Direct Storage Access restrictions are INFURIATING

[Phoney49]

The new local access to storage works well for me. Now how do I give my wife access to view local storage? She can see all the camera's, and the library but I can't see how to give her access to the local storage.

[JamesC · Accepted solution]

Phoney49,

At this time, Direct Storage Access is only available from the primary device, not shared users.

JamesC

[Mavrrick]

This is potentially a big issue for some of us. My wife and I have different accounts for security reasons. I do give her access to everything, but if i put everything to local storage then this could potentially create issues for her viewing the content. 

Any idea on when this will be resolved, of if it is even a high item on the radar.

[Phoney49]

From the response, I guess it is being viewed as a feature, ie only the primary account holder can see local storage.
Since guest users can see the camera's, and the cloud, my feeling is that the current local access solution is incomplete. Local storage is not an alternative to cloud storage if guests can only see the cloud. Anyone with guests on the account have to continue to buy the cloud storage for guests. I guess they just implemented this for people who live alone.

[StephenB]

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@Mavrrick wrote:

This is potentially a big issue for some of us. My wife and I have different accounts for security reasons.

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Also, many people need to use granted access, because you are also restricted to one log on at a time.  So anyone using geofencing with multiple family members has to use granted access.  And of course anyone who wants multiple devices notified via push will also need to use granted access.

So it's a huge issue.

[Phoney49]

Totally agree. Not sure how to get more visibility. This thread is marked 'solved'. There is no category for storage.

[JamesC]

I don't have any information on further enhancements for the Direct Storage Access feature but I will pass the details and requests in this thread along to the development team for consideration.

JamesC

[Phoney49]

Thank you.

[P1xellat3d]

Ever since the announcement of the 7-day streaming service being discontinued, I have been looking at ways to utilise my hardware without the dependency on Arlo Cloud services. 

I recently went out and bought an Arlo SmartHub to set up Direct Storage Access via storage on a USB drive plugged into the SmartHub. It has been great so far, until I have realised that Direct Storage Access can only be accessed by the primary account holder!! Nowhere on the support pages does it mention any of this, and now our users at home have to constantly fight to login to the same account to view local storage.

Videos are being stored on a local drive, with port forwarding setup so there is absolutely no reason for me to require a subscription to access these files.

Please add the ability to use Direct Storage Access for authorised accounts also. The EoL saga on the 7 day streaming service has been enough for many users to lose their faith and trust in Arlo and sell/never buy Arlo products again, so this is the absolute least you could do to make things right.

[Bwfutch]

This was 2 years ago… any updates? I am a software engineer, and this is not a difficult feature to implement. It appears as though Arlo is choosing to force anyone that does not live alone to utilize the cloud.

the cameras are expensive enough. Please add this feature. Granted users should be able to view locally stored videos if the primary user elects to share the privilege. Either that or let Apple HomeKit record video to it’s cloud similar to how Circle does it for Apple+ users.

[StephenB]

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@Bwfutch wrote:

This was 2 years ago… any updates? I am a software engineer, and this is not a difficult feature to implement. 

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Actually it would be somewhat messy given their current implementation.  Requiring port-forwarding information to be provisioned (or somehow shared behind the scenes) for each shared location might be fine for spouses and children, but doesn't scale that well to neighbors or business use.

I think they'd need to make the connection through their cloud instead - which would increase their bandwidth costs for non-subscribers.  Port forwarding is already becoming an issue, due to the rise of mobile broadband (which doesn't allow inbound connections) and the increased use of CGNAT by landline ISPs.

Perhaps more importantly - the newest cameras don't require a base, which is needed for local storage.  It'll be interesting to see if Arlo ever provides a new base station model (or if they put microSD slots into more camera models).

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@Bwfutch wrote:

 It appears as though Arlo is choosing to force anyone that does not live alone to utilize the cloud.

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You are making an incorrect assumption about sharing cameras - many people who live alone also want to share them.

But Arlo's business model has always included their cloud, and if you don't have an internet connection to their cloud, you can't use their cameras at all.

They implemented local storage in response to the customer backlash when they introduced the Ultra in 2018 (which was the first camera that didn't have free 7-day cloud storage).  It clearly was a minimal implementation, and leaves much to be desired.  Personally I would have kept some free storage (though perhaps not a full week), or alternatively implemented a better customer experience.

FWIW, if I were in their shoes now, I'd be thinking about offering a "cameras as a service" option (including the subscription).  That takes the "cameras are expensive enough" argument off the table.

[MnDave]

I never would have purchased the floodlight cam or the new smarthub if I had known my wife can't view it.  Ridiculous. I'm done with Arlo products, when they wear out I'll replace them with something else. 

[jguerdat]

You can share the floodlight with your wife. Why do you think you can't? Depending on which user interface (UI) you're using, use Settings, Grant Access (old UI with Library to view videos) or Settings ("person" icon top left), People (new UI with Feed to view videos) to set that up. Note that if you're using the new UI, your wife must also be using the same thing.

[MnDave]

No, you can not.  Read the previous posts about this.   LOCAL storage can not be shared.  This is LOCAL STORAGE.  Please see the previous answers

[StephenB]

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@MnDave wrote:

LOCAL storage can not be shared.  

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True, but it wasn't completely clear that you were focused on sharing local storage footage (at least not to me).

You can of course share the camera for live viewing (and you can livestream the camera when you receive a notification).  So there is some functionality.  

Though IMO (and probably yours) direct access to local storage is a rather poor user experience.

[Eghost57]

Why is direct storage access restricted to the primary account only and only to the App? Cloud feed isn't restricted to the primary account or to the App. If I want to give access to someone to see my cameras then I should have the option to grant access to my direct storage. Has Arlo heard of spouses?

After having to deal with siren issues and lack of local storage of video for Smartthings triggered recording, this really pisses me off. I paid extra to get a hub to record my videos and now you are restricting me from accessing my own videos! You won't even let me access them from a web browser at my.arlo.com. Has Arlo heard of the home computer? Sometimes people work on them and then want to see what happened on their cameras without having to pull out their phones.

I know Arlo knows. You just think you are slick and will trick people into a cloud subscription which is technically unnecessary. The only thing you tricked is you out of selling more cameras. Your tactics seemed annoying at first, but now they are infuriating. I need 2 to 4 more cameras, I'm looking elsewhere and eventually, the Arlo cameras will be replaced with something made by a more ethical company that doesn't have needless access restrictions designed to sell subscriptions.

I'm fine not having immediately accessible cloud recordings and you trying to upsell me. I am not fine with having my own personal property held ransom to a cloud service that isn't technically necessary for local access. Well, I cannot recommend your cameras to anyone now because you are holding my data hostage. I've already told all my neighbors not to buy Arlo, (the weird Ultra 2 siren already convinced some of them of that anyway). And now any new cameras I buy will be not from Arlo as I dismantle my system and sell it to some poor fool who will not head my warning and will eventually come to the same realization I have.