topic Re: The Worst Software Update EVER! in Arlo Pro 4

New Scheduling and routines

RetNavy — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 21:12:31 GMT

My cameras were working just fine. I was able to quickly access the phone app and set individual cameras on a schedule that I liked i.e Living Room camera on at 12am - 6am. I didn't want to capture family walking around the house during the day it'll midnight, so I could easily set it the way I wanted...NO MORE! These crazy routines they came up with especially "Standby", "Add an Automation" and "Add an Action" are so confusing it's super frustrating trying to figure this new software out. You need to take a class to understand the way this works.

It's SLOW to load on my iphone unlike the previous version and the pictures don't load all the time on the "Dashboard". I'm really pissed they forced us to use this crappy app. I WANT MY SCHEDULE'S BACK. Now I have to completely turn off certain camera's when family is over to prevent the batteries from draining, do to the horrible changes in this app. PAID customers should have the option to upgrade or NOT or down grade to the previous version. I have read the help files 100 times and still don't get it. Standby is super confusing. THIS IS NOT BETTER OR USER FRIENDLY.

Re: The Worst Software Update EVER!

jguerdat — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 14:02:35 GMT

The difference in the UIs and how they work is certainly an issue for folks who are used to the old UI's operation. However, the new one (generally) provides the same functionality but a different mindset. This FAQ may be useful:

https://kb.arlo.com/000062777/About-Arlo-Routines-Modes-Rules-and-Automations

An issue with the schedule is that, unlike the old UI, you now have to create 2 schedules at a minimum, one to start a mode with appropriate rules and a second one to start a different mode.

Re: The Worst Software Update EVER!

Bkbaird — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 14:17:26 GMT

i followed that info to the T and still, not working. It is not an FAQ it is a "how to"

let's ZOOM and you can see/show me where I am going wrong on setting up Automations, please.

Re: The Worst Software Update EVER!

StephenB — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 12:42:49 GMT

@Bkbaird wrote:

i followed that info to the T and still, not working. It is not an FAQ it is a "how to"

let's ZOOM and you can see/show me where I am going wrong on setting up Automations, please.

This is user-to-user forum, and neither @jguerdat nor I work for Arlo. We don't provide direct support, just advice here.

In general, you first want to configure the Arm Home, and Arm Away modes. Make sure Arm Away is set to arm all your cameras. Check that Arm Home only arms the outdoor cameras (has no rules for the cameras you want to disarm on schedule). The "modes" information here might help navigation:

https://kb.arlo.com/000062777/About-Arlo-Routines-Modes-Rules-and-Automations

After you've done that step, make sure "Arm Home" and "Arm Away" both do what you want.

Then post back and we can help debug the two schedule automations you need. You might also look at my reply on this thread (marked as the solution):

https://community.arlo.com/t5/Arlo-Secure/ARLO-Po-model-VMC-4030/m-p/2423038

The automation in the reply isn't set up the way you want, but the principles in the reply might help.

Re: The Worst Software Update EVER!

Bkbaird — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 12:57:25 GMT

I believe I’ve everything correct yet, the automations do not seem to work. thanks is for an assist.

Re: The Worst Software Update EVER!

jguerdat — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 14:01:03 GMT

What is it that isn't working? Your modes look right but we'd also need to see at least one of the rules. If they're all set the same, that one should be sufficient and doesn't matter as to which camera rule you're showing. In addition, we need to see how each schedule is set up. That should give us a good chance of figuring out what's up.

If you change the modes manually by selecting them in the Dashboard, do they work as expected?

Re: The Worst Software Update EVER!

StephenB — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 15:41:51 GMT

Do you always want to follow the schedule? Or do you want to ignore the schedule when you are in "Arm Home"?

Can you post the screenshots for your two automations?

Re: The Worst Software Update EVER!

Bkbaird — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 20:58:48 GMT

I would like the schedule to run every day. 7 AM standby, no cameras, and switch at 7 PM to “armed home,” all but indoor cameras.

both automations have all modes enabled

Re: The Worst Software Update EVER!

StephenB — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 00:41:30 GMT

@Bkbaird wrote:

I would like the schedule to run every day. 7 AM standby, no cameras, and switch at 7 PM to “armed home,” all but indoor cameras.

both automations have all modes enabled

The screenshots look correct to me.

When you use the "test automation" in the two automations, do they change the modes correctly?

Re: The Worst Software Update EVER!

Bkbaird — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 00:48:39 GMT

What exactly is supposed to happen when I hit test? All I see happening is that it changes to a checkmark and then back to “test automation”

That doesn’t seem very helpful

Re: The Worst Software Update EVER!

StephenB — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 00:55:45 GMT

@Bkbaird wrote:

What exactly is supposed to happen when I hit test? All I see happening is that it changes to a checkmark and then back to “test automation”

That doesn’t seem very helpful

It runs the automation. So if you test the one that switches to "standby", you can

set the mode to Arm Home
test the automation
then go to the dashboard screen and confirm that the mode has changed to standby.

Re: The Worst Software Update EVER!

RetNavy — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 02:21:10 GMT

We’ll need to take a Master Class to figure this crappy software out. I’ve been with Arlo for years and this is what I get. More complexity? How about some UTube DETAILED videos on building schedules. Not your normal GENERAL setups. It should have been done before you released this version.

Re: The Worst Software Update EVER!

Bkbaird — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 04:09:38 GMT

So, in the automation screen should the automations be grayed out or not to be active?
grey = on?

Re: The Worst Software Update EVER!

Edinburgh_lad1 — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 08:56:58 GMT

See the last message in this post and hopefully it'll be helpful:

https://community.arlo.com/t5/Arlo-Ultra/New-Arlo-GUI/m-p/1933612#M22291%3Fcid=052517_arlogoNPI_us_em

Re: The Worst Software Update EVER!

jguerdat — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 11:59:49 GMT

@Bkbaird wrote:

So, in the automation screen should the automations be grayed out or not to be active?
grey = on?

No, being gray means it's disabled (although it should also show "disabled"). You might want to remove and recreate that schedule.

Re: The Worst Software Update EVER!

Bkbaird — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 14:04:09 GMT

it may have worked...? will wait till 7pm to know

Re: The Worst Software Update EVER!

Bkbaird — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 14:04:25 GMT

testing....

Re: The Worst Software Update EVER!

RetNavy — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 15:21:37 GMT

OK, I'm at it again, can ANYONE for the love of God please tell me how to setup a schedule for my indoor camera to ONLY come on at 12pm and disable at 6am. I continue to read these instructions and the scheduling does not make since. I need STEP BY STEP instructions. Every time I try and set up a schedule in "Armed Home", it captures all of my devices and not my Indoor camera I'm trying to disable during the day except for the times listed above. Another thing, when I try and setup a schedule on my iPhone, it never shows Sundays????

Re: The Worst Software Update EVER!

StephenB — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 16:50:14 GMT

@RetNavy wrote:

Every time I try and set up a schedule in "Armed Home", it captures all of my devices and not my Indoor camera I'm trying to disable during the day

If a camera has no rule in the mode, then the camera is disabled when you use that mode.

So in your situation, you want Arm Away to include all cameras, and Arm Home to include everything but the camera you want to disable.

Then schedule "Arm Home" during the day, and "Arm Away" at night.

Re: The Worst Software Update EVER!

pontuss — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 16:59:42 GMT

Can I have geo fence active on one camera for the home option? I think the update really changed too much, an instruction how to keep the same setup should have been sent out before the update... Have 7 cameras, two bases and thinking about selling the whole package to be honest, will give it a month or so to see if I can get back to the way it was.