topic Re: Grainy and pixelated video quality, camera's have 3 bars in Arlo Pro

Grainy and pixelated video quality, camera's have 3 bars

DanG38 — Sun, 05 Mar 2017 15:17:35 GMT

Hi all - I've been reading other video quality issues so I tried to check a few things myself before posting. I am a new owner (setup the 3 pack Arlo Pro from Costco this weekend). My kitchen camera which is very close to the Arlo base, works great. No laggy video, not choppy or grainy. My outdoor & basement cameras (probably about 40 and 20 feet from the base) is quite the opposite. When I walk past the camera, the video lags and there is a "ghost" image of me that stays frozen for a few seconds before fading.

I tried a test - and swapped the outdoor camera with the kitchen one. The kitchen camera which was working great inside, worked poorly outside (same image issues).

Both the outside & basement camera's have 3 full bars for reception - and my Google tested internet speed is 50 over 18, not sure whatelse to try here. I dont see a point in factory resetting the cameras, since the kitchen camera was working excellent indoors.

Any ideas? I really want to love this system! But I cant keep it if the outdoor video quality is this poor! I primarily bought the cameras to keep an eye on my porch and driveway.

Thanks for your help!

Re: Grainy and pixelated video quality, camera's have 3 bars

TomMac — Sun, 05 Mar 2017 15:29:22 GMT

We've seen these 'ghosting' issues before and it has been narrowed down to a few things...

1) interference 2) low signal 3) processing of vid/ key frame dropping 4) low data thru put speeds.

You've tested most things I would tried... but sometimes the signal at 2.4ghz wifi just has trouble in some locations getting thu building materials such as metal, mirrors, metal duct work, etc...

The only thing I can say is to try ( if you can ) move the base to a more central location of the cameras...

or maybe go with just the Q cameras which link directly to your wifi and are dual band ( 2.4/5ghz ) without a base unit if your home wifi is good at those locations

Re: Grainy and pixelated video quality, camera's have 3 bars

kapro — Tue, 14 Mar 2017 05:07:53 GMT

I have the exact same problem. I contacted Support and they sent me a lengthy message suggesting I do the following:

1) Reset the base station

2) Remove the base station under the Arlo Account

3) Powercylce the camera (remove the battery)

4) Sync the camera to the base station

5) Increase the sensitivity setting of the camera (go to App, Select Mode, Select Green Pencil next to Armed, Select Green Pencil next to Camera, Select Green Pencil next to Motion is Detected, Slide bar to 100, click back, click save

I tried step 5 first to see if that works.

Otherwise I will try all the other steps. My question is has anyone ever actually done anything other than move the camera closer to base station to fix this problem. I get late video starts, choppy and pixelated pictures.

Frustrating as I bought these camera based on 4+ star reviews.

Re: Grainy and pixelated video quality, camera's have 3 bars

AndersJo — Tue, 14 Mar 2017 08:55:06 GMT

I have the same experience.

This must be a product weakness.

I wanted to have the best video quality on my Arlo Pro outdoor cameras (which have 3 connectivity bars), but had to downgrade the quality due to the issues you are describing.

The videos that were stored to the USB device were also damaged.

I wonder if this can be solved by firmware/software, or not.

Re: Grainy and pixelated video quality, camera's have 3 bars

jguerdat — Tue, 14 Mar 2017 12:21:59 GMT

The WiFi connection is all-important. It's not a constant and many things can cause problems with it. Your positioning of the cameras relative to the base can be the issue but it's also not the only possibility. 2.4GHz interference from other devices is a possibility but there's still the chance that it's a bad camera.

If only one camera is doing this, swap cameras to see if the issue stays with the camera or the position. If the latter, you have to make a change to get a better signal. If only one camera, move it close to the base to test. If it works well, move it further away and keep testing until you find a location that works for you.

Placing the base somewhere else can help, too, by either using a long Ethernet cable or a WiFi extender with an Ethernet port to plug the base into.

