topic Re: Which cameras are compatible with Model VMS4230 in Arlo Pro

Which cameras are compatible with Model VMS4230

equestrian — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 23:53:44 GMT

The night vision no longer works on one of my cameras so I would like to replace it. What currently available cameras are compatible with model VMS4230 base station?

Re: Which cameras are compatible with Model VMS4230

StephenB — Thu, 07 Apr 2022 10:46:29 GMT

@equestrian wrote:

What currently available cameras are compatible with model VMS4230 base station?

VMS4230 is a system sku, not the base station model. I believe the base would be a VMB4000, but you should double-check that by looking for a VMBxxxx label on the base itself.

Full compatibility information (for all bases) is here: https://kb.arlo.com/000062284/Arlo-SmartHub-and-Base-Station-Compatibility

The closest cameras to what you have is the Arlo Essential models. They are 1080p, and have a non-replaceable battery. The Pro 4 is 2K - the battery is replaceable, but not compatible with the older Pro/Pro2 batteries. Both can optionally connect to your home wifi, so you can add them to your system even if your base doesn't support them.

Expect the same battery life that you are getting now (despite marketing claims). If you are interested in something longer, get the XL models (which have about 2.5x more capacity).

Your current cameras have 7-day cloud storage, but all the current cameras require a paid subscription to get any cloud storage. So you will need a subscription in order to see any recordings from the new camera in the app and browser.

Upgrading the base to a VMB4540 or VMB5000 smarthub would allow you to use direct access to local storage from the app (but not the browser). But the payback period compared to a single-camera subscription is quite long (IMO it is not cost effective).

Re: Which cameras are compatible with Model VMS4230

equestrian — Thu, 07 Apr 2022 20:48:42 GMT

Thank you StephenB (Guru)....that was very helpful. You are correct that the base station model is VMB4000.

Do you have any troubleshooting tips for my current camera? The night vision has stopped working. The sound continues to work at night and the picture with light is normal.

I tried removing the battery and putting it back in. I tried deleting it from my account and re-syncing it. No luck.

I would much rather get this camera working again rather than buy another one.

Re: Which cameras are compatible with Model VMS4230

StephenB — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 11:23:14 GMT

@equestrian wrote:

Do you have any troubleshooting tips for my current camera? The night vision has stopped working. The sound continues to work at night and the picture with light is normal.

I tried removing the battery and putting it back in. I tried deleting it from my account and re-syncing it. No luck.

I would much rather get this camera working again rather than buy another one.

There's not much you can actually fix. Of course you should check the video settings and make sure that the nightvision mode is still turned on (likely you've already done that).

There are two things that happen with Nightvision.

IR LEDs will turn on when it's dark and the camera starts streaming/recording. That illuminates the scene with IR. You can see those IR LEDS turn on (they are a darker red). So check for that. Also, make sure that the entire face of the camera is clean - you don't want those LEDs blocked by dirt. Some camera skins will block them, so if you just added a skin you should try removing it.
Also, there is an IR filter that engages when the camera switches from Nightvision to normal mode (and disengages when it switches back). That makes an audible click. If you put the camera in a box, you could start a livestream with the box lid off. Then put the lid on, and see if you hear the click. You could alternatively put the camera in a basement or closet, and just turn the light on and off. You do want the camera to be streaming when you do this test.

If the IR LED has failed, you could potentially add an IR floodlight instead of replacing the camera - putting the flood on a timer, so it isn't on all the time. You'd need to get power to the flood though.