Motion detection almost useless

Hello, I have the 411 cameras and overall they are very good. However, the motion detection feature is defeated by wind and clouds.

WIND:
When the wind blows the trees, the shadow of the tree on the ground moves and triggers. Our property is full of trees and almost the entire image-scape is shadowed by trees. Hence it can't be masked out and the sensitivity setting will not work.

CLOUDS
As Clouds move by large sections or even the entire image-scape darkens and lightens causing triggers.

When neither of the above exist, the motion detection works great. However, since we have wind and clouds almost every day....I have had to turn off the motion detection, thus rendering the camera useless for security.

There needs to be some overall high threshold setting which prevents motion detection when a large percentage of the image-scape has changed.
Ideally a motion detection approach that tracks the motion of a object against the background over many frames is probably the best approach.

mhopeng

I would also like to cast a vote for the idea of an upper limit on the image change amount for motion detection (I have the same problem with fog). That seems like a fairly easy feature to implement.

You might want to have a look at motionEye. It is free and has several motion detection options, including some noise reduction, maximum change threshold, etc.

In my case, motion detection must be implemented in the camera, since the cameras are at a remote location with very, very limited bandwidth to the internet. Hence all the motion detection processing must occur at the remote site since its not practical to send the images and then process them.

Sadly, I have found the same issue. The motion detection is triggered all the time and I just get emails all day long. After a while you stop looking at the captured images. So I switched off the motion detection and I'm essentially not using the camera anymore

Here updated the sectivity for motion detection in FAQ, pls check by:https://reolink.com/faq/set-camera-motion-detection-sensitivity/

The FAQ does not address the problem described. It can not be fixed unless the algorithm used by the Camera is improved

moukminov

The same story (RLC-420) - clouds and insects flying around camera triggers notifications every few minutes. Sensitivity option doesn't work - if (as they recommend to decrease) sensitivity level is, for example, 5-10 then camera misses me on the bike but still react to clouds and flying insects around the camera.
So the camera is useless for me.
Cameras with PIR in general work in my case but in this case there are no Motion detection zones so my two Argus 2 cameras catch even buses and cars driving 50 m away .

Carl

Sorry for any inconvenience caused to you. Could you please post this problem to support@reolink.com? We will check it for you soon. Thanks.

houser

I agree with Split. I have read all the help pages (concerning motion detection) and understand motion zones. I understand that we have sensitivity settings and have played around with those.

At sensitivity 16 I capture shadow alerts all day (100 alerts between 8:00 am and Noon, and all of them are shadows), but I still don't capture any humans walking in the path. I have also played with the motion zones.
I believe the frame by frame algorithm needs to be beefed up. It doesn't make since to me that cloud shadows are triggering the motion alerts yet someone walking with a red shirt and blue pants doesn't do anything. I believe we need more details about the frame by frame algorithm and weaknesses so that we can understand how to tune the camera settings.

Today, my doorbell has alerted me for the FedEx guy, trash pickup and USPS, all within the Reolink motion zone. At sensitivity 16, Reolink did not send alarms for any of them, yet I have over 100 for clouds and home shadows.

Please help Reolink (and yes, I have contacted support and they just sent the links I had already read) so that is not helpful.

Fernando

Hello..

I'm really worried about this, these comments start in 2016 and a couple of days ago Reolink sent me this email in relation to the topic of alarms by clouds

CLOUDS
As Clouds move by large sections or even the entire image-scape darkens and lightens causing triggers .

Reolink Mail
Aug 9, 15:43 CST
Dear Customer,
Thanks for your reply.
I will forward this issue to our R&D department. Our engineers will do some researches to check if they can make some improvement on reducing the false alerts caused by the lights or shadows in the near future .

It makes me think the company left the issue aside and abandoned the client to his fate.

PD/
Reolink has to evaluate this. Ratings and comments in places like Amazon could affect the decision of future customers.

Captura4.png
Captura5.png

Fernando

Having the same problem:

Hoy, mi timbre me ha alertado sobre el tipo de FedEx, la recolección de basura y USPS, todo dentro de la zona de movimiento Reolink. En la sensibilidad 16, Reolink no envió alarmas para ninguno de ellos, sin embargo, tengo más de 100 para nubes y sombras de casas.

Por favor, ayude a Reolink (y sí, me puse en contacto con el servicio de asistencia y me acaban de enviar los enlaces que ya había leído) para que no sea útil.

BR

Matt

I agree Reolink you need to fix the motion detection. Maybe on a firmware upgrade ?

I have my new 5mp dome nvr kit and put setting super low to 7 and still get shadow notifications and many false alerts.

Crimp On

I believe that Reolink's motion detection "sensitivity" relates to HOW MANY pixels have changed from one frame to another. How large is the moving cloud shadow compared to the size of the person or auto? Sensitivity of 5-10 is going to miss "smaller" objects in terms of number of pixels, but will still react to larger objects like cloud shadows.

I simply gave up on alerts. When something happens, I will go back through the recordings to find out what it was. For alarms, I rely on my alarm system.

houser

Crimp On, THAT is useful information! This tells me I am better off setting the sensitivity low and just get ALL the notifications I was going to get anyway. For now, I just match the alarms from my ring door bell with the reolink cams.

Cynthia

For the PoE and WiFi cameras, they identify the motions by comparing the two frames (before and after). If there is a difference between the two frames, the alarm for motion detection will be triggered. The area that the camera set to detect is the key to avoid the false alarm. Read on How to Avoid False Alerts on Reolink Cameras to learn more.

Crimp On

To houser: I think you have it backward. Set the sensitivity "high" (i.e. detect more rather than less). This way, you will get not only the LARGE cloud movements, but also the (relatively) small "people objects". At my location, when the sun goes behind my nieghbors trees, My Reolink cameras record constant 'motion'.

I have asked (several times) for Reolink to let users know what the "trigger value" was for each recording. Would be helpful to know, "oh, THIS ONE registered 57, and the previous one was 12. Maybe if I set the cut-off to 40 I would not get the 12 but would get the 57." As it is, we have NO DATA to make a decision on.

Crimp On

p.s. That was snarky. I apologize. The community moderators send suggestions "up the line", but they have little influence over engineering decisions. I have always found Reolink support to be polite, considerate, and fairly knowledgeable.
It's late. I should not type when I'm tired.

Cynthia

The higher the level, the more sensitive the motion detection. For instance, in level 1, the alert will be triggered when motion is detected in 10% of the motion detection area; In level 50, the alert will be triggered when motion is detected in 0.5% of the motion detection area. You can set different motion sensitivity values for the four-time periods. You may change each period’s starting and ending time to adapt to the changing lighting conditions of the surroundings. It is recommended to set the sensitivity higher (10-50) in the daytime and lower (1-10) at night time.

tigga

my problem is spider webs and rain at night!
BOTH reflect the IR light and become major problems with motion detection!

Cynthia

Sorry for the inconvenience. The rain and spider web will reflect the IR light which cannot be avoided.
If it is convenient, you may install the camera to the place where there is enough light at night, so that the IR light can be turned off.