Alarm.com "AI" Video Analytics Tested

By: Brian Rhodes, Published on Nov 30, 2018

Alarm.com has announced what it calls an "artificial intelligence (AI) architecture and video analytics service", touting that 

Alarm.com's computer vision research team trained the AI engine with millions of frames of video donated from field-deployed cameras, and extensive feedback from service provider partners and beta program participants.

Indeed, this follows Alarm.com's 2017 acquisition of Object Video, the original, but much-maligned, video surveillance analytics provider.

How good is Alarm.com's "AI" Engine? We own an Alarm.com system (tested here), connected a supported camera, enabled the "AI" analytics and tested the system.

tested 2

In this report, we share our results including:

  • Analytic performance rankings
  • False alert resistance versus foliage, shadows, animals, lights, and more
  • Detection distances/PPF levels
  • Configuration/zone creation for each
  • How pricing compares, for cameras and cloud service

*****.****** ************* ** ***** ** "artificial ************ (**) ************ and ***** ********* *******", touting **** 

*****.***'* ******** ****** ******** team ******* *** ** engine **** ******** ** frames ** ***** ******* from *****-******** *******, *** extensive ******** **** ******* provider ******** *** **** program ************.

******, **** ******* *****.***'* **** *********** ** ****** Video, *** ********, *** much-maligned, ***** ************ ********* provider.

*** **** ** *****.***'* "AI" ******? ** *** an *****.*** ****** (****** ****), ********* * ********* camera, ******* *** "**" analytics *** ****** *** system.

tested 2

** **** ******, ** share *** ******* *********:

  • ******** *********** ********
  • ***** ***** ********** ****** foliage, *******, *******, ******, and ****
  • ********* *********/*** ******
  • *************/**** ******** *** ****
  • *** ******* ********, *** cameras *** ***** *******

[***************]

Key ********

*** ******* ****** **** the ****** *** ******* decent ******** ** ************ VMD *** *** ****** that ***********, ********* **** 2 **** ******:

  1. *** ****** *** ****** restrictive / *********** ************ 'recommendations', **** ******* ** - **° ********.
  2. **** **** *** ******** recommendation, ***** **** ***** false ********* (*.*., ****** ***** categorized **** ** ****** were *******).
  3. *******, *** ********* *** restrictive downtilt **************, *** ***** positives **** **** **** significant.

**** *****, ******** ** conventional ***, ******* ***** alerts **** *****.

Solid ***** ***** **********

** *** *******, *****.***'* Video ****** ********* (***** Analytics) *** ********* ********* in ******** ****** ***** alerts ****** ** ******* foliage, ****** ******, *****, insects, *******, *** ****** which ********** ********* ************** ********* ** *** testing.

********** *** *********** *** customers, ***** *** ***** Analytics ****** **** *** down ** *** **** 'false *****' ******. *******, it *** ******* *** reliable ****** ** ********* all ******.

Classification ******

*** ******* ******** *********** is *** ******** ***-***-****, even **** ******* *** installed ********* ** *************.  Some *******/****** **** ***** to ** **** ****** inaccurate **** ******. *** example, *** ****** ******** often ******** *** ******* 'people' ** *** **** scene ** ********:

** ******* ** ***** events, ** ****** **** present, ******* *** *****. The ******** ** ** LP-Natural **** *** *****, in *********** **** * moving *******, ***** ******** in *** ****** ********* the *** ***** ******** as * '******':

** ***** *****, *** system ****** ****** *** animals ********, ** ** this *****:

not all people animals detected

****** *** ********** ** the *** **** * person ******* ** ** classification ****.

Small ****** *********

*** **** ***** ******** the '******' ************** ** working. *** ****** *** not **** ** ****** and ****** ****** ******** accurately (** **** *********, dogs *** *******), *** the ****** *** *** classify *** ******** ** 'animal' ********* ** *** way ** ******* ****** and ********.

*** **** ***** ** an ******* ** ********, but *** **********, ****** movement:

********** *********** ***** ****** may ***** ********* ********, especially ** ***** *** rules ** ****** *** general ****** ****** **** a **** *****-***** ***********, but ******* ******* ****** to ***** ** ******* or **** **** *** be ********* ** **** that **** ****** *****.

** ***** *****, *** zone ****** ********* *** have ** ** *** as **** ** **** 'fast' ***** ***** ** 0.5 ******* ** **** an ***** ** ****** small ** ****-****** *******, but ***** ******** *** also ************* ******** ******** alarms ** *** **** time.

