Not recording

[Shaun1234]

Cummon Arlo , both me and my father having the same issue yesterday and today in the UK, getting loads of notifications but random cameras actually not recording.
We have both restarted hubs with no change.
These are not cheap cameras and i feel like I've purchased cheap!

[Shaun1234]

What I can't understand is why there only appears to be a handful of us with the same issue

[Kaynadian]

Agreed! It makes me wonder if more people have issues but just don't notice or report it (as the whole reporting/troubleshooting process is absolutely long and frustrating!)

[K80Shooter]

Kaynadian
Luminary
‎2020-10-05 11:27 AM

Agreed! It makes me wonder if more people have issues but just don't notice or report it (as the whole reporting/troubleshooting process is absolutely long and frustrating!)

I think you hit the nail on the head with this statement. There has to be a lot more people with problems.

[Kaynadian]

@Shaun1234 

Just wondering, are you sure turning off smart notifications solved the issue? The reason I ask is because I was piloting with my smart notifications off, and what I noticed was that I was getting notifications correctly (but not all of those notifications were recording on the cloud). For example, I got 5 notifications but only 4 recordings. Whereas, with the smart notifications, I would get 4 notifications (with 1 missing) and 4 recordings - if that makes sense.

[Shaun1234]

Hi, so all was well for weeks with smart off and I was satisfied that although it wasn't what I paid for, I was getting everything recording.
But.. on Monday morning I went to check my recordings and everything was off with a message telling me I need to update base and cameras.
I did this straight away assuming it would be for a fix with smart notifications.
Stupidly on my part rather than wait to see if the software update was good with smart off, I went straight ahead and turned smart on.
Half hour later 1 camera missed me leaving for my run(no notification or recording), all recorded when returning, same camera again missed me when leaving for work. I thought well maybe after a big update I should restart everything.
After restarting everything worked for 4 days until Friday, I thought all recordings present but when I saw I had post on the Matt but with no postman delivering them... We either have a new magical postal service or this time a different camera has missed at least one recording.
The last to 2 days everything is recording again and I am still monitoring, if anything else gets missed I will turn smart off and monitor again.
Let you know my finding in a week or so.

[Shaun1234]

Ok so 1 hour after writing my last post a different camera again missed me leaving for my run with no notification.
I will now turn off smart to see if anything changes, very odd as last time I would always receive and notification but no recording, this time I just get everything completely missing.
Let you know my findings.

[K80Shooter]

Still the same problems for me. Missed people and vehicles.

[Kaynadian]

@Shaun1234 

Thank you for the update! It's even more frustrating given that it's getting colder and almost -20 now outside in Canada so I'm not looking forward to doing any troubleshooting outdoors. 

I'm still pending the base replacement and reached out to the Arlo Support to ask for an update.

[Kaynadian]

Update regarding my base replacement:

About 2-3 weeks ago, I was told by Arlo Support I'd get a new base. So I gave my address to the support agent as they asked for it and waited about 2 and 1/2 weeks, and earlier this week followed up because I didn't get any updates. Turns out they haven't even proceeded with it! As after I connected with Arlo Support they sent me an RMA to fill out with my address to have the base shipped. I thought I'd get the base replacement first then instructed to return my old one or something like that. But it turns out, I have to ship my base back (pay for it myself and they ask you to pay for tracking as if it's lost Arlo isn't responsible), and then when they receive it they will ship you one. There were three options of shipping with regular being free to send to me. I noticed the prices are in USD so I assume they are shipping from the USA. I have shipped/ordered things from the USA and standard shipping usually takes a month. So if I choose standard both ways, it'll probably be around 1 - 2 months before I get it back. So I won't have a base for that long. Given my experience with lack of response with Arlo, I dunno if I want to risk this and not have a base (meaning all my cameras won't work for a month!)

Upsetting as I have to pay for shipping as well, along with customs fee if it's coming from the USA and pay higher rates for fast shipping. Adding that all up, I might as well just buy a new base myself locally. I emailed them about this and indicated that on top of this, the new base likely won't resolve my concern (as I'm not the only one experiencing this!) Will see what they say. Not happy about their replacement process especially given it is the base and not just a camera.

[Shaun1234]

How long have you had your setup and where did you buy it?

[Kaynadian]

My base has been a little over a year, but my Arlo Pro 3 cameras are all under a year. My base is from my previous Arlo Pro 2 cameras. I bought it from Best Buy

[Shaun1234]

Oh ok

[Kaynadian]

Have you been able to resolve the issues on your end? 

