Holding off buying new cams until bug problem is fixed

I bought a couple of the cams last year for outdoor use. They are fun little cameras but are pretty much useless because bugs trigger events way too often. The only thing that works is pairing them with a separate motion sensor. I kept hearing about a new outside camera Wyze was working on that would solve this problem. Waiting and waiting …

Has Wyze given up on this effort?

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Bugs, you mean insects outdoor?

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Yes insects. Mostly a problem at night.

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Unfortunately, the detection is based on pixel interruptions.

I have once with spider climbing in front of the cam lens just like scifi horror movie slow motion.

I doubted there are other canera can distinguish insects and motion better especially at below 1000 dollars price point in such small size.
more features means more hardware power, memory, etc and good alogrithm.

I guess motion sensor triggering is your best possible solution.

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Like I said, pairing the camera with a bridge and a separate motion sensor solves the problem completely. Therefore, why can’t a camera be made that integrates that technology into one device?

Isn’t that the goal of the outdoor camera being worked on?

I would recommend following the below thread about the outdoor camera. :slight_smile:

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Thanks for that response.

I’m hoping for a camera just like your v2, but with a PIR sensor instead of the sensor the v2 currently has. I certainly hope I don’t need to rely on batteries though. I intend to place many around my home and will not be interested in replacing batteries.

Thanks for allowing me to provide input.

You’re welcome. BTW, Moderators and Mavens don’t work for Wyze. We’re volunteers. :slight_smile:

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Considering times can be allotted for actions with sensors & cameras, seems a few rules would make it so they (sensors) run the cam at night, with them deactivated during the day.

the original design of Wyze cam 001 has a PIR trigger.
the small black round cover was to host thermo sensor.

may be someone with a bit knowledge can add the trigger components back.

however, it would be cheaper to wait for outdoor version. may more ram and can host RTSP and regular firmware together.

patience…

Snow will do the same thing.

Hopefully person detection will get rid of most, if not all, of the bug related triggers. I’m planning on buying a separate IR illuminator and place it several feet from the camera. Then I can turn off the onboard IR and rely on the remote IR illuminator. Any bugs in the area will be attracted to the illuminator instead of the camera. A brighter IR source should also considerably increase the night time range of the camera.

I’m curious to know if individuals have found one IR illuminator to be better than another. Advice would be nice.

I live in the woods. With my WYZE 940nm led camera mounted outside I do see an occasional GIANT spider but no other bugs. I also have a security system complete with nvr and 4k cameras but with visible leds. At night you have to look through a cloud of swarming bugs. So I really do not understand what your problem is. Maybe your camera is to close to another source of light.

Still looking for WAZE to allow multiple detection zones and I would also like to record to a nvr. Are these cameras able to be seen be a nvr? I should try to scan for them. Not so much interested in the new products though . But, keep on trucking WYZE! Great products at a great price.

With the IR turned on, bugs see the light and will fly over to check it out. I think moths are the real issue. They’ll fly up to the camera and trigger the motion detection. Also, if a spider builds even a single strand web across the front of the camera (I have them inside one of the third party silicon sleeves you can buy online), the built in IR reflects off of it which makes it visible to the camera. Even a slight breeze makes the web move, triggering the motion detection.

I found that if I turn off the IR but turn on another light, like the front porch light, the bugs go to it and never notice the camera. Also, any spider web remains invisible since the camera can’t focus that close. That light also lights up the surrounding area to the same extent as the cameras IR light, so I can still see what’s going on outside. But since the bugs don’t fly near the camera, they don’t trigger the motion detection, but the occasional raccoon will (which is what I want to happen). But the bright porch light is a distraction at night and shines in some windows.

My thought is that a separately mounted 940 nm IR illuminator would attract the occasional nosey moths toward it, leaving the camera in “stealth” mode. The brighter illuminator would possibly extend the night vision range of the camera.

With IR lights on, the bugs create a “high contrast” condition, which triggers the notification.

Turn off the camera’s IR and use an external light source (white or IR) to beam the light in the camera’s viewing angle. Problem solved.

BTW, I’d say the only reason Wyze would create an “outdoor” camera is for weather conditions, NOT because it won’t use IR and not see the bugs.

Even high-end (and expensive) outdoor cameras like the Nest IQ use built-in IR lights and are subject to the same “bug lighting” issue. (you can ask me how I know, if you’re so inclined).

My thoughts exactly. Outside weather tolerance is why I’m looking for an outside version of the pan and zoom to show up. Hopefully it will also have a more sensitive microphone and louder speaker. I’m jealous of my neighbor’s Ring camera. We can hold a conversation from 50 get away with his. I’m not so lucky with my pan and zoom, at least not if I have it in the silicon shell. I haven’t tried it outside the shell.