Steep ******** *********

****** **** *** ******** analytic ****** ** ******, Alarm.com *** *********** *********** requirements ** **-**° ********, mounted ** ***** * feet **** *** ** coverage ****** **' ** night:

steep downtilt setup recommendation

*** *********** ** ***** makes ** ***** *********** in *** ** *** be ***** *** *** far ** *** *****, even ******** ***** ** consumer *********.

Nonconformance ********* ******

******* *** ****** ** be *** ** **** shallower *********, ******** **-**° for ****** *** ** users ** ********** *** familiar **** ***'* **************.

*******, ** **** *****, we *********** ***** ******** errors ** * ******.  For *******, ** **** case * ******* *** not ********** ** ** approached *** ******, *** was ********** ******** ***** the **** ** ** was *******:

**** **** ***** ******* was ******* ** ** activity ***** ** *** system, *** ********* *** clip ***** ** *********** movement ** *** ****** at ***:

***** ******** ******** ****** did *** ******* **** adjusted ** *** ******** specification *********** ** ***, but ***** ******** ***** are *** ***** ** highlighted ** ********* ********* during *****.

Rain/Snow ********* ******

** **** *** *** tested **** *** **** to *** **** ****** that ******. ** ****** to *** **** ** the **** ****** *** will **** ** ****** in *** ******.

******: **** ***********

***** * ~* **** period ** ****** **** in ******* *** *****, our **** *** *** record *** ***** ******** or ******** ****** ** classification.

Detection *********

*** ******* ************ ******** objects ********** ** *** levels ***** **** ********* in *** ***** *****.  For *******, *** ***** disclaims ****** ********* ****** 25' ** *** *** 15' ** *****, *** the ****** ********* ****** at **** ** ***** ranges.

*** ***** ***** ***** ~50' ************** ** * vehicle ** ******* *****:

Good *** **********

******* ****** ******* ** VMD **** ***'* ********* overcomes ** ****** ********** due ** ****** *******, leaves, *** *******.  *** ADC ****** *** *** trigger ********** ** **** nuisance ************* ** *** point ****** *** ****.

**** ** ** ******* clip ******* ****** ******** that ***** ******* *** but *** *** ***** Analytics *****:

Motion/Analytic *************

** ******, *** ** offering *** ********* *****, a ***- ** ************* 'tripwire' ** * '****** zone' **** ******* **** objects ***** ****-******* *****:

** ******** ** *** rules, ***** *** ********* assign *** **** ******* must ** ** ********* of *** **** ****** an ***** ** ****, or **** ** ***** arm/disarm ****** ** **** of *** ********** ********. The ******** **** ****** assigning ** ***** ** objects ***** ** *** direction ** *** *****.

*** '****** ****', *** detection **** ***** ** flexible *** *********** ****** scenes ******* *********** ********* areas:

Camera *********

*****.*** ****** ~* ***** camera ******, *** **** 2 ** **** *** supported ** ***** ** analytics, *** ****** ***** w/IR (***-******) ********* ******** (***-*****). ** ****** *** (Vivotek ***'*) ******* ****, shown ** *** *****. 

Camera/Service *******

*** *** ******* ******* a ******* ************ ** order ** ******* ********/***** alerts ***/** **** ***** video. ****** ******* ** ~$1 **** *** ***** added ** *** ~$*/*** four ******* '***' ***** plan ** ******** *** AI *********. *** ********* package **** **** ******** clips, ******** *** ***** to *,*** *** * cameras ** **** *,***. Camera ****** *** ~$*** for ***-*****.

Versus ******/****

****'* ********* **** **** accurate **** *****.*** *** does *** ********* **** installation ************. ***** ****** detection ********* ** *** require * ************ ** receive ******. *******, ***** video ******** ** *********** without * **** ***** ************, ******* **** $*/***** per ****** (* ****) through $**/***** *** ** days. *** **** ******* IQ ** ********* ******** **** **** *** $349.

Versus ****

*******'* ****** ********* *** more ***** ****** *** require **** ****** ******** distances/higher *** **** ***. Arlo ****** ********* ********* require * ************ ** **** *****, ******** ** $*.** per ******, ********* * days *******, *** ** to $**.** *** ** days *******. **** ******* and **** ******* ***** at $*** *** *** original **** **** ** $*** *** *** ***** **** *

Versus ******/****

** *******, ***'* ********* are ****** ********** **** Amazon/Ring, *** ******* ***** quality *** **** ** not **** *** ***** made ***** ** ******* WiFi.

