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kevinis43's profile

Tuesday, January 11th, 2022 8:09 PM

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Getting continuous notifications from outdoor camera when no motion activity

I have a new outdoor camera above the front door.   This has worked fine for several days but this morning I started receiving continuous notifications every minute.  I can't see anything outside that would activate it.  I have the sensitivity set to low and "people".  I also tried narrowing the vision field.  There isn't any wind today.  If I turn notifications off for a while and then back on, it will stop.  But then I go through periods of phantom notifications starting again after notifications are back on.    Is there anything else to try or is the camera defective?

This conversation has been merged. Please refer the main conversation:

Outdoor Cam recording every 3 minutes

Official Solution

Community Admin

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5.6K Messages

2 years ago

Hi all,

An update on this issue. Our engineering team is aware, and is working on a fix - targeting the next firmware update. In the meantime, we suggest (if you haven't already) setting your Outdoor Camera to People Only Mode. That may reduce these incorrect triggers significantly.

41 Messages

@davey_d​ I do have to say that didn't work for me, but turning off the spotlight all together is another good walk-around for now until this get fully resolved. 

36 Messages

@davey_d​ 

sure appreciate the communication from SS. Been dealing with outdoor cam issues since last Oct. I just keep hoping they’ll get the bugs worked out. I have cams b/c I live in moose, Bear, Mtn lion country..If I change setting to people only, will it notify me when wildlife are present?  

64 Messages

@davey_d​ in people only mode I can walk directly towards the camera and do jumping jacks and it picks up diddly squat. Only if I walk at the exact horizontal path does it pick me up. Otherwise it records 3 minutes of nothingness. Today the outdoor camera completely missed a solicitor walking up, doorbell camera caught him perfectly, outdoor cam picked up the last few seconds of him leaving my property. These outdoor cameras should be recalled. Fred flintstone had better cameras than this PO$

Community Admin

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5.6K Messages

@gregter​ I understand. Keep in mind, that's actually how all motion sensors work; they're much better at detection motion when the object is moving laterally.

But could there be something about the way your camera is set up that impedes detection? If you're comfortable sharing, it might be helpful to show us (and our engineers) a screenshot or video of what your camera can see. 

(edited)

36 Messages

You say targeting the next firmware update - that's fine saying that, but that could well be months away!

This problem has been ongoing for months now, without resolution.   I am on my 2nd replacement camera for this problem and after receiving over 170 notifications every 3 minutes last night I called SS today and am returning the camera for a refund.

As a SS customer for the past 3 years, I am very disappointed. If you own a camera with this issue then forget all the suggested possible remedies - I've tried them all to no avail!  There is an inherent problem with these cameras and until it is resolved I would seek a refund or just let the camera gather dust on a shelf!!

99 Messages

3 years ago

The same thing happened to me. I took the battery out and put it back in to force a "reboot" of the camera. This seems to have corrected the issue for the most part. I still get occasional phantom notifications and sometimes it does not alert at all when someone walks right by it.  

72 Messages

@kennybryant​ I've done this.  I've also "removed" camera from app, and re-installed.  It was OK for a couple days, but it is back to the same shenanigans.  Extremely annoying.

36 Messages

No solutions SS?  Same crap with all 4 outdoor cams. Frustrating PIA

36 Messages

@kennybryant​ thank you for forwarding SS reply. Appreciate the latest communication

29 Messages

3 years ago

My back door outdoor camera started doing this yesterday. It's battery was 43% a couple of weeks ago when the percentage part worked. ( Bring it back please)  now it just shows 1/4 mark. Every 7 minutes it would trigger. I put in a fresh battery and it all stopped. Maybe that is a sign of low battery.

72 Messages

@pjanits​ My camera (at night only) records every 3 minutes plus or minus a few seconds.  My camera is powered by cord plugged in, so I don't think a low battery is causing this.

Captain

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6K Messages

3 years ago

I have two outdoor cameras and, from the start, intended to have them run either on AC or the solar panel.  A camera mounted on the house right under the gutter in Chicagoland is not a formula for success with the wind chill today at a balmy -2! Both of my cameras have the SS AC adapters, very well built and designed, and work as expected.  Unless your cameras are easy to get to and you have nice weather year round, I do suggest the AC adapter or solar panel options.

