Arlo recording motion on ALL cameras- not wanted

Devices & Integrations
1

Hi all…first post here and I am new to smarthings , though I’ve been using Arlo for years.
I have set up Arlo to be permanently armed in the arlo app, and to switch cameras off and on via scenes at various times of day via smarthings.

This is working ok BUT when motion is detected on ANY camera, Arlo records for the same duration on ALL cameras (as there are multiple camerasl switched on I guess)

Is there any way to have arlo ONLY record one the camera that sensed motion and not record on the others ?
If not from smarthings is this something WEBCORE could handle , or Maybe ARLOPILOT , which I haven’t installed yet as I wanted to take this slowly LOLOL
Any help appreciated

Bill P

2

I have similar setup as you describe. But in my setup only cameras detecting motion will record. The others will not record. I assume there are a setting in Arlo, but I cannot find any… Strange.

3

Hmmm odd…It does kinda make sense that they are all triggered to be on and the rule in SmartThings does tell them all to record if there is a trigger…wonder what yours is doing differently ?

Thanks !

Bill P

4

Hi Bill,
I have 10 cameras and I have never experienced what you are describing. All that the Smartthings rules and scenes do is to change the state of the on/off slider switch for each camera. Arlo determines which cameras detect motion or audio and record videos, UNLESS you are using custom rules in either Arlo or Smartthings that is telling all the cameras to record.
If you leave Arlo in the Armed Mode, and turn on all the cameras in Smartthings or leave the cameras on all the time in Arlo, only the camera that sees the activity will record unless more than one camera is seeing the activity.
Check your custom rules in Smartthings to see if any one of them are telling all the cameras to record if one of them detects motion or sound.

Brian

5

I think I may be suffering some mode confusion here LOL
Should I have the cameras switched on/off as required by a ROUTINE or by SHM ?
I appear to have set both up but SHM is the only one with an option which mentions recording video
So for example I have created a mode in the web app…under my locations/location/modes create new
This is called External Arm…I want this to be all,outside cams only
Back in SmartThings classsic IOS I then created a routine called the same thing which turns on certain cams , changes mode to external arm at a certain time…

However this gives no option for capturing video (or should I just let Arlo,manage that having simply having the cameras switched on by SmartThings while in Arlo armed mode )

So I then went to SHM and added an external arm custom section using the cameras outside as motion sensors which says ONLY when in external arm mode capture video from the cameras I need for 60 secs…is this step unnecessary ?
Have I confused this and made it too complex?
It is a little confusing it has to be said !!
Any help gratefully appreciated !
Thanks
Bill P

6

Hi Bill,
Firstly, I have not used the new Samsung Connect app if that is what you are referring to - I only use the Classic app. I think you may be confusing the issue, (it can be very confusing).
Let’s look at how the two systems work first. Arlo expects the on/off sliders for all the cameras to be in the ON state all the time and you select the various Arlo Modes to control the cameras. This can cause more battery drain than using the Smartthings app as the Smartthings app works just the opposite. Smartthings expects the cameras to have their on/off slider switches in the OFF state and you control the cameras with routines, scenes and custom rules in SHM.
Here is how I have mine set up: I leave the Arlo Mode to Armed all the time with the cameras having their on/off slider switches in the OFF position. That way, only the camera that detects the motion or sound will trigger the recording PROVIDED you have activated that camera in Smartthings using a Scene or Routine. The Routine or Scene will determine which cameras have their on/off slider switches turned to the ON position and Arlo will initiate the recording when that camera or cameras detect motion or sound. You will notice that the Smartthings routines and scenes have no provision to start recording - only activate/deactivate, (change the state of the on/off slider switches for that camera or cameras).
I use the Smartthings Goodbye Routine to activate, (change the state of all the cameras to the ON position), to activate all of my cameras, (both inside and outside) in the Away Mode.
I use either the I’m Back or the Good Morning Routines to deactivate all the cameras, (change the states of all the cameras to the OFF state), and set the Mode to Home.
I use the Good Night Routine to only activate my outside cameras.
I created a custom mode and a custom routine, both called Waiting for Delivery so that I only activate the outside front cameras.
To have one camera cross record with another camera or two, or use motion sensors to trigger recordings, I use Smartthings Custom Rules. They do have the capability to trigger a recording when motion is detected.
So, If camera A detects motion or sound, Camera A starts recording.
If camera A detects motion or sound, Camera B starts recording.
If camera A detects motion or sound, Camera C starts recording.

You can set up custom rules for the other cameras the same way depending on how many cameras you want to record.

