How to Get Arlo Camera to start recording on Button Pressed?

SmartApps & Automations Automation Ideas
1

I have a SmartThings Button and an Arlo Camera. I want when the button is double pressed to start recording for say 1 minute and then turn off.
I can find automations in the app that will turn on power to the camera, but I don’t see how I can tell it to start a recording.

Please help.

2

There are probably a few ways to do this.

Here is something I did with a flic button.

I had the flic action open a virtual open/close via a uDTH and IFTTT

Then use SHM to trigger an arlo recording based off the open sensor through custom SHM rules.

3

Thanks for the response. Unfortunately I cannot figure out how to get the Arlo Camera to start recording. And then on top of it, I’d like it to turn off after a period of time.

4

In my example you would use custom SHM rules. When you do that you will choose the length of the recording. so it will automatically stop.

5

Basically that works via IFTTT. But since beginning of December the record option doesn’t work anymore (since to be an error on the Arlo side).

6

I created a smart app this morning that will somewhat take care of this. It is in my repo. I linked it in the arlopilot thread you asked this question in.

One thing you have to remember is that you can only have up to 120 seconds of triggered recording with arlo. So you would need to trigger it again after that length of time.

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7

That worked great. Only thing, I had to change your code for the button press.
I had to change this:
/input “myButton”, “capability.momentary”, title: “What Button?”, required: false, multiple: false/
input “myButton”, “capability.button”, title: “What Button?”, required: false, multiple: false

and this:

if (myButton) {    
    /*subscribe(myButton, "momentary.pushed", arloCapture)*/
    subscribe(myButton, "button.pushed", arloCapture)

	}

Thank you!!!

1 Like
8

One question, why did you limit it to 120 seconds?

9

And Mavrrck58 one more question, I’d like to learn how to program the camera like you did. Where can I find the various camera options?
Reason for asking, the arlo camera has a light on it. Would like it to turn on when recording if possible.

10

That isn’t really programming the camera as much as simply sending it a command it knows how to respond to. At the most basic level that app really originated from another user that created a app to refresh the arlo image with a 5 second clip. The logic that user figured out and provided makes a great base for any recorded action. The 120 second limit is a restriction Arlo has on the clips it allows. I also have an app I created that let’s me loon at commands and such for the cameras. I dont see any way to initiate a light on the camera they way are thinking

11

Thank you. How can I find out the commands that are supported so I can do my own programming?

12

Where can this code be found?

13

The apps I have written for Arlo integration can be found in two places.

I have created a general purpose repo on github for random stuff i have worked on. It is at Smartthings-by-Mavrrick. For arlo integration you would want to load the 3 that start with arlo. These are mostly variations of other apps that are out there with enhancements I have added. The specific one for a button press would be arlo-triggered-record.groovy

You may also want to look at Arlo Assistant which has a general release thread on here. You just need to do a search for it. It was written to replace the Arlo Pilot app after it was permanently broken on the platform.

There is currently an issue with some Arlo camers not recording at all with Smartthings. For me it is the Arlo Pro 2’s I have. My Arlo Q cameras work fine so keep that in mind when you start to test this. Many folks have started to hit both sides up for support with it. So hopefully a resolution will be on the way. I would suggest if you are having issues as well you bring it up with them as well.

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