05-10-2022 04:13 AM
I purchased a Google Nest Cam (Battery) and am having trouble with it not capturing events when expected. I am using this purely on battery, the live recording seems to work fine when plugged in (as you would expect).
The things I have checked so far are:
The probems are when the camera is running off battery power (the whole reason we bought this model of camera). The events missed seem to mainly be at night time, although it intermittently doesn't record events in full daylight too.
For the nigh time events, we can actually see that the motion detection is triggered, because the battery camera is in view of another wired Nest camera and picks up the glow of the IR light from the battery one. However no events are recorded. This is despite us setting the event recording to record all motion and not just people and animals.
Also, when trying to test the daytime functionality, I kicked a football in front of the camera and it appeared to block out the event in the timeline, but couldn't show me any video from it. The Wifi connection is very strong, we deliberately placed it within a couple of metres of the router to rule this issue out. And in any case, I thought the camera would record using it's internal memory and then sync to the cloud later.
Lastly, probably unrelated, when I click on the Event settings to set them up, I do not see the option for "heard" events, only "seen" events. This is despite me enabling the microphone options.
Any help or advice on things to test gratefully received :).
05-15-2022 06:27 AM
I have the same problems - it appears that it’s only capturing events when it’s connected to the charger. Which defeats the purpose of battery
05-16-2022 06:40 AM
Yes I know, it's incredibly frustrating. Although it also seems to miss events when wired also.
I have since found out that "heard" events aren't available on the battery version, although I have no idea why.
For anyone who is interested, I have listed below some of the limitations I have found of the camera when both wired and battery operated. Some might be me not knowing how to correctly configure, but judging by the lack of response from Google on here, I think it's more likely the limitations are with the camera or app itself.
General Frustrations (wired and battery):
In addition, when running on battery:
In summary, I don't see why anyone would be able to confidently use this camera on battery. Even with event detection on maximum sensitivity and recording all "motion", the camera misses key events. This coupled with the fact there is no 24/7 streaming and 60 day history when on battery means there is no safety net. I understand that Google would want to limit features to prolong life, but surely give the user the option to use as a 24/7 camera even if that means the batteries last a week. I suspect a week might be optimistic which is why Google don't allow that as an option, but at least be honest about it.
So, that leaves the decision as to whether or not to use this as a wired outdoor camera. I believe it's now the only option for outdoor cameras, but you will need to buy a weather proof cable in order to do so. But looking at the limitations even when it is wired, I would be more inclined to get hold of a second hand old gen outdoor camera instead and wire them in. Such a shame, I really wanted this product to work!
05-16-2022 12:12 PM
Hey there,
I just wanted to jump in real fast and thank you for your feedback. Please feel free to submit your feedback to us. I've put instructions for feedback below.
If you need anything else, please let me know.
Best regards,
Brad.
05-17-2022 05:37 AM
Hi Brad,
Thanks, but I don't think it's a faulty product, just poorly designed and thought out. A lot of the issues I have can be solved with software updates, but looking back at past posts, it seems people have been asking and waiting for these since its release in 2021!
06-08-2022 08:19 AM
Hi there,
Just checking in to see how the conversation is going as there's been a lapse in activity on this thread. Please let me know if you need further assistance.
Best Regards,
Brad
06-13-2022 08:51 AM
Hi there,
Just checking in to see if you still need assistance with this issue. We'll leave this topic open for another 24 hrs in case there are any follow up questions or comments.
Best regards,
Brad
06-14-2022 08:57 AM
Hey folks,
At this time, I'll go ahead and lock this thread. If you're still experiencing problems, feel free to start a new thread and we'll be happy to help.
Best Regards,
Brad
05-23-2022 10:51 AM
I have exactly the same problem. I bought 6 of them when I moved house. Old wired camera at previous house were brilliant. These are extremely poor and so hit and miss recording events. Tempted to sell them all and replace with ring as they aren’t fit for purpose. Wish I’d read reviews before buying!
05-23-2022 10:56 AM
Since they need to be powered with electricity to perform as we intend, I will likely return my nest cam and replace with a nest indoor - since I usually position inside my window anyway
06-06-2022 02:44 AM
I wish i'd done more research on the Battery Camera before buying, and **really surprised** the many YouTube reviews I watched didn't experience this very obvious and widespread issue issue - this camera just doesn't work as advertised.
I've got around 9 wired cameras (IQ's and old Nest Dropcams) across two properties and they've been working non-stop for years now with a Nest Aware subscription. Never fail to spot an event, record the event and notify me on my phone.
One month now with this batter version - replacing a wired IQ camera - and I *never* get notified UNLESS i'm viewing live.
Pretty pointless for a security camera.
I too have 'sensitivity' set to max, have 'all motion' triggering switched on, and all the types of events switched on too.
Battery life is amazing though! Battery drops about 5% in two weeks - but that's obviously because it is never recognising triggers.
I read that software fixes may be coming so i'll hang on, but if you're considering these cameras I cannot recommend them at this time.
Such a shame as the Nest platform - cameras, thermostats, smoke alarms and doorbells have been really relax le up to this point.