Tapo C425 - 10ft detection range
The camera is rated to detect motion up to nearly 50ft, but this seems very dishonest in the real world.
While I agree that the camera detects pets, people, vehicles, etc. up to that range, it only starts to record those events when they get within 10ft of the camera.
How useful is that? Unless I'm in live view, my camera doesn't notify me or record subjects unless within 10 feet, even though the camera detects them.
I tried to understand why the camera recordings never showed the initial motion, but instead shows whenever the subject is halfway through the frame, and it wasn't until doing a detection test that I found the problem. This problem isn't specific to one camera, because I have 2 C425's and they both operate the same way with poor dection/recording.
I'm disappointed, because my C111 and C120's detection usable ranges are way better. Heck, my cheap Blink doorbell does a better job of recording motion than these expensive C425's.
Tapo, please hurry and fix this issue. Makes no sense for me to wait until a theif is only 10 feet away before the camera decides to start recording. Seems to be software issue.
And please, if someone from Tapo is going to respond, please don't tell me about how to mount the camera, and/or sensitivty settings. I've already been through that and it changes absolutely nothing.
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Hi,
From your description, the problem may be related to the camera's Wake-up mechanism, and you can refer to the instructions below to learn more about how the battery camera is woken up.
What is the Wake-up Sensitivity of my battery camera/doorbell?
If you have adjusted your camera's position and sensitivity settings, please provide the following information for further analysis.
1. What's the Wake-up Sensitivity you have configured?
2. A picture of the camera's Detection page, and send me the sensitivity value of the enabled detection types.
3. Can you share a video showing the reported issue?
Best Regards
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Hi,
From your description, the problem may be related to the camera's Wake-up mechanism, and you can refer to the instructions below to learn more about how the battery camera is woken up.
What is the Wake-up Sensitivity of my battery camera/doorbell?
If you have adjusted your camera's position and sensitivity settings, please provide the following information for further analysis.
1. What's the Wake-up Sensitivity you have configured?
2. A picture of the camera's Detection page, and send me the sensitivity value of the enabled detection types.
3. Can you share a video showing the reported issue?
Best Regards
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Hi, I emailed the support team and they informed me that the PIR sensor, with the camera mounted 7-10 feet and lowered between 10-15 degrees, will only detect and activate the camera at 10 feet or closer. I shared the videos with them, showing that the camera did not detect me until I was 10 feet away. I have 2 c425s and they both operate the same way.
Person detection and wake sensitivity are all set to 10. I can share the link with the videos with you privately.
This seems to be a known limitation though, but the camera is being marketed as having a detection range of 49ft. This is untrue.
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Hi,
Generally, when the Wake-up Sensitivity is set to 6, the detection range is around 18~20ft, and when the Wake-up Sensitivity is set to 10, the detection range is around 26ft.
Please note that the Detection Range is the distance at which the event can wake up the camera. The "Night Vision: 850 nm IR LED (49 ft / 15 m)" displayed on the camera spec page refers to the distance at which the camera can obtain clear night images when watching the live feed in the awake state.
For the reported issue, if you have contacted the tech team via email, it's recommended to troubleshoot the case by contacting the tech team directly.
Best Regards
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I'm not sure of you understood what I said before, but the cameras (both of them) DO NOT detect me until I am within 10 feet of them. When I put it in the detection range test, and go even 12 feet away, ai am not detected no matter what I do. It only detects me when I get to 10 feet or closer. Again, this is with both cameras, so either the cameras just don't detect people beyond 10 feet, or I was just very unlucky to get 2 cameras, ordered weeks apart, that are faulty.
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@Valdano I'm having the exact same issue. I've spoken to support and trading emails with them but no resolution so far.
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Thanks for adding that. I also saw some similar complaints so this seems to be a widespread issue and I don't know they pretend it's something new.
What's worse is their tech support email replies once daily. They offered to replace the cameras, and said they wouldn't charge me unless they didn't get the faulty cameras within 25 days, however I was charged $128 instantly for each camera. To add to that, when I contacted their live support, they let me know that it wasn't a gurantee to get a refund, because I demanded they cancel the return.
Not going to lie, I like most of their products, but their customer support is rather helpless.
I hope you get some sort of resolution to your issue. If I do, I'll respond here so you can see.
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Hi，
If the tech support offers to replace the camera after troubleshooting, you can follow their suggestion to get a replacement for a try. If you have any questions about the RMA process, it's recommended to reply to them via email for further assistance.
@Ddb69
The causes of this problem phenomenon may not be the same. If your problem is not solved, it's suggested to continue to send an email to tech support and provide the necessary information they require for further analysis.
Best Regards
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@Solla-topee sorry but that is totally untrue , I have same issue , detection wake-up sensibility is 10 and nothing is detected over 10ft , like this il totally useless like security camera
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Yup, it seems to be just a script they copy and paste, and actually have no real-world experience with the devices. I don't blame them, but I blame Tapo for that.
I share two videos where my yard was invaded by animals, and I'm still unclear as to which of my neighbours yard they came from because of how useless the cameras are.
You can email them and they might replace them for you, but keep in mind they will put a hold on your funds for 30 days. I opted to return my 2 and was told that I wouldn't be charged unless they did not receive the units within 30 days. That was from Aug 15, and although I cancelled the return, I still have $250 (for the 2 cameras) on hold with no idea when the funds will be released. I
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