Local Storage without service plan?

[MattyIce]

Just got outfitted with Arlo: Pro3, Doorbell, Baby Mon...the works. I've researched the monthly plans, which are affordable, but I also read that local storage can still be used if a plan is not utilized. However, I've also read here in the community that you actually can only store locally WITH a plan and as a backup. I need some clarification on this. I've attached the verbiage from Arlo below and it seems pretty clear. 

[TomMac]

Arlo Wire-Free, Pro, Pro 2, Go, Q, Q Plus, and Arlo Baby cameras all include 7-days of free cloud recording.

Arlo Ultra and Pro 3 kits currently come with an Arlo Smart trial.

( older cams will still have free 7 days, newer need plan )

read this;

https://kb.arlo.com/88/What-are-the-available-Arlo-subscription-plans-and-how-much-cloud-recording-i...

When the Arlo Smart trial that was included with your Arlo Pro 3 camera ends, you have the option to sign up for an Arlo Smart plan. You can also choose not to have a service plan.

Without a service plan, your Arlo Pro 3 camera will continue to have the following features:

• Remote and local live streaming
• Push notifications
• Auto Zoom and Tracking
• Two-way audio
• Local USB recording

read this;

https://kb.arlo.com/000062312/What-options-will-I-have-when-the-Arlo-Smart-3-month-trial-plan-ends

[MattyIce]

Hi Tom. Thank you for your response. I don’t think it addresses my question though. I outlined all those points myself and even posted a grab from the link you posted. So let me be clearer:

1.) From your link and my grab you can clearly see that Arlo says USB local storage is possible when the trial expires. But from comments within this forum on the same topic, commenters say this is not the case. Can I store locally to an external hard drive once the trial has expired?...yes or no and are there any restrictions therein?

2) If YES, what is the procedure for doing this?

If NO, why does the Arlo website say it’s possible?

[StephenB]

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@MattyIce wrote:
 Can I store locally to an external hard drive once the trial has expired?...yes or no and are there any restrictions therein?

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If you have a VMB4540 or VMB5000 base, then you can get direct access to your local recordings from the app.  For some reason that isn't available in the web client (which I find very annoying).

But the model info in your earlier post says you have a VMB3000 base.  Direct access isn't available for that, and you do need a subscription plan for the Pro3.

More info on this is here: https://kb.arlo.com/000062337/What-is-Direct-Storage-Access-and-how-do-I-use-it

[Purplehaze]

I just added a 128gb udb flash drive to the base station. It says it is storing videos but nothing shows up in the library. No other info. One of the reasons I went with Arlo 3 was because it said you could do local storage. Not happy.

[StephenB]

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@Purplehaze wrote:
I just added a 128gb udb flash drive to the base station. It says it is storing videos but nothing shows up in the library. No other info. One of the reasons I went with Arlo 3 was because it said you could do local storage. Not happy.

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You are selecting the base station library in the app?

[michaelkenward]

This isn't the most reliable of features. Local storage access seems to go AWOL here as often as not.  

You have to use a mobile device. As yet you can't get at local storage through the browser graphical user interface. Nor is there any hint that this much requested feature will ever happen.

Oh, and I have found that 128Gb drives play nicely in a VMB5000 hub, but not in a VMB4500, where 64 Gb works fine. Probably just me, but I have messed around at length trying to get to the bottom of the issue.

[Purplehaze]

The library shows no recordings. I reset the library filters also to make sure. In the app it also only shows the cameras with video counts. I found on another site that you can't access stored videos from the app, you have to pull the USB and plug into computer to view the files. Not very convenient for security.

[michaelkenward]

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@Purplehaze wrote:
The library shows no recordings.

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Where are you looking?

"The library" could be your USB drive or the Cloud.

You have joined in on a conversation about different hardware – it is usually a better idea to start your own discussion –  so it isn't clear to me what you are doing and where it might be going wrong.

For example, your first message says:

It says it is storing videos but nothing shows up in the library.

This does not tell us if you have set up local storage access.

Did you read and implement the earlier message from @StephenB?

What is Direct Storage Access and how do I use it?

You may have done all that and be looking in the right place, but this is not obvious from your messages.

[Purplehaze]

The original message was about local storage of Arlo 3 devices. I am responding to that. 

I have the Android app v2.16.2_28010.  I've attached some screen shots. One without the usb installed on the base station. My app also shows this sometimes when i goto the base station Storage Settings, even with the USB installed.  

No usb

The second image is showing that the USB drive is installed and storing images.  

With USB

The third image is the cameras showing no stored images (0)

Cameras

The fourth image also shows no images in library

I can unplug the usb from the base station and put into a computer and see the videos on the drive, so they are getting recorded on the USB.  I cannot access the video from the app when on the same network when the usb is in the hub. 

So, in response to the original poster, I also cannot see the videos being stored on the drive either.  This is not very useful and I feel misleading in the 'Local Storage Recording' .  

[michaelkenward]

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@Purplehaze wrote:

The original message was about local storage of Arlo 3 devices.

Perhaps it was a  mistake, but the original message referred to the VMB3000 hub. Check the footer.

Hubs and cameras are different.

