topic Presence Sensing: Nest Camera vs. Nest Thermostat in Home Automation

Presence Sensing: Nest Camera vs. Nest Thermostat

steve711 — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 14:41:22 GMT

Two people, two phones, Presence Sensing enabled.

Just read in Help topic: "The camera switches on when everyone with shared access leaves with their phone. This is Away mode. The camera switches off when the first person comes back home. This is Home mode."

"Your camera doesn't switch off if other Nest products detect activity in your home [such as a Nest thermostat] because they can't tell if the activity is from you or not. This is for security reasons."

Is there a workaround?

Re: Presence Sensing: Nest Camera vs. Nest Thermostat

steve711 — Fri, 02 Sep 2022 23:19:22 GMT

Hoping a Community Manager with knowledge of these devices would answer.... But I doubt that'll happen.

Re: Presence Sensing: Nest Camera vs. Nest Thermostat

MplsCustomer — Fri, 02 Sep 2022 23:34:41 GMT

@steve711

What exactly do you want to happen? Do you want your camera to stay in "away" mode even if someone else, for example, manually changes a setting on your Nest Thermostat while both of you are away from the house?

Re: Presence Sensing: Nest Camera vs. Nest Thermostat

steve711 — Fri, 02 Sep 2022 23:47:55 GMT

I realize I wasn't clear. I'm worried that the Nest Thermostat will override the Nest Camera and Doorbell's Away settings.

For instance, my wife and I get home. The cameras turn off. But the Nest Thermostat senses we're home (as it should, to, for example, turn on the heat).

According to the Help topic I quoted in my OP, the cameras get a signal from the thermo that there's activity forcing the cameras to stay on.

Make sense?

Re: Presence Sensing: Nest Camera vs. Nest Thermostat

steve711 — Fri, 02 Sep 2022 23:50:36 GMT

Here's the Help Topic
How Nest cameras automatically switch to Home or Away

Re: Presence Sensing: Nest Camera vs. Nest Thermostat

MplsCustomer — Sat, 03 Sep 2022 01:40:29 GMT

@steve711

Ah, after re-reading the Help Topic, I think I understand your concern. It seems that if the Nest Thermostat (for example) senses activity in your home, your cameras will stay on (or switch on?) "because they can't tell if the activity is from you or not".

But that would--as you say-seem to defeat the Home/Away routine entirely.

UNLESS it is set up so that your cameras will stay on IF the Nest Thermostat senses activity in your home AND both of you are detected as being away from your home.

@GoogleNestTeam, can you address this question?