Arlo|Smart Home Security|Wireless HD Security Cameras
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Temporarily suspend video and audio recording

It would be nice to have a mode called "Temporarily Suspend" that disables the current mode for a set period of time (30 min, 1 hr, 2 hr, etc).  This would allow a user to turn off all cameras but they would automatically return to the previous mode after the set period of time.

Comments
tghosh
Tutor

nearly 3 years later, and this feature has not been implemented.

As much as i like may Arlo cameras...i can't recommend them based on how incomplete the software feature set is.

 

 

ewb110
Observer

@JamesC - What's up with this feature request?   Over 3 years now ?!? 

 

What does "Engineering Investigation" mean?  

 

 

JamesC
Community Manager

ewb110,

 

As an idea gains traction, the status is updated to reflect where that idea is in terms of being implemented. This idea's status being engineering investigation means the Arlo engineering team is considering this idea and determining whether or not it can be implemented. As the status of the idea progresses, it will be updated in this thread.

 

JamesC

DirkM
Fledgling
I have my cameras coming on/going off on a schedule. If one of my kids comes home early, I get constant notifications. I can disable, but then I need to remember to set it back on the schedule later. What I'd like to see is an option to say "Disable until next scheduled time". Like a 'temporary override'. Would also be useful if I leave the house earlier than usual and want to activate it early. Thanks for listening.
cpnichols
Onlooker

Thank you JamesC,

 

We look forward to hearing your updates.

cneu
Observer
After posting my own feature request for this a while back, that was later merged with this post, which dates over 3 years back (!), which is almost as old as the product itself, I just want to make a blunt statement: whoever you are, engineering team of Arlo, you are a bunch of idiots for not realizing an obvious necessity of a sensor-based security product: at the time of its introduction to the market and after ignoring it for all these years, making this statement "the status of this idea is being investigated by the engineering team". There is absolutely nothing to investigate! Not having the ability of temporarily disabling the alarms is as dumb as hooking up an electrical fixture to electrical circuit and not providing a switch that can turn it off! Just as good, you can investigate that "idea" too: why do you have a switch that turns off your room light? Hmmm.... maybe that "idea" is a good idea? It's not an idea, it's a necessity that goes with it! All other security camera makers that I looked into, have that! It makes it sound even dumber when you know how easy it is to implement this feature into the code! You, bunch of investigators, waste more time investigating it than the time it takes to code it in!
ewb110
Observer

@cneu great point.  Let’s try to accelerate  this “investigation”.  I’ll post some contact links to Consumer Reports as well as start a twitter hashtag about how this one feature makes the product “useless”.   

 

Maybe we can prevent others from buying an inferior product with absolutely NO R&D to make the product better.  

 

Sorry @JamesC, not seeing these forums as very productive.  But social media and cutting into profit may!

 

BriDee
Fledgling

@cneu @ewb110

Yes I get notifications every time someone else adds to this thread and have for years now. And @JamesC just seems to be continuing with the same line of stalling... add kudos and he'll keep you updated. 

I don't want updates about whether they're thinking about updating the software. I just want the software updated. 

This is a feature I would use regularly: when my housekeeper comes, when my sister uses my house as a crashpad, & when my boyfriend arrives home an hour before me. 

I wonder if there is anyone employed in the software department. I'm trying to think back whether there has been anything added to the software since geofencing was introduced. Maybe if it's not a literal product they can sell (like the arlo go) they are not interested in working on anything. Motivation for making the product better is probably pretty low for them. 

 

The frustrating thing is that I've already purchased these cameras. I purchased them specifically because they did not require wiring, or a regular payment plan. But maybe the lack of a contract or payment plan is the also the problem. They have no reason to try to keep you as a customer because you have already bought their standalone product. Unless we figure out a way to affect their bottom line, they have no reason to improve the products we've all already bought. Frustrating.

Ideas for actions we all can take as users would be welcome in this thread I think. Let's put our forum into action. @ewb110 you had some good ideas.

jayamilne
Follower

It looks like Arlo is spinning out of NetGear into its own business, and being headed up by Matthew McRae. If we can find his email and let him know all the business and money he is losing by not fixing a simple issue, maybe we can get some traction. I know for myself, I have not spend a single $ on any new Arlo or Netgear products in a few years and will not support them until we can get some traction here.

 

http://www.multichannel.com/news/finance/netgear-spin-out-arlo-have-matthew-mcrae-serve-its-ceo/4179...

Let's not forget the elephant in the room - Ring. Or the 1.1 billion dollars Amazon just spent to acquire them. I don't wish for any individual to lose their job, but if this isn't the death knell for Arlo, I don't know what is. I just cashed in my final Arlo replacement through Square Trade (yep, 3rd or 4th warranty exchange now), and with other contenders like Kasa (which works pretty flawlessly in my home), I've officially started my Arlo purge. 

 

I couldn't be sicker of getting alerts only to have my app tell me "Can't connect" or whatever it is. Arlo was a great idea, a not so-great implementation, and a horrible example of how (not) to listen to your user base. As many of you are pointing out, it's been 3 years. How stupid are we to continue using this product? lol. I'm a little slow anyway, but it's time.