DVRs and NVRs are set to record PIR/motion by default. Wireless standalone cameras can only record by PIR/motion. Where the camera is mounted can have an impact on how effective movement is picked up and recorded.

Mounting any camera with thermal and motion sensors in the wrong location and angle can prevent recordings of certain movement. For example: 

• Movement in the directions indicated by green arrows are more likely to be detected.
  
• If the movement is toward and away from the camera at a short distance, the camera sensors may not be able to identify the changes between frames because the differences are subtle.
• If the movement stops, the DVR / NVR will stop recording. This means an intruder could still be standing on the same spot with subtle movements long enough to thwart the PIR/motion sensors.
  

Please see the fixes specific to your model for working around PIR/motion: 

Fix for DVR: Set the already-mounted DVR camera to record continuously

This setting is ideal if you mounted your camera above your front door, and you expect the camera to record regardless of motion.

See How to Set Up 24-hour continuous recording for a Camera (DVR or NVR only)

Fix for NVR with V8 firmware: Set up Analytics for your NVR camera.

Perimeter Intrusion Detection (PID) with PIR can be configured for one NVR camera if you have a V8 recorder and camera.

 A perimeter intrusion region can be used to define specific areas that you want to monitor for motion. For example, a rule can be defined so that your NVR will alert you if one or more objects have entered the boxed region from a particular direction and stayed within the intrusion region for a particular time.

Please see the user manual for your NVR on how to set up PID: User Manual (V8 units - 8580, 8580RN, 8780, 8780RN,)

Fix for any camera, especially WiFi cameras: Reposition the camera or add another camera for a different angle of view.

The ideal position of the camera is 7-8 feet high, pointing downwards at an angle to cover the area where people will be walking across the camera’s path