61 Messages

3 years ago

It happened to me. I took the battery out and put it back in to force a "reboot" of the camera. Started at 3:00 am, getting notification every 3 minutes. I had solar panels connected, so the batteries were fully charged. After rebooting seems to be OK.

Captain

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6K Messages

@tls​ What was the weather doing at the time? I had this a few times during heavy rains

61 Messages

Clear night, no rain or snow. Nothing moving around. Tempura re 24 degrees F.

Captain

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6K Messages

Definitely odd; anything moving in the view of the camera ie trees? Street light? your solar pannel takes the power out of the equation....I would definitely call support to troubleshoot, settings is it on latest firmware etc or replace it.

(edited)

72 Messages

@captain11​   I have this same problem.  My camera is plugged in, I have tried all kinds of different settings.  I've even removed camera from app and then re-installed.  It still records 3-minute long videos every three minutes, yet doesn't upload the video.  I'm pretty sure SimpliSafe knows about this issue, but doesn't know what to do to fix it.  This only happens at night, otherwise the camera operates fine.

36 Messages

@tls​ it’s a firmware issue. SS is supposedly in the process of fixing it. Again! 

41 Messages

2 years ago

Having the same issue, wifi is good connected to AC adapter,

72 Messages

@folivertx​   Same here.  It's super annoying, plus, as it continuously malfunctions at night, I have no real camera security.  Mine records every 3 minutes and records 3 minutes at a time.  In other words, it's constantly recording with a couple seconds of stop-start between videos.

18 Messages

2 years ago

My outdoor cameras get into this state if I turn off motion events while it's recording.  This one simple action now renders the motion events setting useless, as the camera now ignores the setting and will always trigger on motion.  I can turn the setting back on/save, and then off/save as many times as I want and no matter what, it will trigger on motion.  The only way to "fix" it is to take the battery out.  Which, as I mentioned in another post, is baffling to me that there is no option to reset/reboot the camera from the software.

4 Messages

2 years ago

My outdoor camera is doing the same thing.  Motion detected very 3 minutes, even if the motion turned off and no outdoor motion at all.  Very frustrating!!! SIMPLISAFE we need your help!!!!!

6 Messages

2 years ago

Same problem going on several months now.  Usually gets triggered and will continue recording every 3 till battery dies. Just installed a power cord to the camera, same problem, but seem record for a few a couple hours or more.  
it’s end of Sept. 2022, so when is the firmware update coming?  

Captain

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6K Messages

2 years ago

@davey_d It is getting concerning to read post after post customers detailing the issue of the outdoor camera recording every few minutes for hours on end. Yes, I and others that I have personally checked with, are not experiencing this issue, but the question is why? What is the suspected cause? What % of customers are experiencing this frustrating camera behaviour? Why are my two outdoor cameras not having this issue? 

Davey, time to step up and provide a detailed reply. And if you don't know, get someone from the product development team to provide an answer and status. Thanks

(edited)

Community Admin

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5.6K Messages

@captain11​ the answer is that we are still looking for an answer. As I allude to in my post about Firmware 1.9, which is rolling out now, we have some theories, and part of the update addresses that. But that work is still ongoing.

6 Messages

2 years ago

Thanks. 
The continuous recording renders the “Security” aspects of this camera nearly useless.  

41 Messages

2 years ago

I’ve done lost many packages due to this issue, I’ve had many calls and nobody seems to know fix for this, Doorbell camera isn’t any better with non recording either so, I agree with @captain11 this needs to be escalated the continuous blame being put on wifi is not working anymore either. 

Community Admin

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5.6K Messages

@folivertx​ the specific issue in this thread seems to be related to the Motion Sensor piece. So no, it wouldn't be a matter of WiFi bandwidth or reception.

41 Messages

You’re correct maybe it is motion related. But the frontline agents continues to blame wifi etc, so past that message on to them so future callers or those who still call for support are not hearing of its wifi reset your router. 

as always appreciate your response

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