1. How is Archerfish different from other video surveillance systems?

Archerfish uses patented intelligent surveillance technology that lets the system understand what’s happening in the video stream. As a result, you can customize Archerfish by telling it what specifically you want to be alerted on - like when a person or car arrives. Since the technology is more advanced than motion detection, Archerfish is smart enough to filter out irrelevant motion such as tree branches swaying so you only get alerts on activity that matters to you.

2. How is Archerfish video technology better than motion detection?

Motion detection can only tell you if something in the camera view moves – it can’t tell what has moved or if it’s movement you want to know about. We’re pretty sure you don’t want to know every time tree branches, snow, or your neighbor’s cat moves in front of the camera, so we designed Archerfish to look out for activity you say matters. That way, you only get notified when something you actually want to know about happens.

3. What are the differences between Archerfish Solo and Archerfish Quattro?

Both Archerfish Solo and Archerfish Quattro are complete video surveillance systems that can work alone, or with each other. Both are teamed with the Archerfish SmartPortal for online system management. Here’s a quick overview to help you decide which product is right for you.

4. Do Archerfish products come with a warranty?

Archerfish hardware has a limited warranty of (1) one year from date of purchase from myarcherfish.com or an authorized reseller. See our Terms and Conditions for details

5. What is the return policy?

You may return items purchased from myarcherfish.com within 30 days from the date of purchase for a full refund, less shipping fees. Archerfish SmartPortal service monthly fees are not refundable. Click here to read the complete return policy.

To return an item, contact Archerfish Customer Support at 877-384-3347 or support@myarcherfish.com for a Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) number and shipping instructions. Returns cannot be processed without an RMA.

If you’re returning your Archerfish Solo or Archerfish Quattro, you must contact Archerfish Customer Support to also cancel your Archerfish SmartPortal account and any associated monthly fees, regardless of the retailer you purchased from. Please note that monthly charges will continue to be billed if your account is not canceled, or switched to Basic.

6. Do I need to hire a professional installer?

It depends. Archerfish Solo is designed so that you can easily install it yourself. Just plug it in to an available power supply and set up Solo to communicate with your wireless network router. Take a look at our Getting Started Videos for more tips on how to set up your system. Archerfish Quattro is a professional grade system that requires cabling, and some people are not comfortable with running cable through their home or office. Although you may work with the specialty audio/video installer of your choice, we recommend Zip Express Installation to help you install Archerfish Quattro.

7. Can I use other cameras with Archerfish Quattro?

We do not recommend non-Archerfish cameras for use with your system. Like all of our products, we’ve put our cameras through a lot of testing, and other cameras may not perform optimally with our advanced video technology.

8. What are the system requirements?

9. Does my PC need to be on in order for Archerfish to be on?

Not at all. You only need a computer with an Internet connection when you initially set up your Archerfish system, but after that it’s not necessary. Unlike other systems, your computer can be off and you’ll still receive alerts to your email or mobile phone. Plus, you can use any online computer to watch live video or update your system settings at any time simply by logging on to your Archerfish SmartPortal.

10. How many Archerfish devices can I install in each location?

Archerfish is a flexible, expandable system. You can place as many Archerfish devices as you like in one location, or in different geographic locations and manage them all from one SmartPortal account. You can also mix and match Archerfish Solo and Archerfish Quattro, depending on your needs.

11. Can I use Archerfish from anywhere?

You can get Archerfish alerts anywhere you have access to email or reception on your mobile phone. With the Archerfish SmartPortal, you also get anytime, anywhere access to update your Archerfish system and view video from any online computer. Access to the SmartPortal is also available on all iPhones, iPod touch, and Android phones and tablets (ver 2.2).

12. What mobile devices does Archerfish work with?

Archerfish mobile alerts can be received on most mobile phones since a variety of alert types are supported. Types of alerts include text plus video, text plus URL to video, text plus still image, and text only. As an example, the Apple® iPhone® can receive any alert type.

For true on-the-go access, you can also view video and update certain system settings on your iPhone, iPod Touch, or Android mobile device (ver 2.2).

