topic Re: Cannot change Location TimeZone in Arlo

Cannot change Location TimeZone

ozzie23 — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 21:05:59 GMT

My "Location & Plans" is stuck on Vladivostok timezone and I'm unable to change it, so all my video feeds have the wrong timestamp.

On theArlo website from desktop, My Dashboard, Settings->Locations And Plans->Location: the mouse doesn't change when hovering over Vladivostok so I cannot change it from my dashboard. But, when i hover the mouse over my address or location name fields, the mouse changes from an arrow to hand and I am able to change those parameters.

On the Arlo app, nothing happens when I touch the TimeZone parameter under "Locations and Plans."

Arlo support is clueless - they don't know their own app and the kb articles are incorrect. Arlo support points me to this kb: https://kb.arlo.com/000062607/How-do-I-set-the-time-zone-for-my-Arlo-camera. That kb says to go to Settings->My Devices and change the TimeZone of the device - THERE IS NO TIMEZONE setting for the device. The only place where there is a TimeZone parameter is under the Locations & Plans in the profile.

This appears to be a software bug in the Arlo app, and on their website. All their kb articles are wrong - they point users to device settings, but TimeZone only exists for "Locations and Plans."

Has anybody been able to fix their TimeZone? Happy to be corrected if it's user error & I'm doing something wrong, but I cannot find TimeZone under Device settings where they think it is.

Buyer beware of bad support.

Re: Cannot change Location TimeZone

StephenB — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 11:21:16 GMT

@ozzie23 wrote:

My "Location & Plans" is stuck on Vladivostok timezone and I'm unable to change it, so all my video feeds have the wrong timestamp.

If you enter an address for the location, the timezone is locked to the timezone for that address - and cannot be changed. If there is no address entered, then the timezone can be edited.

Unfortunately, once the address is entered, it can be edited - but not deleted.

So first check that the address information is correct. If it is, you can try changing to a false address that is in the correct timezone. The other option is to set up a new location, but don't enter the address. Then move your cameras to that location. This might force you to re-subscribe for the changed location - no idea on that.

Re: Cannot change Location TimeZone

ozzie23 — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 20:35:25 GMT

Arlo must have the worst workflow I have encountered in software. My findings are below:

Test 1 - enter an address up front when creating a location:

Create new location;
Enter address;
Try set Timezone - cannot change the timezone: it is locked to "Vladivostok."

Test 2 - create new location without address:

Create new location;
Select "Maybe later" for address;
Set timezone - great - can change from Vladivostok.
Then enter location address.

Timezone fact findings:

Timezone is locked when an address is entered for a location: you cannot change the timezone, but can change the address.
Timezone can only be set when the address is blank. Once there's an address for the location, timezone is locked.
Arlo timezone defaults to Vladivostok - the Arlo code is not smart enough to look up timezone from the address entered.
Plans are locked to a location. While on the free 60 day trial, don't change the location as you lose the free trial.

My experience with Arlo so far:

Poor workflows in the app and website: we should absolutely 100% be able to change the location timezone, especially since Arlo defaults to a rubbish one when you enter the address.
Poor customer support: Arlo customer support has no clue - they don't even look at the screenshots uploaded to cases, they are not trained on the application workflows and they don't understand the problem.
Users will find better support here in the community than contacting Arlo support.

Re: Cannot change Location TimeZone

StephenB — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 21:21:18 GMT

@ozzie23 wrote:
Arlo timezone defaults to Vladivostok - the Arlo code is not smart enough to look up timezone from the address entered.

FWIW, my timezone is locked to US Eastern Time (which is the correct timezone for my address).

Re: Cannot change Location TimeZone

klimesmd — Sat, 08 Apr 2023 14:09:38 GMT

I was having the same issue. I’m located in Indiana (Indianapolis TZ) but the app thought I was in South America somewhere. So I changed to an address in California at random and it updated the timezone to pacific time. Then I changed back to my correct address and it changed to the correct timezone for my address.