Arlo Ultra or Pro 3 Base Station??

[fax_]

I need a refresh on my ARLO system and undecided on (regardless of the price) purchasing an Arlo Ultra Base Station (VMB5000) or the just released Arlo Pro Base Station (VMB4540). I would lean towards the latest Arlo Pro 3 under the assumption that since is the latest released it may have a longer time support as compared to the Ultra. Am I right?

What would you recommend?? Am I missing something obvious on the two base models?

Thanks a lot in advance for any help you may give!

Fax

[jguerdat]

I wouldn't consider which may have a longer support life - all devices are the same. The origginal wireless cameras of years ago are still supported as if they were new.

Consider the differences in base and camera details as well as cost. From a support perspective, they're identical.

[Mavrrick]

There is a KB article in the FAQ's that shows the difference. I think the only listed difference is how the external storage works. The Ultra base station used a MicroSD card while the one that comes with the Pro3 uses USB. I am not completely sure which is better, but i would lean toward the USB option. 

The differences may start to be more significant as Arlo moves towards their smarthome ambitions. At this point though who knows when that will come out. I think that was suppose to already be on the market by now.

[StephenB]

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@Mavrrick wrote:

I think the only listed difference is how the external storage works. The Ultra base station used a MicroSD card while the one that comes with the Pro3 uses USB. I am not completely sure which is better, but i would lean toward the USB option. 

Personally I like MicroSD, but of course opinions on that vary.

Another difference is that the Ultra base has dual-band WiFi, while the Pro3 base (like the Pro3 camera) only has 2.4 ghz.

[fax_]

Thank you all for your answers, very informative! I still think that the USB option gives more flexibility compared to the MIniSD. I am not sure the 5GHz is so crucial here considering its limited range but indeed good to know that the Pro3 base is not dual-band!

[Mavrrick]

It isn't that i don't believe you, but where is that documented about the dual band vs single band. Both base stations support up to 4k video, so it would make sense that both would support the wifi needed for the ultra cameras. 

MicroSD vs USB is certainly just personal preference. It may be a bigger issue to once we get the promised ability to access our locally recorded content from the base station itself.

[StephenB]

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@Mavrrick wrote:

It isn't that i don't believe you, but where is that documented about the dual band vs single band.

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I don't think it is documented.  @JamesC , can you please confirm (for the record).

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@Mavrrick wrote:

 both would support the wifi needed for the ultra cameras. 

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The Ultra camera radio is also dual band, so strictly speaking 5 gHz isn't needed for the camera. 

Arlo's guidance is that it needs 3 mbps, which is easily carried by 2.4 gHz.  ( https://kb.arlo.com/000062043/What-are-the-minimum-requirements-for-installing-and-using-my-Arlo-sys... ).  At longer ranges, the system will end up using 2.4 gHz anyway, since 5 ghz doesn't propagate as far.  Though if the camera is close to the base, then 5 gHz is useful since the band is somewhat less crowded.

[JamesC]

StephenB,

As confirmation, both Arlo Pro 3 cameras and the VMB4540 SmartHub are 2.4 GHz single band.

JamesC

[Mavrrick]

@JamesC  

Can you confirm if there are any other differences then those discussed above. One other one I am interetsed in is the fact that in my personal testing with the VMB4500 and VMB4540 I don't see video thumbnails in the apps. Just a butto to click to play live stream.

I am use to seeing the thumbnails when using my Arlo Pro 2 cameras with a VMB4000. I was suprised when i was working with the new kits that the thumbnails don't appear.

It also appears that the Arlo Pro 3 cameras do not have an option to manually trigger a recording. vs the Pro 2's and Arlo Q's I have.

[Mavrrick]

Never mind about the thimbnails. They showed up after a change to the mode being used

[StephenB]

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@Mavrrick wrote:

It also appears that the Arlo Pro 3 cameras do not have an option to manually trigger a recording. vs the Pro 2's and Arlo Q's I have.

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I have no trouble making a manual recording on my Pro 3 cameras.  Though I generally use the web client for that (not the app).  What are you using?

[rwadlinger]

it appears that at this time the Pro 3 hub NMB4540 supprts connecting Pro 3 cameras to Apple Homekit while the Ultra base station NMB5000 only connects Ultra cameras to Homekit.

[JamesC]

rwadlinger,

Correct. See the announcement for this here: Apple HomeKit is now compatible with Arlo Pro 3 cameras!

JamesC

[rwadlinger]

Yes - already saw that.  More wondering when the Ultra Base Station would be upgraded to handle Pro 3 to Apple Homekit.  More than a little weird that the flagship Base Station handles Ultra cams but at this time not Pro 3s while another Base Station does.  Does anyone at Arlo project when the alluded-to upgrade to the Ultra Base will take place.