Re: Grainy and pixelated video quality, camera's have 3 bars

ArloPro15 — Wed, 26 Apr 2017 11:15:35 GMT

I just bought Arlo Pro and I ran into the same issues, lagging video and ghost images and my signal is shown either as 2 or 3 connectivity bars. I assume the connectivity as 2 or 3 bars range should be good enough for Arlo Pro to communicate with the base but the video is lagging, ghost image, and pixelated. The video in the usb storage is very much the sams bad quality. Anyone in this thread found the solution to resolve it? I am about to exchange or return mine.

Re: Grainy and pixelated video quality, camera's have 3 bars

JamesC — Wed, 26 Apr 2017 15:47:30 GMT

Pixelated/distorted video is often caused by poor camera connection with the base station. This could be due to wireless interference or range. If you are still experiencing this issue after relocating the camera/eliminating nearby sources of WiFi interference as troubleshooting steps, please contact the Arlo Support Team to further investigate this issue. You will find several options for contacting support in the provided link.

JamesC

Re: Grainy and pixelated video quality, camera's have 3 bars

ArloPro15 — Wed, 26 Apr 2017 15:58:01 GMT

Did you read my text? Did I not indicate the connectivity bars as 2 or 3 which indicated as good connection. Unless you tell us, users, dont trust the singnal connectivity bars feature from your hardwares (base and camera). If you have nothing better to suggest, please don't write anything back. Dont treat us like dummy users.

Re: Grainy and pixelated video quality, camera's have 3 bars

jguerdat — Wed, 26 Apr 2017 21:17:41 GMT

Have you opened a case?

Re: Grainy and pixelated video quality, camera's have 3 bars

steeler560 — Wed, 10 May 2017 03:12:27 GMT

After spending over an hour with Level II support troubleshooting everything imaginable the Netgear support agent admitted that the poor video quality everyone is experiencing is in fact a known issue and all they could offer was to forward my case to engineers!?! My original Arlo Pro cameras work flawlessly but you take an Arlo Pro and place it within a foot of the base unit and I still get the same pixilation and ghosting and a month has gone by with no answers from Netgear. I wish I could return the $1,000+ in cameras I purchased!!!!!!

Re: Grainy and pixelated video quality, camera's have 3 bars

steve_t — Wed, 10 May 2017 05:39:35 GMT

steeler560 wrote:
After spending over an hour with Level II support troubleshooting everything imaginable the Netgear support agent admitted that the poor video quality everyone is experiencing is in fact a known issue and all they could offer was to forward my case to engineers!?! My original Arlo Pro cameras work flawlessly but you take an Arlo Pro and place it within a foot of the base unit and I still get the same pixilation and ghosting and a month has gone by with no answers from Netgear. I wish I could return the $1,000+ in cameras I purchased!!!!!!

Glad to hear it's now considered a 'known issue'. I'm hoping a firmware update sorts this out soon. There's a 13(?) page thread about pixelated and ghosting Arlo Pro cameras so it's not just you. Distance, signal strength, other wifi etc don't seem to make any difference

Re: Grainy and pixelated video quality, camera's have 3 bars

gildrush — Wed, 10 May 2017 16:16:16 GMT

I too have this very same problem. Been emailing through my support case, still no solution. Last they told me they're aware of this and it is in engeering and to please be patiient, I'll be notified when it's fixed. Been waiting over a month! Lip service!

Re: Grainy and pixelated video quality, camera's have 3 bars

gildrush — Wed, 10 May 2017 16:21:57 GMT

Me again, I don't understand how this thread indicates that it's SOLVED. Someone posted that incorrectly is all I can think. Probably doesn't help actually getting it solved!

Re: Grainy and pixelated video quality, camera's have 3 bars

NorthenSky — Fri, 26 May 2017 17:47:11 GMT

OK stop blaming people and look at your product.

I have the exact same problem. I have two sets. The first version of base station with the first version of the camera and the Pro version.
Both cameras are placed at the same places and the older version works well. The pro version is not usable at all: late video starts, choppy and pixelated pictures for me too oh, and jumpy too. I see myself outside of the garage and then I dissapear and a few second later reappear in my garage.

So, instead of blaming people I would look at your cameras and try to figure out if the magnet would not be too strong and if it's that causing the problem that a lot of people are experiencing.

