Can Motion Detected recording work with Local Storage WITHOUT a Smart plan?

[Koulie]

I’ve recently purchased the Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight and been exploring my Smart Plan on the 3 month trial and my options going forward.

Long-term I’d like to purchase a SmartHub (with USB and compatible with Direct Access), as I prefer local storage. Before doing so I want to know how Local recording works with SmartHub WITHOUT a smart plan. 
  1. Can Motion Detected recording work with Local Storage WITHOUT a Smart plan?
  2. If no, what type of Local recordings can you do?

  3. Do new “SmartHub” recording options appear when the app detects Local storage?

[jguerdat · Accepted solution]

1) Yes.

2) Only motion-detected ones.

3) Not sure what you mean but the same options show when using a hub for local-only vs. with a subscription. The hub settings will show a local recording setting to enable.

I would recommend the VMB4540 as the hub since it uses a USB drive rather than a microSD card (VMB5000).

[Koulie]

Thank you for the prompt reply. That helps my decision making, I think I will go subscription-less with Local recordings on a SmartHub and let the cloud give me the basic “free” live feeds and motion notifications.

To elaborate on option 3, when I didn’t have my 3 month trial enabled the “Motion is detected” option greyed out “Then do the following > Record Video”. I’m assuming once SmartHub (with USB) is linked to my Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight, that should show differently?

Screenshot for reference attached.

And yes, I will be purchasing the VMB4540 model, I think that’s the only one Australian retailers stock!

[jguerdat]

---

@Koulie wrote:
To elaborate on option 3, when I didn’t have my 3 month trial enabled the “Motion is detected” option greyed out “Then do the following > Record Video”. I’m assuming once SmartHub (with USB) is linked to my Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight, that should show differently?\

---

I can't speak definitively on this but I would think so.

[Koulie]

I purchased a SmartHub with Local Storage and can confirm the following:

Under “Modes” the Arlo Floodlight now falls under the “SmartHub” and when you click to modify the “Armed” settinga everything is the same expect “Record video” is no longer greyed out.

I’m happy with this interaction and have found my long-term solution. I appreciate your assistance!