Essential Camera pushes Motion Detection, but doesn't record video or show thumbnail

[Rarewings]

4 New Essential 2nd Gen cameras,

2 Arlo VMB4540 base stations

1 Arlo pro camera

1 Arlo camera

Arlo Secure Home Alarm system with 8 multi function sensor.

The system and camera were working fine when I had the old base stations and all Arlo pro cameras. 

They all detected motion and recorded videos.

I decided to upgrade for better image quality and battery life.

So I swapped In two new VMB4540 base stations and 4 new Essential 2nd gen cameras.

So for the first couple of weeks everything worked okay... not perfect but okay.

Now 3 out of the 4 Essential cameras will push a notice to the app stated that motion has been detected buy they won't record any video.

The frontdoor camera is a new Essential 2nd Gen and has always worked for detection and recording.

I am in IT and this is what has been done along with calling the really bad tech support.

Base station 1

Frontdoor essential camera: Always works

FrontPorch essential  camera: Some times works

Driveway essential camera: Some times works

Basestation2

Sideyard essential camera: Sometimes works

Backyard Arlo Pro camera: always works

Back gate Arlo camera: always works.

The base stations have been switched between each other.

The camera have been removed and re-added.

Have tried saving to local storage base stations.

App removed from phone and re-installed.

All cameras motion tested and all feed setting reset to default.

All videos removed from cloud storage

All other user removed from account.

Routines re-added after re- adding camera.

Most the time after re-adding the camera it might work for less than 48 hours.

The camera have been switched between locations and base stations. 

The Frontdoor camera had been moved to all locations and works no matter where it is and with either base station. I used the setting for this camera as the template for all the other cameras so they are set the same.

I don't think should have to do this much troubleshooting and resetting on cameras that are "better" than my Arlo Pro.

Can anyone think on anything that I can try beside switching to Another Company

[StephenB]

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@Rarewings wrote:

Essential Camera pushes Motion Detection, but doesn't record video or show thumbnail

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Are the problem cameras all in a subscription plan?

Are you using direct access to local storage (either in parallel with a subscription, or without one)?

[Rarewings]

All cameras are in my Arlo Safe home security plan.

It was in parallel but didn't help the issue.

This is how I set it up.

On the local storage I add USB 32gb drives to the Basestation.

Then Enabled local storage for both basestation. 

I didn't open port forwarding as I didn't want to add another layer of problems

[jguerdat]

What happens if one of the most problematic cameras is brought closer to its hub for testing?

[Rarewings]

With two base stations, no camera is more than about 30 feet from a basestation.

I could bring them closer for testing.

The front door Camera has been in all positions with either basestation and has never failed to detect motion or record video

[jguerdat]

Are you using activity zones and/or Smart Notifications? If so, what happens if you remove them? Using the app or a computer (ejecting the drive for viewing on the computer) to check local recordings, are there recordings there that are not in the cloud recordings? If so, are any 0 length?

[Rarewings]

I did NOT have smart Notification setup on any cameras.

I did have two cameras with activity zone but removed them while talking with Tech Support again today.

We checked all the camera settings again, removed the two activity zones. Turned the motion detection to 100.

All the settings are the same on all cameras.

1 camera always detects motion, pushes notification and records.

2 camera always detect motion,pushes notification and 2 out if 10 times records a video.

1 camera  detects motion, pushes notification, almost never records a video.

This cameras have been placed in all 4 locations and both basestation.

The results always follow the cameras

[Rarewings]

Funny....

After pushing Arlo Phone support for help I got them to RMA one camera "to test".

After installing and setting up the new camera. It works perfectly! It is detecting, people,cats ,vehicles.

Sending notifications to the app and MOST importantly recording video in the feed.

Now I have to push back on support to RMA the other cameras and might have a fully working system.

I did learn one things that helps when removing and re-installing cameras.

Once you have removed camera and BEFORE you add in back in.

Delete the Cache on the Arlo App as this sometimes can keep the app from  getting the right subscription information on the camera