Outdoor camera records only 17-20 seconds

Hi @jasonhurd25, 

I am terribly sorry to hear about this. When the Outdoor Camera stops recording motion after a few seconds, it usually means that the camera is having a problem maintaining a consistent Wi-Fi connection.

I've escalated your case to our Specialist team. A Senior Specialist will reach out to you soon to make sure you're taken care of, so keep an ear out for their call.

I have 3 of the outdoor cameras and they constantly do the same thing. 17 seconds of recording. I bought them for security and feel less secure. My internet connection is excellent so I know it's not that. What's up with these cameras?

I’m having the same issue with the cameras only recording 13-17 seconds. I know it isn’t the WiFi due to the cameras saying that they are in good range. I also have other cameras that records longer this simplisafe. I definitely don’t feel secure with these cameras. I had something happened to my car last night and not a single bit of it was recorded. 

Exact same thing on our cameras as well. Connectivity is not an issue! 

We are also missing critical video history... the whole point of having it in the first place!

I just installed a new Outdoor camera yesterday.  I have a strong WiFi connection, the camera is plugged in, and yet I am seeing 30 seconds or less of recorded video. I am disappointed that there is no way to adjust the recording time. I have multiple choices of recording time with all of my Ring cameras. Why not the same option with SimpliSafe??  This problem needs to be addressed because it limits the functionality of the camera. I expected more out of a $200 camera.  Even in Live View the camera shuts off way too soon!

OK, been using the new camera now for the past two days.  The video and audio quality are excellent.  The short recording time is a serious concern because I've had two events where the camera shut off just as someone was coming up my driveway!  Totally UNACCEPTABLE!  Do you hear me SimpliSafe?? A 22 second video is next to worthless.  My Ring camera will record for 120 seconds....2 MINUTES!

The response on this Forum is also unacceptable....this issue needs to be fixed YESTERDAY!!

I do agree to this as the closest camera I have to the base and my router and it's on a power cord and yet still only 15 to 17 sec of recording and people are still there. I have a few old arlo pro cameras that are just using batteries and you have a choice of recording times all the way up to 2 minutes. This is another reason why I also have a poe wired camera setup that records 24/7 and catches everything. There is a whole lot of things simplisafe needs to do before launching new products like putting a time stamp on the camera and not just on the timeline, record times a lot better and a spotlight that comes on at night when it detects motion and not after 5 to 10 seconds of recording. 

Only 21 seconds!

Click on the link above. My camera is plugged in, my Deco Mesh is 12 feet from the camera, and my speeds are way above minimum. This is NOT a connection problem, this is a SimpliSafe problem. Please get it fixed!!

I got 20 seconds for a cat that caused a pixelation change last night on my other brand cameras.

Stepped in range 5 seconds and stepped out again. Of course mine also do SD recordings 24/7, and I don't have to conserve or worry about batteries wearing down either. No batteries.

These SS cams are not for surveillance, they're for up close and personal short clips, very limited for anything else.

The response from SimpliSafe is deafening....should be a concern and an easy fix, yet nothing..........

I recently bought SS to try out and completely agree.  The short recording is worthless.

i had someone try to open my garage side door and the camera shut off while they were trying to do it.  My Nest camera would have caught the whole thing.  I hate Google and wanted to get away from them, but Simplisafe is unusable for cameras.

really shocked at how bad this is and that they won’t fix it. 

Same issue, short recording time is worthless.  Something needs to change in the settings to allow record duration to change.  SimpleSafe Please add this feature!!

It's a juggling act. Since they designed these cameras this way, oh, back around 2019+-, with 3 options.

Battery only, which i can't imagine using, solar powered charging, which I chose🙄and USB cable AC powered charging. Some users tout USB, yet function and recording time etc. is identical to lesser choices. With Mesh and USB cables, perhaps more responsive with compatible home construction.

For me its not worth the trouble or expense to run the needed AC receptacles for this equipment. I'd run POE Ethernet and scrap this equipment.

No value in returning the cameras for refund and my conscience prohibits selling it, even to someone I don't particularly like  😂 

Some/many customers have already complained about batteries depleting in a few days to a week, either from many detections and/or incorrect settings, inadequate wifi, and weak RF from the base station.

So to cover all the bases, short recordings based on movement/motion. Though they should record while there's motion or if motion resumes after stopping. See WiFi and base RF. Sometimes they do, sometimes when it matters, they don't.

Their core business is monitoring fees, not great cameras or superior equipment. They practically give away the starter kits base, sensors etc. However, cameras smd doorbells are not cheap, considering how poorly they function with both Mesh WiFi and RF from base needed for outdoor cameras.

Unfortunately no RF extender available and no SS cooperation to use multiple base stations as extenders.

The cameras design is/was a mistake, IMHO, they and we will remember & never forget. At least while I live, I'll never forget.🤔🤬😂 I have 5 outdoor. My opinion only of course.

Then besides the weak RF signals to wake them up from the base, you need at least Mesh WiFi with access points, and compatible or knowledge how to setup in router settings.

If you want cameras that record a long time, you need POE, power over Ethernet or if Wi-Fi is acceptable, USB powered, pixal motion detection and PIR, and they should take SD cards for 24/7/365 recordings. Record all you want.

They're available cheap or expensive. No batteries to deplete and no core business involved. Not monitoring anyhow.

Opinion only, it's not going to happen with these cameras as designed.

See new offering, of $outside monitoring$, in order to keep the new V2 charged, they require using USB cables to charge, unfortunately they still fail to offer a Mesh WiFi or recommend it, to my knowledge.

And that's only the short story.

Dear SimpiSafe - The short video recording time is an issue.  I have been a customer for a very long time, although I am impressed with the quality of the outdoor camera (I own 6 of them) the short recording time is becoming more and more an issue.

It is NOT my WiFi connection.  Not that it matters, but I am an IT Network Engineer.

It has become such an issue for me, I have started researching your competitors.  The option to set a minimum record time of 2min, is not unreasonable.

I would also like to see the option for continuous recording.  I realize that would increase the storage capacity and cost, but maybe offering another price tier would be beneficial for your customers and your company.

One final request, remove the grid selection for the motion detection and allow a more free form control of the area of interest.  Due to the grid format, I am unable to eliminate a small section of area and consistently receive notifications of movement that are unwanted.

Back to the recording time.  PLEASE update and offer the option for 2min recordings.  It is much needed or you will lose your loyal customers to your competitors.

If there does not appear to be a significant effort in this area for improvement, I will no longer be a customer by end of this year.  I realize I will pay a higher premium for the service, but the extra security will be worth it.

I have given up on relying on my SimpliSafe cameras to provided security for my house. I am lucky to see recordings in excess of 24 seconds. On three different occasions during suspicious events my 2 cameras have stopped recording DURING movement, thereby failing to record a possible crime in progress.

My network is fast and reliable with strong WiFi connections through my Mesh system.  Failing to record for a decent amount of time is a SimpliSafe problem, not mine.

I have therefore have installed Ring cameras as a supplement to the SimpliSafe cameras. I can select different recording times. Mine are set for 90 seconds which is adequate for my system.  I am exploring the Ring security system as a replacement for my SimpliSafe system because of the poor camera performance.

There should be a simple fix for this issue that is affecting so many people, yet SimpliSafe just ignores the problem and falsely blames a poor internet connection.  This is simply not acceptable for a company that promotes their system as high security. Please FIX this issue or stop selling equipment that doesn't perform as it should!