Reproducible bug - false detections in Smartthings

[Svane]

• I have 5 arlo cameras linked to my Samsung Smartthings hub and some of them are used in routines that turn on lights when motion is detected. For a long time now I have been annoyed by the fact that lights turn on seamingly randomly every now and then without any motion being detected or  notified by the cameras in the Arlo app. If I check the history in the Arlo app there is no motion either. 

I have been investigating this issue and tried to identify what causes the false triggers. I don't have a complete picture of root causes but I have at least one way to fully reproduce this issue but I believe there are several causes. I have noticed that if I turn on a light indoors in one of my rooms it will trigger one camera (Arlo Pro 3) that is positioned on the wall outside that room and facing partly along the wall with the window to the room that is being lit. Somehow the indoor light seems to be registered as movement by the camera in Smartthings but no motion is detected in the Arlo app.

I also have another Pro 3 and a doorbell by my front door and one or both those cameras also send false detection sometimes. I am not sure if it's both cameras or only the Pro 3 in this case also. Apart from the 2 Pro 3 and the Doorbell I have two Essential cameras but I have never seen them trigger any false movement in the Smartthings system.

This definitely seems like a bug to me and it's really annoying. I love to be able to turn on lights outdoors with help of the cameras but at the same time the family gets spooked and annoyed when it randomly happens for no apparent reason. 

Please, please have a look at this Arlo. @ShayneS this is what you asked me to create a separate ticket about in a previous post. This is the second ticket I create now. The last one was moved and never responded to. 

This issue is really annoying and I see it on a daily basis. I'd hate to have to replace all my arlo cameras due to false alarms in partner Integrations. 

I'm more than happy to help out with any further tests to clarify root causes if that can help. 

[ShayneS]

Thanks for posting this again @Svane 

Can you provide the trouble shooting steps you have performed, Arlo app version, model device and which devices are being affected? I see you mentioned Pro 3 and doorbell. 

Thanks 

[Svane]

Hi,

I have seen this issue for a long time but currently my Arlo app version is 5.0.5_28754.

I have several of my cameras connected to lights through Samsung smartthings and have routines to turn on the lights when motion is detected. Several times, every day the lights are turned on due to that motion somehow is seen in Smartthings but nothing is seen in the Arlo app. There is no motion detected in history in Arlo app.

I have 1 doorbell, 2 essential cameras and 2 pro 3. The pro 3 cameras are connected to a base station.

This issue is definitely happening frequently on both of the pro 3 cameras but I haven't been able to completely rule out that the same thing can't happen with the other cameras. It's prodominantly happening with the pro 3 cameras and potentially only with those cameras. 

I can trigger this issue by turning on lights indoor at night time and then one of the pro 3 (sitting outdoors and facing along the wall with windows to the room being lit) will report motion in Smartthings but there is no report in arlo app. This is 100% reproducible. The other pro 3 gets triggered frequently also but I'm not sure what triggers it.

Please let me know if you want me to test something. I would gladly help to get this addressed. 

Best regards, 

Henrik

[ShayneS]

Thank you

I have notified the appropriate team yesterday and I will keep this thread updated. 

[ShayneS]

@Svane 

The team provided some feedback and requested some info if you don't mind.

1. Can you take note of the instances with (time-stamps) where the Lights are turning on without motion Pro 3 cameras? 
2. Do you have other non-Arlo devices that could trigger this routine? Also, a screenshot of the Routines you created in Smart Things would help 

Thank you!

[ShayneS]

Hi @Svane 

I have some feedback for you from the team. Your Pro 3 cameras have Activity Zones setup. So, events outside the set Activity zone won't send notifications from SmartThings. This symptom is by design with SmartThings.

[Svane]

I'm very well aware of the activity zones and this issue happens regardless of how I set the zones. 

Let me describe the issue again with some additional information. 

I have 2 pro 3 cameras mounted on the outside of my house. Both of them are having false detections in Smartthings several times a day. I can see movement detected in the history log in Smartthings but nothing is seen in the Arlo app.

One of the two Pro 3 cameras is facing along one of the walls of my house with a window. The camera is not directed right at the window but only along the wall. Also, activity zones are set away from the wall and window. If I turn on the light indoors in the room with the window towards that wall the spotlight on the camera on the outside of the house will turn on and there will be motion detected in the Smartthings app. Nothing is detected in the Arlo app.

I can't see how this can not be a bug. There is no motion outdoors, there are no active activity zones along the wall with the window and the Arlo app does not show any motion even though the camera spotlight is activated. This can't be 'by design', right?