Seeking Advice on Motion Sensor Automation and Camera Setup

General
1

Hello everyone, I’m new to the world of smart home automation and I’m really excited to dive into this! I’ve recently set up a few devices around my home, including some Arlo cameras and Philips Hue lights, and I’m trying to get the most out of them. I wanted to share my experiences and ask for some advice from the community.

First, I’ve been working on setting up a motion sensor rule for my bedroom. The idea is that when the motion sensor detects movement, it should turn on the lights if it’s dark outside. I’ve tried writing a rule using the SmartThings app, but I’m running into some issues. The rule seems to ignore the light level condition, and sometimes the lights turn on even when it’s bright outside. I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong. Here’s the rule I’ve created:

plaintext
rule “Bedroom Motion Sensor”
when Item BedroomMotionSensor changed
then
var Number hour = now.getHourOfDay
var triggeredTime = BedroomMotionSensor.lastUpdate()
var LightLevel = MasterBedRoomLightLevel.state as DecimalType

if(MasterBedroom_MotionSensorOverride.state == ON) {
    override = true
    logError("Bedroom","Override is ACTIVE!")
} else {
    override = false
    logError("Bedroom","No Override")
}

var Number numOn = gLivingRoomLights.members.filter(s | s.state == ON).size
logError("Bedroom","Bedroom Count"+numOn.toString)

if(numOn > 0) {
    if((BedroomMotionSensor.state==ON) && ( LightLevel > 69)) {
        gBedroomLights.send(ON)
        logError("Bedroom","Bedroom Motion Detected - ON")
    } else {
        gBedroomLights.send(OFF)
        logError("Bedroom","No Motion, turn the lights off")
    }
}

end

I’m wondering if there’s a better way to structure this rule or if I’m missing something in the conditions. Also, I’ve noticed that my Arlo cameras aren’t saving videos to the SD card anymore, which is a bit concerning. I’ve tried formatting the SD card and resetting the camera settings, but the issue persists. Does anyone have any tips on how to troubleshoot this?

Another thing I’m curious about is integrating my Hue lights with other devices. I’ve heard that it’s possible to control them using Alexa routines, but I’m not entirely sure how to set that up. If anyone has experience with this, I’d love to hear your insights!

Lastly, I’m thinking about expanding my setup with some smart plugs and maybe even a smart HDMI switch. I have a few devices that I’d like to control remotely, but I’m not sure which ones would work best with my current setup. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you all for your help and advice. I’m really looking forward to learning more and making my home smarter! If anyone has similar experiences or tips, please feel free to share. Happy automating!