topic Re: Pro4 camera w/ VMB4000r3 hub; cannot view local recordings in Arlo Pro 4

Pro4 camera w/ VMB4000r3 hub; cannot view local recordings

jdef — Sun, 08 May 2022 18:12:59 GMT

I have an existing Arlo system with older Arlo ultra cameras. i added a new arlo pro4. it worked fine while the trial subscription lasted, but now it is not saving recordings to arlo cloud, although my older cameras are (but recordings don't last; whick is okay). I have a USB in my VMB4000r3 base station. I would like to either:

1) have my arlo pro4 camera write temp videos to the cloud so i can view them as I can with my arlo ultra cameras, using my iphone

2) view my local usb recordings from my iphone on my VMB4000r3 hub

Also, do I have to have a payed subscription to view recordings in the arlo cloud for my Pro4, even if I don't need them saved? Works fine for my older Arlo Ultra cameras. Thank you!!

Re: Pro4 camera w/ VMB4000r3 hub; cannot view local recordings

StephenB — Sun, 08 May 2022 19:06:16 GMT

@jdef wrote:

I have an existing Arlo system with older Arlo ultra cameras. i added a new arlo pro4. it worked fine while the trial subscription lasted, but now it is not saving recordings to arlo cloud, although my older cameras are (but recordings don't last; whick is okay).

I don't believe you have ultras - I believe you have older cameras (like Arlo Pro 2 cameras), which have 7-day free cloud storage. Newer cameras (starting with the Ultra in 2018) do not have this.

If you open the camera, you should find a part number label inside that start with VM. Look for it behind the battery. Can you do that, and post the part number you find there.

@jdef wrote:

1) have my arlo pro4 camera write temp videos to the cloud so i can view them as I can with my arlo ultra cameras, using my iphone

or

2) view my local usb recordings from my iphone on my VMB4000r3 hub

The VMB4000 does not support direct access to local storage, so #2 is not possible. (Note you are not seeing the local recordings from other cameras on the iphone either, you are seeing the 7-day cloud recordings).

#1 requires a subscription.

Re: Pro4 camera w/ VMB4000r3 hub; cannot view local recordings

jdef — Sun, 08 May 2022 19:18:21 GMT

Thank you StevenB. My older cameras have the p/n VMC4030. They work fine, allowing me to view activity on my iPhone (although the activity does fall off after a few days).

So you are saying the the older cameras allow for 7 day Arlo cloud storage without a paid subscription, but this is not the case for the new Pro4 that I purchased? In other words, in my current set up, the only way for me to view the recordings from the new Pro4 would be:

1) paid subscription for that camera

2)upgrade my base hub to a model that supports direct access to local storage?

Thank you so much for you help!!!

Re: Pro4 camera w/ VMB4000r3 hub; cannot view local recordings

StephenB — Sun, 08 May 2022 20:40:54 GMT

@jdef wrote:

My older cameras have the p/n VMC4030.

Ok, those are Pro cameras - not Ultras.

@jdef wrote:

So you are saying the the older cameras allow for 7 day Arlo cloud storage without a paid subscription, but this is not the case for the new Pro4 that I purchased? In other words, in my current set up, the only way for me to view the recordings from the new Pro4 would be:

1) paid subscription for that camera

2)upgrade my base hub to a model that supports direct access to local storage?

Correct. The smarthubs you'd need for option 2 are either the VMB4540 or VMB5000. MSRP for the VMB4540 would be $99 USD - though at the moment they are in short supply, and several sellers are charging a lot more than MSRP.

There are several limitations for option 2:

Recordings only accessible from the app (not PC browsers)
Recordings only accessible to the primary account (not friend accounts)
No thumbnails in the library or in notifications
no ability to make manual recordings or snapshots
remote access requires router configuration changes that many find difficult - and which don't work on some networks (starlink and tmobile broadband being two examples).

There are other subscription features you'd also lose - activity zones and smart notifications.

Re: Pro4 camera w/ VMB4000r3 hub; cannot view local recordings

jdef — Mon, 09 May 2022 01:25:51 GMT

Thank you so very much! That explains quite a lot!