I'm going to push them to figure this out on their end as I don't think replacing the base would help and definitely not going to try to get it replace and wait 2 months mailing to and back and continue paying for the monthly subscription!

[Shaun1234]

Yes I don't blame you, I would do the same.
So as you may remember all my cameras are on permanent power, just incase it changes anything.
So after the update I turned on smart on all cameras and each of them missed a few recordings over 3 days.
So I turned off smart to test and all cameras recorded flawlessly until yesterday when I had many missed recordings.
Luckily I noticed 1 recording said person! My smart had automatically turned itself on when my subscription renewed.
I turned off again last night and today has recorded everything again.
So as far as the smart issue is concerned my end nothing has changed for a year!

[Kaynadian]

That's good to hear! I may try it again then within the next few days and see if it works for me (i.e. turning off smart again)! I still have smart on waiting for the Arlo Support to respond now. I'll update you if I have any further updates with Arlo Support.

I'm also in the midst where I'm contemplating whether or not to switch to my internet provider who provides Security Camera services. Although the monthly rate is higher, I feel like I wouldn't have to deal with all these technical issues as I have my internet with them and any issues they send a tech and fix it for me (for free!) But it makes me upset to switch over considering I paid so much to purchase these cameras and haven't even used them for a year!!! So I feel like I'd at least try for the winter and see how things go by the Spring/Summer next year and decide then. But my patience is wearing thin.

[dcfox1]

Not sure if this is related but up until September I was getting all recordings to cloud no matter if they were on or off in smart but no notifications for those off . Now I do not get the recordings for those that are off. They are still on Hub though. I have seen conflicting post on which way it should work for the recordings but that is how it works for me now. 

I posted this in FAQ by mistake. 

[Kaynadian]

I think one thing I'm certain is that the issue is likely something behind the senses in the database (i.e. cloud that Arlo has). Either the coding or programming behind it is creating this bug, as I know it's not the camera issue nor the base as we all have relatively new devices and so many of us experience it. It's just frustrating that Arlo isn't taking it seriously enough to resolve the issue. Considering the price of the cameras, they ought to provide better service. I mean if these were $10 cameras then I'd be like okay sure maybe that's what I should have expected, but these are like $1000 cameras, and completely unacceptable. 

[Shaun1234]

100%

[K80Shooter]

@Kaynadian 

I agree with everything you've said. I don't understand why Arlo would not ship you the base/hub 1st. They have your credit card number... what are they afraid of? If you don't return the old one they could just charge you for the new one.

Nothing Arlo does surprises me. I think that now they are just in it for the money and could care less about the customer. The problems are clearly on their end and they should put more time into fixing it than product development. When it was spun off into it's own company was the turning point in my opinion.

As the time to return the product has passed we are left with very few options and are at their mercy and they know it.

Never again for me. If and when I upgrade it will be with a wired full time system.

[Kaynadian]

@K80Shooter 

Exactly!!! 100% agree with everything you said!

Same for me. Never going with Arlo again. I followed up again last night and still waiting!

[Kaynadian]

Update from a call from Arlo Support just now:

Arlo Support just called me after I emailed them through my Arlo case link on the app (followed up 3 times within 5 days) and they finally called me back. Arlo Support offered the option to ship the base out and provide a shipping label for shipping back old base, but apparently they need your credit card to hold (can't remember how much) and once they get your old base back they will give you that amount fully back - which as K80Shooter mentioned is a much more realistic option. But I had to argue for that option as apparently the agent had to do it themselves and wasn't an option on the system.

At the time, I updated them with some of my observations and indicated I would like not to replace my base at this time (as I didn't think it would resolve the issue and would like it as a very last resort) and would like their back end support team to review and identify this issue as I indicated that other users are also having issues (from forum) so it shouldn't be the base issue. Agent promised me that they will write out details and direct it to back end team to look at. 

In the meantime, I'll give them a week, and then will constantly follow up again until I hear an answer. Will update as I get more info!

[Shaun1234]

Thanks for the update, good luck, keep us posted

[Kaynadian]

Thank you! Will need the luck, and will keep you guys posted for sure!

[Kaynadian]

Just thought I'd mention, I tried turning off Arlo Smart Notifications but that doesn't solve the issue for me. I still get missed motion however, I get notifications more often, but not all the notifications are being recorded.

I am looking into another security camera now to use, as I'm not sure if I can stand this anymore, but will leave my case open and keep an eye out but won't push as hard and just see how things go. Never purchasing another Arlo product again.

[Shaun1234]

No neither will I
Just out of curiosity are your arlo's on power cords or battery?