If I connect the pro version camera on the oldest base station I have the late video starts, choppy and pixelated pictures too.

So it's not the base station, it's your cameras.

I'm returning the cameras set to the store. That's probably the worst camera ever produced.

Re: Grainy and pixelated video quality, camera's have 3 bars

NorthenSky — Fri, 26 May 2017 17:49:58 GMT

They blamed people and then they marked their reply as solved.

They are not able to admit that their cameras have problems.

I'm experiencing the same problem. And it's not the base station. It's the Cameras.

The oldest cameras work well. The pro version has a hardware problem.

Re: Grainy and pixelated video quality, camera's have 3 bars

NorthenSky — Fri, 26 May 2017 18:05:32 GMT

gildrush wrote:
Me again, I don't understand how this thread indicates that it's SOLVED. Someone posted that incorrectly is all I can think. Probably doesn't help actually getting it solved!

If I would be you I would return the product to the store.

I don't think it can be solved

since I have the impression that's the magnet in the camera who's too strong and which cause the interference.

Do the same thing as me, get reimbursed or exchange it for the previous version which works way much better.

Re: Grainy and pixelated video quality, camera's have 3 bars

steeler560 — Fri, 26 May 2017 18:17:45 GMT

PROBLEM SOLVED...I think. I gave up and returned my Arlo Pro cameras but I felt guilty recommending them to my neighbor who also boughtthem and was having the same video issues so I've been helping him.

I tried EVERYTHING and believe I've got the issue pinpointed and resolved. When adding the Arlo Pro to an exiting original Arlo system the Arlo Pros struggle to deliver a clean video image. We went and bought a full Arlo Pro system with Pro base station and added the original Arlo cameras to the new Arlo Pro system versus adding Arlo Pro cameras to an old base station the video issues magically went away!

The other thing we noticed is if you place two Arlo Pro cameras within 5-6 feet of each other they tend to interfere with each other. We spaced the two Arlo Pro camera that were mounded right next to each other about 7 feet apart and no more issues.

I'd return any base station from an original Arlo system for one that is specific for the Arlo Pro. If it's past the 30 day return period go buy a complete new Arlo Pro system and swap out the cameras and base station and return them the same day if Netgear won't offer to replace your base station with an updated one.

Hope this helps. The system has the potential to be really good but the lack of support and responsibility from Netgear is something that has convinced me to never to buy a Netgear product again.

Re: Grainy and pixelated video quality, camera's have 3 bars

steeler560 — Fri, 26 May 2017 18:28:07 GMT

See my post below yours. It's not the magnet but the original base station that is to blame I believe. It cannot handle the added bandwidth of video AND audio that you have with the Pro cams. I had my neighbor swap out the original base station for a new one from a Pro system and the video issues went away.

Outside of your 30 day return period? Just buy a complete new system and swap out the base station and return it. I wish you didn't have to go this route but when Netgear refused to remedy the issue I was hellbent on finding a way to send them back their flawed hardware one way or another!

Re: Grainy and pixelated video quality, camera's have 3 bars

NorthenSky — Fri, 26 May 2017 18:33:14 GMT

steeler560 wrote:
See my post below yours. It's not the magnet but the original base station that is to blame I believe. It cannot handle the added bandwidth of video AND audio that you have with the Pro cams. I had my neighbor swap out the original base station for a new one from a Pro system and the video issues went away.

Outside of your 30 day return period? Just buy a complete new system and swap out the base station and return it. I wish you didn't have to go this route but when Netgear refused to remedy the issue I was hellbent on finding a way to send them back their flawed hardware one way or another!

Thanks for the reply but I have both base station (since I wanted 2 extra cameras and it's almost the same price as two cameras plus a base station). and this is what I first thought because I was using the oldest base station with a pro camera so I set up the newest base station and I still have the problem. But I don't experience the problem with the original cameras and the original base station.

So, for me it's the pro cameras the problem.

Re: Grainy and pixelated video quality, camera's have 3 bars

Johnny290 — Sat, 27 May 2017 01:16:20 GMT

I feel these cameras are using too much compression giving us poor video quality. It would be nice if they can fix this