What is the difference between each Arlo SmartHub and base station?

As already explained, the availability of local storage depends on the hub, not the camera.

Suddenly changing tack in mid stream can confuse people. Hijacking a discussion also does a disservice to the person who asked the question in the first place.

We will have a better idea of what is going on when your pictures get approved.

[Bermy_Dave]

This is a massive disappointment!  I absolutely hate this new set up.  I was fairly happy with my Arlo Pro 2s (4 of them).  Night vision stopped working on 2 of them.  After tons of troubleshooting I gave up fixing them.  Then the Pro 3 floodlights came out and I thought that's perfect.  So I buy 2 of them only to find out that I can't get local storage with my base station... frustrating but fine.  So I upgrade to the VMB5000 smarthub, which I just set up yesterday and moved all my cameras over to it and now I've noticed that local storage won't work in any of my customs modes that I taken the time to set up. 

So basically I went from 4 somewhat functional cameras (minus night vision on 2 of them) with a great custom schedule (because who wants their phone blowing up with notification while the family is out back swimming) to barely any of the functionality that made me enjoy these products to begin with.  Now I just feel like a jack@$$ for continuing to throw hundreds of $ at Arlo only to fall short of my original satisfaction with this product.

Now i'm just completely deflated.  Anyhow rant over.  There's more important things in life. 

Any better alternatives to Arlo?

[Bermy_Dave]

He didn't even come close to answering your question.  That was a copy paste from the website.

[michaelkenward]

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@Bermy_Dave wrote:

So I upgrade to the VMB5000 smarthub, which I just set up yesterday and moved all my cameras over to it and now I've noticed that local storage won't work in any of my customs modes that I taken the time to set up. 

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That's strange. Local storage works here, custom modes included. I have just tested it

If you have just installed the Pro 3 floodlights you should also have three months of "free" cloud storage.

Sounds like some troubleshooting might be in order.

Unfortunately, local access does not work through the browser interface, and even on the app is does not show thumbnails until you have already retrieved a recording.  You also have to allow it to set up "port forwarding".

What is Direct Storage Access and how do I use it?

[acgmelb]

Hey buddy, I don't know if this is too late or if you've already found your answer. I've got the Arlo Pro 3 smarthub and it works for local USB storage without a subscription. It doesn't show up in the app. But it does show up in the USB when I plug in to computer. Hope this info helps.

[JasterWu]

I had bought Arlo Pro 3 to connect with a VMB4500 base station which supports local USB storage. But it can not record video from Arlo Pro 3. Is there any resolution to record video in local USB disk since I can not subscript a Alro smart plan in my country (Taiwan)?

Sincerely,

[dcfox1]

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@JasterWu wrote:

I had bought Arlo Pro 3 to connect with a VMB4500 base station which supports local USB storage. But it can not record video from Arlo Pro 3. Is there any resolution to record video in local USB disk since I can not subscript a Alro smart plan in my country (Taiwan)?

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Do you have the rules for the Pro3 set up properly to record. Also on the VMB4500 you have to view USB recordings on your computer after removing the USB from the base.  The 4540 and 5000 Smart Hubs can be viewed in the app. 

[grahamski]

Local storage works with or without a subscription. I have an Arlo Pro 3 system that I use a 500gb external drive on and it works fine. I read through the comments and one issue was a flash drive not working ( no video showing up ), my guess is that person is not selecting "Arlo Smart Hub" from the library. It will default to Cloud whether you have a subscription or not so you have to click on "Cloud" at the top and change it to Arlo smart hub. Also, if you don't have a subscription for cloud access, you can view your local recordings from your mobile device if it is on the same LAN. So, say you are not at home and you try to view your local storage, you will not be able to. There is a work around by enabling port forwarding for that.

[Chemic101]

What does local recording mean without having a subscription. Can local recording be viewed by your phone if you are away from home?

[Shaun1234]

It can but you need to configure port forwarding or vpn

[Chemic101]

Thank you, I'm probably like most users who have never tried that. I would have to look into that and study it because I'm not computer savvy.

[Kenda]

my Pro 3 & Floodlight will not record locally to SD card in base station after free trial period has lapsed.

Arlo support tell me Pro3 cameras will not record locally after trial period without a subscription.

[michaelkenward]

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@Kenda wrote:

my Pro 3 & Floodlight will not record locally to SD card in base station after free trial period has lapsed.

Arlo support tell me Pro3 cameras will not record locally after trial period without a subscription.

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I think you will find that this has already been covered:

What is Direct Storage Access and how do I use it?

I have various cameras, Pro 3 and others, that happily record to local storage without a subscription.

No VPN, no port forwarding that I had to set up. Just a chip in the hub.

[dcfox1]

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@Kenda wrote:

my Pro 3 & Floodlight will not record locally to SD card in base station after free trial period has lapsed.

Arlo support tell me Pro3 cameras will not record locally after trial period without a subscription.

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Have no idea why support told you that. Yes you wont have cloud recordings but can do Local recordings if that is where the confusion was.

[Chemic101]

No one has given a good explanation to local sd card storage with out subscription. Then how to view it from outside your local network. How is this all done on the Pro 3 or Ultra cameras?