I bought the Google Nest Camera (battery) and Doorbell (battery) having read the reviews and all seemed good. First problem I have the legacy email account using my own domain - cant set up with that at all. Have to set up a google.com email address for this. Ok, got round that cameras work well, good video battery life great.
First problem: without the subscription they are pretty useless. 3hours of video, that isnt what it does, what it should say is the video clips caught in the last 3 hours. How much use is that when you have a burglar in the middle of the night, youve got it, none at all. Ok I got over that stumped up for the subscription, like the face recognition etc all works well!
Started to get fed up with the continual pings when Im at home, Im at home a lot. So simple algorithm is when Im at home I want the cameras turned off during daytime but when when Im away I want them on. The when at home tucked up in my bed I want them all on overnight - yes folks that is when burglars are about!
Can turn on presence detection but home and away isnt offered in either personal or household routines. Im signed in on my phone with my google.com mail account as well as my legacy account. I think. The help notes suggest you dont use presence sensing with some timed automations. Seriously!
Ok I can create a schedule so that they are turned off at 8am and then back on at 8pm. But what if I go out! I have to remember to manually click the run automation play button. Ok that works. Then I think well why not have an automation that I can play as and when I want to turn all the cameras off or all on. Of course you cant because there isnt a starter for: click the play the automation play button. Ive worked out if I have an automation that turns them all off at say 8am then turns them back on at say 8.05am then I can get something approaching to what I want but it is still manual, ie not smart at all!
Seriously Google, arent automations meant to create a smart home that makes all of our lives easer? Just trying to find all this out has been a nightmare of googling, trying things, etc
If anyone has solved this, it would seem a pretty common requirement for how to operate your security cameras, then id love to know.
Google put some of you vast piles of cash into delivering a product that is more than a dumb camera with good face recognition!