If I want an outside motion sensor to trigger a recording from one or more cameras, a custom rule can handle that. The same goes for indoor motion sensors. With custom rules you can use the temperature that each sensor provides to trigger a recording of the closest camera.
Bear in mind that a custom rule will run every time the the sensor activates, so you must specify which mode you wish the system to be in so that you don’t get too many false recordings.
Also note that in the Custom Rules section there is a rule called Security. Any sensor or cameras that you wish to trigger an intrusion alert must be selected here. If you don’t want an intrusion alert for your outdoor cameras and sensors, do not add them in this section.

Hope I haven’t confused you too much,

Brian

7

Thanks for,the detailed response Brian…much appreciated !
It was reading one of your earlier posts that got me this far LOL
I have the classic iOS app…the new one wouldn’t even recognise my hub…wasted hours on that till I changed to the old app!
Will absorb your post and no doubt get back with further thoughts

Thanks again!

Bill P

8

You are welcome Bill. I did not want to write a book so some areas might be a little sketchy. If there is something that you wish to do or don’t understand something about my posts, feel free to let me know. A lot of what I have learned about Smartthings and Arlo have come from other posters on this forum. Great bunch of guys, (and girls, LOL).

Brian

9

Ok here’s where my current confusion lies :slight_smile:

ARLO is in fully armed mode …so, any camera switched ON by Smarthings will be active and available as a motion sensor to Arlo…

In my ARLO armed mode, I have it set to record on motion (and audio) for the duration of the motion (I have Arlo pro2 cameras) and I have sensitivity sliders for each….

On motion that crosses the threshold, ARLO will trigger, record for set duration, AND notify me…all good…

Given that Arlo is handling the sensing and recording, surely Smarthings ONLY role is to turn cameras on and off according to a rule/schedule (as defined in my ROUTINES settings )

Turn on certain cameras, turn off others either at a predetermined time, or when someone arrives/leaves etc…a very useful thing to have !

Cameras that are on will be available for ARLO to trigger AND record…

Still all good…!

So what exactly is the point of SHM in this scenario?.

Given that recording is being handled by Arlo (as is notification) why then do we need ANOTHER layer of complication …i.e. a custom rule in SHM?

I understand that makes sense IF we want to be ALERTED by SHM, but ARLO is already doing that …

And the most puzzling is WHY would we want to “capture video from these cameras” in SHM with NO sensitivity controls, and less clip length options…

Surely this is merely duplicating what ARLO is doing already (and with more options)

Unless I’m going mad, I don’t need SHM at all in my scenario painted above and cant see why anyone would?

Look forward to hearing your thoughts !

All the best

Bill P

10

There are other use cases. For example - I trigger some recordings with sensors that are not the Arlo internal motion using SHM custom

I have a camera that can see through several open spaces - but can’t notice motion 60 feet away. I can start a recording from any ST motion/contact sensor 60ft away from the camera and record the area in question.

Options are good

1 Like
11

Yes that makes perfect sense, but in the case of only Arlo camera motion triggering as above, seems I added an unnecessary step here…ie SHM as well as a routine …

Bill P

12

Hi Bill,
In addition to what Greg posted, if you want to trigger multiple cameras when one camera detects motion or audio, you will need to create custom rules in SHM. Also if you want to capture the temperature readings from the sensors to trigger a recording, you will need custom rules. For example: I monitor the temperature readings from each of the sensors inside my home. I have a custom rule that if a certain sensors goes over a certain temperature, Then I will activate the nearest camera to see if there is a fire or smoke. It would also let me know if my air conditioner quit working while I was away from home. I could also use this reading to turn on an attic fan if the temperature went over a certain temperature.
Hope I understood what you were saying about SHM.

Brian

13

Yes thanks Brian…v helpful…
So for my current “toe in the water “ simple usage simply triggering each Arlo camera on motion picked up by that camera alone, I am safe for now to delete my SHM custom rules as I thought ?
I have what looks like duplicate SHM rules that miirror what Arlo is already covering

All a good learning experience !

:slight_smile:

Bill P

14

Hi Bill,
Yes I think you can and that might be where your original problems came from. If you notice, the routines and scenes in Smartthings only turn the camera on/off slider switches to either the on or the off states. There is nothing there to initiate a recording. The custom rules allow one to use any motion sensor and other devices to initiate a recording. Therefore, for you current needs it would appear that you do not need any custom rules. Later if you decide that you want to have a sensor, (including the motion and audio sensors built into the cameras), trigger a recording one one or more cameras then you would need a custom rule.

Brian

15

Thanks Brian…turned them off now…
Appreciate your help…Im pretty techie but this is a whole new world :slight_smile: :slight_smile:

BP

1 Like