****'* "******** ****** *********" motion ********* **** *** require * ************ *** motion ******, ******** * subscription ** ****** ** view ******** ***** ******** at $* *** *****. **** ********* *** ******* *** $*** *** can ** ********* **** the **** *******.

Comments (13)

John Honovich

IPVM | 11/30/18 12:19pm

*****, **** ******!

******* **** ** ** more ******** *** ************ about ***** "**" ** marketing, ** ******** *********** like **** ** ***** to ********** *** ********* *** confidence ** "**" *********.

** *** *** ****, since ******* ******** ** generally ********** **** ** AI *** ****** *****.*** is ***** **** **** of ******* ********, **** could *********** **** *** case **** ** ** "AI".

*** ******* ** **** most ****** ****** "**" to **, ****, *********** or ** ***** ** intelligent ** * *-****-***. For $* * *****, this ** *** * bad ******** *** **'* not **** ****** ** be ******* *** **** accuracy ** ** ** marketed ** "**".

Avatar

Brian Rhodes

IPVMU Certified | 11/30/18 03:45pm

*** *********** ****** ** the '**' ************** ** that '********' ** ****** coarse *** **** ******* without **** **********.

***** ***, ** ***** learning ******* ** *** video ** ******** **** ADC's ***** *** ** opt-in ******* *******:

*****.*** ********* ** ** in * **** **** plan ** *** * self-reporting ******* ******** ***** to **** *********** ********** objects.

*** ******** **** *** currently **** **** ** any ****** ** ******** 'teach' ** '*****' *** system ***** ** **** feedback.

Undisclosed #1

In reply to Brian Rhodes | 11/30/18 04:52pm

***** ***, ** ***** learning ******* ** *** video ** ******** **** ADC's ***** *** ** opt-in ******* *******...*** ******** does *** ********* **** this ** *** ****** to ******** '*****' ** 'learn' *** ****** ***** on **** ********.

******* ********, ****/*** *** it ***** **** **** the ***** ***********?

Avatar

Brian Rhodes

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 11/30/18 05:49pm

*** **** ******** ** general *****, **** ***** 'internal *******' ******* *******.  The ******* **** *** describe ******* ******* ******** is *********, ***** **** checking, ** **** ***** refinement ******.

Avatar

Michael Gonzalez

11/30/18 06:49pm

********* ****** *****! ****** for ***** ****, ** saved ** * ******* amount ** ****.

Scott Sheldrake

12/01/18 12:58am

****** *** *** ******** report.  ****** ****** **** you **** **** ******* a **** ****.  ****'* going ** ** *** real ****.

** *** **** * rough **** ** *** number ** ***** *** get ** * ******* day?  *** **** **** the ********** **** ****/***** recommendation **** *** **** up?  **** ***** /**= 33 ***** *** *** or *.* ***** *** hour.  ***** ******** *** would ** **** ** have **** **** **** clips *** *****.

Avatar

Brian Rhodes

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Scott Sheldrake | 12/02/18 04:08am

*'* ********* ***** ******** now.  ** ***** **** our ****** **** ****** averages ** ***** *** day (*=* ****, *** clips).

************* **** ***, ** clips/day * ** **** = *** *****/*****.

*******, *** **** ****** was ******* ** * fairly ***** ********.  * busy *****, **** * residential ***, ***** ****** 1000 *****/* *** ******.

 

Undisclosed #2

12/01/18 06:19pm

*******-********** ** ** ****:*** ******

Avatar

Brian Rhodes

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed #2 | 12/02/18 03:55am

***** = */**

Avatar

Brian Rhodes

IPVMU Certified | 12/02/18 04:21am

******: **** *********** (***** above ** ******)

***** * ~* **** period ** ****** **** in ******* *** *****, our **** *** *** record *** ***** ******** or ******** ****** ** classification.

Undisclosed #1

In reply to Brian Rhodes | 12/02/18 07:23am

...*** **** *** *** record *** ***** ******** or ******** ****** ** classification.

*** ** **** ****** ;)

Avatar

Brian Rhodes

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 12/02/18 04:17pm

****** ****, *****'* *** possibility **** ****** ** already ** *******'* *******...

Scott Sheldrake

12/15/18 09:52pm

**** ***** ********** *** video : 

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