Arlo 2 Pro - does the 3 second look back feature require a paid storage subscription (CVR)?

[Gooots]

Hi there,

im looking at purchasing the arlo pro 2 camera as an add on to my existing arlo pro setup.

I really like the 3 second look back feature.

I understand that it will need to plugged into AC power which is fine.

Do I need to sign up for a CVR plan to use the 3 second look back feature or can this be used for free?

[TomMac]

No, you do not need the CVR...

the 3 second look back is when the camera is ac powered and it's free

[VancouverBC]

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@Goootswrote:

Do I need to sign up for a CVR plan to use the 3 second look back feature or can this be used for free?

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3 second look-back, with AC powered cameras, works great with the free subscription. Recordings are kept online for 7 days. And you can have up to 5 cameras on the free subscription.

[webx]

How do i turn on or activate the look back feature?  I have plugged it into an outlet (and taken out the battery) and still haven't seen this feature appear to turn on.

[JamesC]

webx,

As long as your Arlo Pro 2 camera is plugged in, the look back feature will be enabled. Take a look here for more information on how this feature works: How does the Look Back feature work on my Arlo Pro 2 camera?

JamesC

[VancouverBC]

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@webx wrote:

How do i turn on or activate the look back feature?  I have plugged it into an outlet (and taken out the battery) and still haven't seen this feature appear to turn on.

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The 3 second pre-recording feature is enabled automatically when the camera is powered plugged into AC/mains power. You don't have to do anything or turn anything on (nothing to turn on). Say for instance someone walking by triggers motion detection and the camera starts recording video. When you play back the video you will see that the recording starts 3 seconds before the triggering event. Say someone is walking up to your front door and the camera is triggered when the person is 10'/3m from the front door. When you view the video, you'll see the recording starts 3 seconds before the person reaches the 10' distance from the door. Just try it and you'll see what I mean, seeing it is easier than trying to describe it. 

[webx]

Ah ok !  this answers my question, it's automatically enabled.  thank-you

[Frankarlo]

For the look back feature to work, it says “plugged in” meaning:
1. Battery in camera and usb power adapter connected.?
2. Battery NOT in camera and usb power adapter connected?

I’m running on option 1 above and look back is not working. Do you really need to remove the battery to get it running?

[webx]

Yes you really need to remove the battery for this to work.  The icon will change from a battery to plug icon, MUST show a plug for the look back feature to work. 

To answer your first question, you DO NOT need a paid subcription for this to work ethier.

[Frankarlo]

Ok that is a strange way of doing it, I had hoped it worked with the battery inside. If the power to the house goes the camera will die to without the battery. I have the fiber connection and Arlo router on a UPS...

[JamesC]

The battery does not need to be removed for this feature to work. The only requirement is that the camera is plugged in using the power cable and AC adapter that was included in the original packaging.

JamesC

[webx]

I talked with tech support for Arlo and they confirmed battery MUST be removed for this feature to work.  Would be better if did not need to be removed, but maybe they will fix that one day.

[Frankarlo]

Just for clarification, what is specific with the included cable and adapter. Isn’t it just a standard USB micro power adapter?

I’m using the included adapter and battery inside, no 3 sec look back. I will try more later tonight with removing the battery.

[Frankarlo]

Ok I did more testing under controlled circumstances. 3 sec look back works with the battery in the camera and the USB AC adapter plugged in. I can also confirm it does not matter which cable and USB adapter you use. In my tests I used a Samsung AC adapter and a micro USB cable from another device.

3 sec look back works:

Running only on AC: 

Running on battery and AC:

3 sec look back does not work:

only running on battery:

[jguerdat]

Sorry - brain fart post..

[Frankarlo]

What is not true? If you read my last post after I did some more “controlled” testing I confirmed 3 sec look back worked fine with the battery in the unit and USB power at the same time.

So I’m happy with how it works now.

[VancouverBC]

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@Frankarlo wrote:

Ok I did more testing under controlled circumstances. 3 sec look back works with the battery in the camera and the USB AC adapter plugged in. I can also confirm it does not matter which cable and USB adapter you use. In my tests I used a Samsung AC adapter and a micro USB cable from another device.

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Thanks for testing and posting. Good to know the 3 second pre-recording works with AC power and the battery in. That's how I run one camera. 

You get some really long post-recording after the motion stops. My recordings stop almost as soon as the motion stops. 

[VancouverBC]

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@jguerdat wrote:

Sorry - brain fart post..

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Jguerdat, which post are you replying to? I thought FrankArlo did some good testing and took the time to post video for the community.  Maybe things get lost in translation and with differences in regional usage. To me "brain fart" is mis-speaking something. I think FrankArlo's results are valid.

[Paul_FCCL]

He may be replying to a different post.......easy to do when you’re dealing with many posts simultaneously.

[Frankarlo]

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You get some really long post-recording after the motion stops. My recordings stop almost as soon as the motion stops. 

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Yes I have also noticed that, don't know why as I have set it to stop recording when the movement stops. I can live with that but strange that your cameras stop recording directly.

[jguerdat]

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@Paul_FCCL wrote:
He may be replying to a different post.......easy to do when you’re dealing with many posts simultaneously.

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Yeah, sorry. Some of you read my first reply before I realized what was going on. I edited it to my brain fart but it was too late.

[jguerdat]

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@VancouverBC wrote:

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@jguerdat wrote:

Sorry - brain fart post..

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Jguerdat, which post are you replying to? I thought FrankArlo did some good testing and took the time to post video for the community.  Maybe things get lost in translation and with differences in regional usage. To me "brain fart" is mis-speaking something. I think FrankArlo's results are valid.

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Yup, I was mis-speaking, hence the brain fart. FrankArlo's post was just fine - it was mine that I couldn't just delete.

[jguerdat]

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@Frankarlo wrote:

You get some really long post-recording after the motion stops. My recordings stop almost as soon as the motion stops.  

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Yes I have also noticed that, don't know why as I have set it to stop recording when the movement stops. I can live with that but strange that your cameras stop recording directly.

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Back to your normally scheduled program.  🙂

I've previously noted ~5 seconds worth of recording after motion stops when set to "record until motion stops" but that may have changed. It shouldn't stop immediately since that could lead to missed recordings - there's hysteresis built into the system.