13. What is the Archerfish SmartPortal and what service levels are available?

The Archerfish SmartPortal is a personal, secure web portal that lets you set up your system, tell Archerfish what to look for, and manage your cameras and notifications from anywhere. It also gives you anytime, anywhere access to view live and recorded video, and search alert video clips. You can access the SmartPortal from any online computer, and from any iPhone, iPod Touch, and Android mobile phones and tablets (ver 2.2).

With Archerfish, you can choose between two service levels – Basic or Premium - to best meet your needs. We never lock you into a contract and since charges are monthly, you can change your service online at any time. To learn more, please click here.

14. Is my personal information and video secure?

Yes. Archerfish uses secure, hosted servers for all communication. If you want to access live, recorded, and alert video clips from the web, you’ll need to log on to your personal Archerfish SmartPortal. The SmartPortal establishes a secure connection to your Archerfish device before you can view any video, and uses a number of security measures to protect your data including data encryption, digital certificates, token exchange, and only allowing user passwords that meet a minimum security threshold.

15. How do I tell Archerfish what to look for, and how does Archerfish know what to filter out?

You define your preferences on the SmartPortal so that Archerfish only looks for the things you want to know about. Say you want to confirm when the cleaning service comes to your home on Tuesday afternoons, while you’re at work. You set up a camera at the front of the house, pointing toward the driveway. Simply use the SmartPortal’s point-and-click interface to tell Archerfish to look for a car (select vehicle event) that pulls into the driveway (draw zone on driveway) and parks (select event duration = 60 seconds) each Tuesday between 3 and 5 pm (select day/time). Archerfish will send you a notification each time this happens, but will filter everything else out. If you later change your mind about what you’re looking for, it’s easy to make updates from any Internet connection.

16. Does Archerfish work in the dark?

While Archerfish works in low light, if you can’t see what’s going on in the area you wish to monitor, Archerfish can’t either. For best results, we recommend illuminating any area that has little to no light.

17. How does the Archerfish video search engine work?

Once you’ve told Archerfish which events to look for, you can use the video search engine to pinpoint past events that interest you. For example, you suspect the person loitering outside your business for the past week is the same individual. Since you had Archerfish looking for a person outside your back door during that time, you can search for all ‘person’ events during that week and replay the relevant video clips to confirm your suspicion.

18. How does Archerfish video recording work?

Archerfish automatically records and stores your alert video clips on your Archerfish SmartPortal. The SmartPortal stores the event video clips until you reach your storage capacity, and then the system automatically deletes the oldest clips. If you want to record continuous video from your Archerfish system, you can use a micro SD card with Solo or a plug-in USB storage device with Quattro.

19. Does Archerfish link to local law enforcement?

Archerfish is a self-monitored system that lets you determine if and when you need to notify local law enforcement of an issue. Some cities and towns allow Archerfish notifications to be sent directly to them, so please consult your local ordinances about their security and alarm system policies.

20. Where can I get additional product information?

There are many resources available to you. In addition to our product pages, take a look at our Getting Started Videos for some great tips on how to set up your system. You can also use the product Installation Guide and Camera Placement Guide as references.

21. Do Archerfish products contain open source software?

Yes, Archerfish Solo and Archerfish Quattro both contain open source software inside the device. For more information on the software used, click here.

22. Does Archerfish work outside the U.S.?

If you have an Archerfish system installed in the U.S., you can access it through the SmartPortal when traveling abroad as long as you have access to a computer or smart phone with an Internet connection. For optimal product performance, we don't recommend installing your Archerfish system outside of the U.S. Archerfish servers are U.S.-based and you may experience network latency when your device communicates with the SmartPortal.

23. What is your shipping policy?

The amount of time it takes you to receive your order depends on both order processing time and delivery time. All orders placed by 2:00 PM ET, Monday – Friday will be processed for delivery the same day. Orders placed after 2:00 PM ET, on a weekend or Holiday will be processed the next open business day. Any orders for which we’re unable to confirm credit authorization and verification may be delayed. Delivery time after order processing will be based on the shipping option you choose.