Example please of where a SS camera triggers an Action in HomeHelper

Richinwal

The manual's example has Homekit accessories on both Trigger side and Actions side. I'd like to see what the Action tab in SS preferences looks like and a corresponding Homehelper Trigger/Actions page. What I want is motion triggers a SS camera then the Action is to turn on a Homekit light. If I specify a Homekit action in Preferences ->Actions why do I need to specify a Trigger in HomeHelper. I assumed that motion in the SS camera would be the trigger? This is confusing. If you have an example where a SS camera triggered a HomeHelper Action, I'd like to see it. Thanks

Ben

Triggers are events IN to SecuritySpy: motion detection, audio detection, a HomeKit switch being pressed.

Actions are events OUT from SecuritySpy: sounding a siren, sending an email, turning on a HomeKit light bulb.

Triggers can cause Actions.

If you want motion detection to turn on a HomeKit light, then you only need to set up a HomeKit Action in HomeHelper to control the light. You do not need to create a Trigger in HomeHelper in this case, because the trigger is the motion detection. When you set up the Action, give it a name like "Turn On Light 1", and then this becomes available to SecuritySpy under Preferences - Cameras - Actions.

Hope this makes sense, let me know if there is still any confusion.

Richinwal

Ben, If I understand you correctly its Homekit action specified in HH that can trigger a SS camera to record?
If I don't specify a Trigger in HH, then the "Homekit trigger" field is "None" in Preferences for the camera I want to record.
Still confused, sorry.

Ben

Perhaps a few examples will help to make things clear:

Trigger example: you want to start recording in a camera when a HomeKit switch is pressed. Here you would create a Trigger in HomeHelper that includes this switch, and tick the option "Switch turns on". You give this Trigger a name in HomeHelper, and then you will see this name come up under Preferences > Cameras > Triggers in SecuritySpy, where you select it as a trigger.

Action example: you want to turn on a light when motion is detected in a camera. Here you would create an Action in HomeHelper that includes this light, and choose the "100 % Brightness" option or some other level above zero. Give this Action a name, and you will then see this name come up under Preferences > Cameras > Actions in SecuritySpy, where you select it as an action.

Richinwal

I have "Motion Detected Northside" as a Trigger and selected that in preferences for a Driveway Camera. I have "Turn on Northside Light" as an action and selected that in preferences for Driveway Camera. And I have send me an email. I assume that if I initiate a motion on the Northside that the Driveway camera will make a recording and send me an email. Is that correct. Testing doesn't seem to work. Thanks Ben

Ben

My question is what constitutes the "Motion Detected Northside" trigger? Is this coming from a HomeKit accessory? Normally, if you want to trigger from motion in a camera, then you would simply use SecuritySpy's built-in motion detection (i.e. you would enable the "Enable video motion detection" option under Preferences > Cameras > Triggers).

Then the next thing to check is that Actions mode is armed for the Driveway camera, for example set to the schedule "Armed 24/7". So that the "A" indicator for this camera (as soon in the Camera Info window and All Cameras window) is orange, which indicates that it's waiting for a trigger.

Likewise, if you want motion-capture recording, then you must arm this mode too (so that the "M" indicator is also orange).

Richinwal

So this is done all in SS. What I was hoping for was a trigger in Homekit (motion detected) that would cause an action in SS to start recording a camera in a different location than the trigger. I'm still not seeing how a trigger in Homekit can cause an action in SS or vice versa. Thanks

Ben

Maybe I misunderstood, but your original message at the top of this thread seems to indicate that you want to use motion in one of SecuritySpy's cameras as the trigger. Is this not the case?

If, instead, you want to use a HomeKit accessory as a trigger, then this is also possible. This requires that you have a HomeKit accessory that can generate a "motion detected" event, for example a PIR sensor. Do you have such an accessory? If so, you should see it in the list of available accessories when you are creating a trigger in HomeHelper.

Richinwal

I have a Hue motion sensor. Trigger is "Motion Detected Northside - detects motion."
In my Driveway SS cam I have Trigger set to "Motion Detected Northside" and Action set to "Turn on Northside Light" (a Homekit Hue light)
So I thought this would also cause the Driveway cam to record a motion event. Thanks

Ben

This certainly should cause the Driveway camera to record, provided that its Motion Capture mode is armed.

If you can't get this to work, please email us at support@bensoftware.com and include:

- A screenshot of the trigger in HomeHelper, showing the accessory.
- A screenshot of the Preferences > Cameras > Triggers window for this camera.
- A debug file (SecuritySpy menu > Debug submenu > Create Debug File On Desktop).

Richinwal

Ben, I've tested it and it works! Hurray and thanks for helping me get it. Richard

Ben

Great to hear it now works!