  When I buy something to use as a tool to protect my property and to keep my family safe.  IT BETTER PERFORM.  PERIOD.

[Rudy]

We just don't think we should have to use a cardboard shield for the price we paid fopr the cameras and system.

What would be nice is if Netgear made a case or something that maybe offfered protection (like to keep rain drops off the lense)

[Draygen]

Any news on this? Had two contractors show up today and motion didn't notify me either time.

[Rudy]

I had the same thing, a warm car drive on my driveway, and not 1 of my 3 cameras recorderd or sent any video.

These cameras have become more of an expensive novelty item, rather than a "security" item.

It's hit or miss most of the time.

What hurts most its the issue has now been around for a whole month without any fixes/updates from netgear