Could I set up an Image Sensor to take pictures when triggered by an event other than the motion sensor? For example, could I install a 2GIG doorbell, and set up the image sensor (inside looking through the window next to my front door) to take a picture whenever someone rings the doorbell?
There isn’t currently a way for the image sensor to take a picture based on other sensors’ activity. Images can be triggered based on 1) alarms, 2) disarming, 3) motion detection during specific time frames and 4) manual peek-ins. It’s especially difficult through a window like that because in most cases the image sensor won’t take the picture until it detects motion on it’s PIR motion detector. That’s to avoid missing the person by snapping the picture to early or too late. Since infrared light doesn’t go through glass very well it wouldn’t detect the motion at the front door through the window.
Thanks. Are there any cameras in the alarm.com complement that can be programmed to take a picture based on another sensor’s activity?
Yes, any of the Alarm.com video cameras can be programmed to record based on sensor activity. You could have an ADC-V520 or a ADC-V620PT looking out the window and automatically send a video clip or thumbnail to your phone when someone rings the 2GIG doorbell. I recommend those cameras because they don’t have IR lights for night vision. If you point an IR night vision camera out the window then the glass reflects the IR lights back and ruins the picture. Also, if you’re you’re automatically sending a video clip to your phone like that then program the camera for the shortest recording clip duration so it doesn’t take too long to upload the clip.
Follow-up question to this one:
The image sensor activity and video monitoring activity is priced differently by alarm.com. What I want is the same result as what the image sensor would give me, but the physical limitations of the image sensor means I’d have to use a different camera to get the same result. So is it possible to configure a camera as an “image sensor” for alarm.com purposes, or do I have to pay extra for video monitoring if I’m using a camera? In other words, I want to take a picture at my front door any time the doorbell is rung. But the image sensor isn’t capable - either because it can’t “see” through glass (so I could set it up inside), or because it can’t tolerate being set up outside. So if I set up a camera to do the same thing - take just 1 or 2 images (not clips), each time the doorbell rings, am I going to have to pay $5/mo extra?
Yes, you will have to get the cloud video package. Without it, the camera cannot even be added to the account to allow it to take images based on sensor activity.