Custom alert sounds for Android/iOS

[Alpo]

Really need to customize the notification sound.  For instance, I want to be alerted to motion on some cameras while sleeping, but the notification sound is not enough to do that because it is too brief and I just sleep right through it.  Would be nice to select an mp3, or at least provide some more aggressive options for alerts.  Perhaps even per camera custom sounds, as one can do with ringtones for different contacts.

[AncientGeek]

@asafayan.  In my experience (Ring included), no company is doing s stellar job at providing rock solid surveillance solutions to consumers.  I don't mean to defend Arlo, because they are currently the leaders in bugs IMHO, but I see issues with my Ring Pro fairly frequently.  The UI is improving.  Also, I give Ring great credit for publishing their issues quickly via email to users and then following up with a notification when the issue has been resolved.  Perhaps that alone would be worth the move.

This week, I discovered one of my Nest cameras was on a different plan than the others.  I was unable to create a time-lapse video of an event I for which I wanted that.  When I checked my plans, I found three camera plans on my account that were completely disassociated from any camera.  I also discovered that to upgrade a plan from 5 day to 10 day retention, I had to cancel my current plan, lose my recoded videos and then add the new plan to the camera.

My point here is that the grass is always greener, but don't expect "no weeds".  There will be unpleasant "weeds".

[asafayan]

I agree and I’m in tech so I understand that.  Here is my biggest gripe, I asked to speak to a supervisor or to escalate my case and it was denied.  Screw Arlo and their lousy off shore support. 

[AncientGeek]

I'm a retired career IT guy, myself.  As a CIO, I frequently explained to me executive peers that All Software Sucks...so don't think moving from our current ERP package to that shiny object you have in mind (because your last company used it) will make much difference...other than in our employee frustation levels and depressed earnings from the outlay.

I agree on the customer support comment as well.  I don't even both trying anymore.  If Arlo gave us most techincal information, we could do a better job of support here in the community.

[asafayan]

 Support is a differentiator between the various network hardware and software vendors that we leverage.    Your comment about software  is 100% true.   But my specific experience has been a diminishing level of support available to me as an avid Arlo purchaser and evangelist too many other people.   I’ve very courteously asked for a supervisor and for a case escalation and it was denied.    They have lost my business.   

[FireBug36]

The iPhone and iPad are some of the most commonly used products on the market.  I am not sure what other brands are effected by the failed notification methods.  I find it unacceptable that between NetGear, Arlo, Apple, and other developers, that they cannot come together and create an effective means to alert its customers of an impending threat, break in, etc.  No offense, but isn't this the entire purpose of the system...to NOTIFY, to ALERT,  to ALARM, to PREVENT, and to PROTECT?  If you cannot hear the alarm notification, just how do you propose that to work?

All it is going to take is for people to lose their lives, their livelihood, or incur property damages that could have been prevented or lessened because of an inadequate, ineffective notification system on Apple products or any other brand.  Security systems are not effective when their means of notification is does not effectively work.  We pay for it to work properly, effectively, and have our protection in mind.  

[AncientGeek]

I wouldn’t say they actually “prevent” or “protect” anything.  If someone wants to get in, no alarm or camera system will actually prevent wrongdoing.  

Alarms and surveillance systems may “deter”, and should “alert” and “notify” for sure...also, hopefully allow for finding the perpetrator after the fact, in some cases.  We most certainly should expect some level of certainty our systems will provide these services.  That is the only reason we buy them!

[markr58]

Read all the posts on this thread as well as the preceding thread.  What’s it been now?  Two+ years?  Unbelievable!  I have reached the same conclusion as most everyone else:  Arlo has made an inconceivable business decision not to bother correcting this glaring defect.  

Many folks posting here have said that they are leaving Arlo and going to Ring.  Well, as someone who just boxed up their Ring gear and returned it to Costco, Ring is not the answer IMHO.  I had a Ring 2 video doorbell and a Chime unit.  Ring only records a max of 30 seconds, Many reviewers complain that they miss the important part of the event due to short recording time.  And their 1080 fisheye video is not nearly as good as Arlo Pro’s 720.  Major problems with the Pro 2.....read the reviews.  And no option for local backup.  Too many other problems to list. 

Since Nest is a division of Big Brother Google, I guess my only option is to box up the brand new Arlo gear and start looking for a NVR wired system.  

[AncientGeek]

Until I stumbled on this thread, I had never considered a unique notification sound.  My bigger problem is the number of useless notifications for bugs, rain, snow, clouds and sun.  I also wear an Apple Watch, so unless I'm driving, I just raise my arm to see what's going on.  However, I can see why some people might lke that, but I suspect it is an Apple problem and not directly an Arlo problem.

I have a Ring Pro doorbell and have been fairly satisfied with it, but I agree it has limitations.  I just ordered a Ring Stick Up Camera to evaluate that platform.  I use Axis for POE and local NVR recording, but haven't looked at the notification options there.  I have a number of Nest cameras, but share the concern about Google owning Nest for sure.  I've tried LogiCircle 2 and Guarzilla and have no enthusiasm for either of those...especially the latter.  I also have a NetAtmo Welcome, but am unimpressed with that platform.

It seems to me that if Arlo could get its act together around software quality, they could be a dominant player in this market.

[Alphonso123]

Arlo doesn't care. I called the headquarters in California at 888-638-4327 and got some woman who told me I had to contact tech support. When I explained to her that I (and dozens of others) had done just that to no avail, she got snippy and promised to look into it and call me back. It's been months,. No call back. BTW the number for Netgear Investor Relations is 408-890-3520. I didn't get anywhere with them either, but perhaps if enough of us call...

[tregeo]

The only way we as a collective group are going to be heard is if we start something big enough that Arlo take notice. Start an 'arlowon'tlisten' facebook page. Everywhere we go, every forum we contribute to, put the word out... 'Arlo won't listen'. Some companies bend over backwards to get feedback. Not so Arlo!

If they want to stay ahead of the pack, at some point soon they will have to start listening. And of all places to start listening, why not listen to their own community forum on their own website! Unbelievable!! Even a courteous response to say 'listen, we hear what you say, but what you want is very hard... we are working on it so give us another 6-months' or whatever would go a long way toward calming the anger which has built up over this issue.

Anyway, here is a work around which might help a little. Basically I am using the email notification as well as the feeble Arlo notification. The problem with the email notification is that some of us get hundreds of emails... so many in fact that I could not even consider having notifications turned on for email.

So, I have just set up a dummy gmail account which I have registered with Arlo as my email account.

This dummy account will receive only Arlo email. If anything else pops up I will block it. Then I downloaded the Outlook app for my phone. (I have multiple gmail accounts and did not want to confuse things with my other gmail inboxes). 

I set this Outlook account up to take care of my dummy email address ONLY. And only Arlo emails allowed. I then found the most distinctive sound which was available for the Outlook app and set that as the sound notification. Now, when my Arlo detects something and notifies me, I get my usual Arlo sound but when the email arrives into the Outlook app, (usually a few seconds after), I get a far more distinctive sound on my phone. I would have liked something even more dramatic, but at least the combination of these notifications has a chance of waking me up. Worth a try.