topic Re: Arlo Essential Camera and Techs do not know what they are doing. in Arlo Essential Wire-Free Cameras

Arlo Essential Camera you need a subscription to see the video

JLhome — Thu, 18 Aug 2022 17:00:38 GMT

Think three times before purchasing an Arlo Camera. Contact me and I will tell you all the troubles I have and how techs keep telling me to purchase this or that to get the camera to work. You spend hundreds to buy cameras and it doesn't provide the video, then support says "oh, you need a subscription to see the video." Stay away.

I have the arlo Essential camera (and 5 others and the doorbell) and with the end of the 3 month special I have no video. When I purchased this camera I called the customer service dept and asked about the camera. I was told that at the end of the 3 months I would lose cloud support. The conversation did not include the full loss of all video. I want the video back. What good is a $250 camera with no video. I cannot believe they sell a camera and then take away the camera. If you purchase the Essential you have no choice but to purchase a subscription. 2 cameras and you're at $110/year.

Re: Arlo Essential Camera and Techs do not know what they are doing.

Dannybear — Wed, 17 Aug 2022 20:53:55 GMT

A larger warning label on the box is important, wonder if this will happen some day.

Re: Arlo Essential Camera and Techs do not know what they are doing.

JLhome — Thu, 25 Aug 2022 12:31:12 GMT

A warning label would be great, but how about that I called them directly before purchase and they didn't tell me.

Re: Arlo Essential Camera you need a subscription to see the video

StephenB — Thu, 25 Aug 2022 14:04:02 GMT

@JLhome wrote:

When I purchased this camera I called the customer service dept and asked about the camera. I was told that at the end of the 3 months I would lose cloud support.

I think the miscommunication here is that you didn't understand the implications of losing the cloud features.

FWIW, you can see live video and get notifications, just not recorded video. Of course losing the recordings is a big deal.