Essential spotlight no longer records or activates spotlight

[kostern]

I have three Arlo cameras, one of which is the wireless Essential Spotlight camera. When installed in 2020, this camera worked well and as advertised, lighting up the path when triggered, recording to the library. Now, it does not record - although I do seem to get alerts. Nor does the spotlight come on when triggered. I have changed nothing in the setup. It's kind of useless if it doesn't illuminate the path when triggered or record to my video library. The other two cameras we installed, not spotlights, are working properly.

[StephenB]

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@kostern wrote:

Now, it does not record - although I do seem to get alerts. 

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Has the trial subscription expired?

[topcorner18]

I also have this problem.   I installed it a couple of weeks ago and it worked fine.  Now I get motion notification but nothing in the library.  That said, if I click on the notification I can watch the video from the motion event, I just don't see it in the library so cannot go back later.  When I drill down on the device settings it says I have a 3 -month Trial Active that ends August 11, 2021.   @StephenB Is that different than one that would save motion recordings?  Any guidance would be appreciated.  We are monitoring a 95-year-old aunt and need to see those videos.

[StephenB]

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@topcorner18 wrote:

When I drill down on the device settings it says I have a 3 -month Trial Active that ends August 11, 2021.   @StephenB Is that different than one that would save motion recordings?  Any guidance would be appreciated.  We are monitoring a 95-year-old aunt and need to see those videos.

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The trial subscription gives you cloud recordings.

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@topcorner18 wrote:

  Now I get motion notification but nothing in the library.  That said, if I click on the notification I can watch the video from the motion event, I just don't see it in the library so cannot go back later.  

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Can you make (and view) a manual recording?

[jaward11]

I dont want cloud recordings.  I want the Essential to record to the base thumb drive like the other Arlo cameras do without subscription.

[StephenB]

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@jaward11 wrote:

I dont want cloud recordings.  I want the Essential to record to the base thumb drive like the other Arlo cameras do without subscription.

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I believe it does.

[kostern]

Yes. I thought I'd read that the subscription was not required but I guess it is. The bigger issue is that the spotlight has stopped illuminating, which defeats part of the purpose of having it. I've had several issues with the essential spotlight camera and the solar panel. Maybe it's operator error. Or maybe it's time to try another option.

[jaward11]

So I figured out my issue.  The essential cam DOES make the recordings to the thumb drive with Arming.  You have to pull out the thumb drive and view the videos on your computer.  My original Arlo cams DO show a short recent camera video in the app WITHOUT subscription.  But not Essential videos triggered from Arming.

[StephenB]

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@jaward11 wrote:

My original Arlo cams DO show a short recent camera video in the app WITHOUT subscription.  

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The older cameras include 7 days of cloud recording w/o a subscription.  Newer cameras (Essential, Pro3, Pro4, Ultra) do not.