Motion Detection Sensitivity: Finding the Right Balance

Introduction

Motion detection is the cornerstone of smart surveillance, but getting the sensitivity just right can be challenging. Set it too high and you'll drown in false alarms from pets, shadows, and passing cars. Set it too low and you'll miss important events. This guide helps you find the perfect balance.

Understanding Motion Detection Sensitivity

How Motion Detection Works

Guardian Eye uses pixel-change detection to identify motion:

• Frame comparison: Each frame is compared to the previous one
• Change detection: Pixels that changed beyond a threshold are flagged
• Area calculation: Changed pixels are grouped into motion areas
• Trigger decision: If motion area exceeds threshold, recording starts

Sensitivity Scale (0-100)

Common False Alarm Causes

1. Lighting Changes

Problem: Sun moving across windows, clouds passing, car headlights at night.

Solution:

• Lower sensitivity in areas with windows (30-40)
• Use detection zones to exclude windows
• Schedule sensitivity: lower during sunrise/sunset hours

2. Pets and Small Animals

Problem: Dogs, cats, birds triggering alerts constantly.

Solution:

• Increase minimum motion area threshold (500-1000 pixels)
• Lower sensitivity (20-35) if pets roam freely
• Position camera higher to reduce pet detection
• Use detection zones to exclude pet areas

3. Weather (Outdoor Cameras)

Problem: Rain, snow, falling leaves, swaying trees.

Solution:

• Use very low sensitivity for outdoor cameras (15-25)
• Narrow detection zones to specific areas (driveway, door)
• Increase cooldown period (60-120 seconds)

4. Reflections and Shadows

Problem: Mirror reflections, TV screens, moving shadows.

Solution:

• Reposition camera to avoid reflective surfaces
• Use detection zones to exclude problem areas
• Lower sensitivity (25-35)

Recommended Settings by Scenario

Front Door (Outdoor)

Living Room (Indoor, with pets)

Garage/Storage (Indoor, quiet)

Baby Room (Indoor, quiet, critical)

Fine-Tuning Process

Step 1: Start with Defaults

Guardian Eye defaults (sensitivity: 50, min area: 500) work for 70% of scenarios. Start there.

Step 2: Monitor for 24 Hours

Review alerts after a full day:

• Too many alerts (>10/day)? Lower sensitivity by 10-15 points
• Missing events? Increase sensitivity by 10 points
• Specific trigger (pet, lighting)? Address that cause specifically

Step 3: Adjust in Small Steps

Change sensitivity by 5-10 points at a time. Big jumps (20-30 points) can overcorrect.

Step 4: Use Detection Zones

Instead of lowering sensitivity globally, exclude problem areas:

• Windows with lighting changes
• Areas where pets sleep
• Reflective surfaces (mirrors, TVs)
• Busy streets visible in frame

Step 5: Test Specific Scenarios

Walk through monitored area at different speeds:

• Normal walking speed
• Slow creeping (intruder simulation)
• Fast movement (running)

Verify all three are detected. If slow movement missed, increase sensitivity.

Advanced Techniques

Time-Based Sensitivity Scheduling

Different settings for different times of day:

Note: Guardian Eye Pro supports scheduling. Free/Home plans use fixed settings.

Cooldown Period Optimization

Cooldown prevents re-triggering immediately after an event:

• Short cooldown (10-20s): Critical areas (safes, baby rooms)
• Medium cooldown (30-45s): Balanced for most scenarios
• Long cooldown (60-120s): High false-alarm areas (windows, pets, outdoor)

Multi-Camera Coordination

When monitoring overlapping areas:

• Primary camera (best angle): Higher sensitivity
• Secondary camera (backup): Lower sensitivity to avoid duplicate alerts
• Use different detection zones for each camera

Troubleshooting Guide

Problem: Constant Alerts (>20/day)

Checklist:

1. Review last 10 alerts - what triggered them?
2. Lower sensitivity by 15 points
3. Exclude obvious problem areas with detection zones
4. Increase minimum area threshold if small objects trigger alerts
5. Increase cooldown to 60 seconds

Problem: Missing Important Events

Checklist:

1. Test by walking through area - was it detected?
2. If not detected: increase sensitivity by 10 points
3. Check detection zones - is critical area excluded?
4. Lower minimum area threshold
5. Verify camera has clear view (not obstructed)

Problem: Only Detects Fast Movement

Solution: Increase sensitivity. Slow-moving intruders require higher sensitivity (60-70).

Problem: Pets Triggering Constantly

Solution:

• Increase minimum area to 1000+ pixels (larger than pet)
• Lower sensitivity to 25-30
• Exclude pet areas with detection zones
• Mount camera higher (pets appear smaller)

Conclusion

Perfect motion detection sensitivity is a balance between catching real events and avoiding false alarms. Start with defaults, monitor for 24 hours, then adjust in small increments based on your specific environment. Use detection zones liberally to exclude problem areas rather than lowering sensitivity globally.

Key takeaways:

• Start with sensitivity 50, adjust +/- 10 points based on results
• Use detection zones to exclude windows, pets, reflections
• Increase min area threshold for pet-heavy environments
• Test with slow walking to verify intruder detection
• Outdoor cameras need lower sensitivity (20-35) due to weather