Arlo|Smart Home Security|Wireless HD Security Cameras

About 1/3 of recordings, play about 10 seconds and video freezes but audio keeps playing

Reply
Discussion stats
Regarlo
Initiate
Initiate

About 1/3 of the recordings Play for about 10 seconds and then the video freezes but the audio keeps playing. I have tried downloading the recording but the saved file is no different. I have two arlo pro 2 cameras both having the same problem. They are both hard wired. I use the arlo app on an iPhone8. The audio does not seem to be in sink with the picture either.
Not what you would expect for the price you pay for them.

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions
JamesC
Community Manager
Community Manager

A new firmware version was released for vmb4000 and vmb4500 base stations that resolves this issue. Please check your base station firmware version to be sure you received the automatic update. For more information on this release, take a look here:

 

Arlo Base Station VMB4000 - 1.15.0.1_3162_d878851 - 2nd January 2020

Arlo Base Station VMB4500 - 1.15.0.1_3092_d878851 - 2nd January 2020

 

JamesC

View solution in original post

338 REPLIES 338
Retired_Member
Not applicable

I have the same problem in all 5 cameras since last firmware upgrade. The video freezes randomly but audio remains well. Also i have notice that the batteries get drainned faster and the frame rate appears to decrease. 

Dannybear
Master
Master

If you’re using a USB backup device, check the recordings on it to see if they play all the video.

If they play ok then you may have a impulse noise issue affecting the wifi channel used by the base station.

To test this move one of the affected cameras closer to the base and monitor for the issue again.

If it performs better then consider changing the wifi channel on the local router to be fixed on another free channel so the base station wifi will match.

Retired_Member
Not applicable

The video recorded in the usb are even worst! Several files do not play back! Also, the date of the files creation is with different time zone and names so it is impossible to relate one file from the library with the ones in the usb! Also, since last firmware, all cameras drain battery incredible fast! Every 6 days i have to recharge all 5 cameras! You have a problem with last update.

JessicaP
Arlo Employee Retired

Hey Kaf2,

 

Have you tried rebooting your Base Station to see if that helps out?

Retired_Member
Not applicable

Yes but sincerily, rebooting should fix nothing. Anyway, problem remains. This problems only appeared after the last firmware update.

JessicaP
Arlo Employee Retired

Let me reach out to you via private message to gather some information from you.

Regarlo
Initiate
Initiate

Hi you can email me.

Thanks
Reg

JessicaP
Arlo Employee Retired

Hi Regarlo,

 

I've removed your email address for security purposes. Have you contacted the Support Team regarding this? Feel free to click on the link to contact the team.

 

Beef
Apprentice
Apprentice
I have the same problem,only seems to be with the one camera I have permanently plugged in.
JessicaP
Arlo Employee Retired

Hey Beef,

 

Have you tried the following steps that Dannybear provided on top?

If you’re using a USB backup device, check the recordings on it to see if they play all the video.

If they play ok then you may have a impulse noise issue affecting the wifi channel used by the base station.

To test this move one of the affected cameras closer to the base and monitor for the issue again.

If it performs better then consider changing the wifi channel on the local router to be fixed on another free channel so the base station wifi will match.

And have you also tried following my step with rebooting the Base Station?

 

Retired_Member
Not applicable

Yes i tried, except the change of the my router wifi channel. But why the problems only happen when the arlo router of cameras get an upgrade? On previous upgrade i had to resync all cameras, before i had to reboot the base stations ,etc... Why the user has to solve the upgrades problems?

Danwires
Initiate
Initiate
I’m having the same problem with Arlo pro 2 camera plugged into power outlet , video freezing after about 10seconds
Eric182
Apprentice
Apprentice

I also have this problem; only with the cameras that are permanently plugged in.  10-14 seconds of video then video freezes with audio still recording.

 

I have 4 Arlo Pro 2 cameras.  The one camera on battery does not do this.

Beef
Apprentice
Apprentice

I have removed the power supply from the offending camera and it appears to be behaving and recording as it should.

I am convinced that the problem only occurs when running on mains power and not battery power,a few more days testing will confirm this.

StephenB
Guru Guru
Guru

@Danwires wrote:
I’m having the same problem with Arlo pro 2 camera plugged into power outlet , video freezing after about 10seconds

In general there are two possible reasons

  1. the camera has simply stopped recording video at some point during the clip, but is still recording audio.
  2. the compressed bitstream has gotten corrupted in transmission (either camera->base station or base station -> cloud)

It's more likely to be corruption than a stopped recording.  Audio continues to play because audio compression tolerates corruption/losses better than video compression.

 

That said, corrupted transmission shouldn't increase when you power the camera with AC (assuming the camera is still in the same location).  It might be obvious, but I am wondering if you've checked for a loose connection or tried a different cable.  If you aren't using the Arlo charger, perhaps try switching to that, and see if it makes any difference.

Beef
Apprentice
Apprentice
Kktracy3
Apprentice
Apprentice
I’m so glad I found this topic. I am glad this problem is not just me at least. I have tried everything and even just bought a new base station to see if that helped but it didn’t. My Arlo pro 2 records about 12 seconds of video then freezes with audio still recording and yes only about 1/3 of the time. It’s only recently too so I think it may be firmware update. I was just about to buy a new camera but if it’s happening to lots of people then that won’t help. I have this camera plugged in but it has to be for 3 second playback so just using battery isn’t an option for me. Has anyone found a solution yet?
Dannybear
Master
Master
@Kltracy

On the problem camera, have you adjusted the camera view to be zoomed? If so can you try resetting the pinch and zoom setting to full screen to see if the issue goes away.
Kktracy3
Apprentice
Apprentice
No I have never zoomed my camera before but I did take off the activity zone that I had always used with no problems. That didn’t fix it either..
Dannybear
Master
Master
I get the frozen video on the cloud recordings rarely but only on powered cameras.

The event usually happens for me when a light switch or a fridge door is operated close to the camera.

I find the USB backup recordings are full length video.

The above suggests that maybe impulse noise causes the cloud server recording engine to get confused after it receives a minor glitch.
Kktracy3
Apprentice
Apprentice
That’s funny you say that. My camera is plugged in and on the same outlet as my garage fridge. You think that has something to do with it?
Dannybear
Master
Master
It maybe worth trying to power the camera from a different power circuit to the fridge just to eliminate the possibility as a test. I haven’t done this to my camera as it doesn’t occur that often.

If I motion trigger the camera to record, then unplug it and move it closer to the base I can reproduce the same effect of frozen video. Not the best approach but I believe it imitates a glitch in the stream that upsets the cloud server recording engine. The USB backup recording doesn’t exhibit the same behaviour as the computer’s media player is able to handle stream errors.
Beef
Apprentice
Apprentice
Around one hundred recordings on battery only yesterday and not one problem,going to plug it back into the bedroom power socket today and see what happens.
Beef
Apprentice
Apprentice