PRO 2 Hub works with PRO 3?

[Andreaswistrand]

I have a pro 2 camera system and I’m thinking of buying a pro 3 camera because of the siren and full duplex. Are these system (Pro 2 hub and the pro 3 camera) compatible or do i lose some features?

Thanks for your time 🙂

[JamesC]

Andreaswistrand,

Arlo Pro 3 can be synced to a Pro/Pro 2 base station. For more information on this, take a look here: Is Arlo Pro 3 backwards compatible with my existing Arlo system?

JamesC

[VeronikaTMoore]

In relation to this same question - have some questions of my own:

Does the 'best local recording' option on the app when used with USB option on VMB4000 - mean Pro 3 will do local 2k recording and also record to the cloud (but in 1080p as the Pro 2) does?

If this option is turned off - does it behave like a Pro 2 but with security light etc.

Which is better at night:

1. Pro 2 camera together paired with secuity light covering the same area.

2. Pro 3 camera but set to 1080p or battery optimized.

Trying to determine if 's better to get a security light (and extra Pro2) or a Pro 3.

Does Pro 3 use the same solar panel as the Pro 2 - BTW 2 of our Pro 2's are on solar.

[JamesC]

VeronikaTMoore,

Pro 3 uses the same solar panel as Ultra. These charging solutions use magnetic charging unlike Pro 2 accessories and are not compatible.

Without an Arlo Smart Subscription, Pro 3 recordings will be made in 1080p. The Pro 3 camera has a spotlight feature, depending on your environment, this may eliminate your need to have a standalone security light. Take a look here for more information: How does the spotlight on my Arlo camera work?

JamesC

[StephenB]

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@JamesC wrote:

The Pro 3 camera has a spotlight feature, depending on your environment, this may eliminate your need to have a standalone security light.

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The Pro 3 and Ultra spotlights are 100 lumens (compared with 400 lumens in the Arlo Smart Light).   100 lumens still appears quite bright at night, but the spotlight won't illuminate as large a space as most standalone lights.

[AncientGeek]

If you don't need color images, you could also consider an extra IR illuminator rather than a spotlight.  This would potentially illuminate more area in front of your Arlo-2 or two Arlo-2 cameras.  You'd still see everything in B&W since this is true "night vision" and not the marketing abuse of the term "night vision" that Arlo introduced with the Ultra (and perpetuated with the Arlo 3) when they called color recording of the visible light spectrum, "night vision"...which it isn't.

[Mavrrick]

I would suggest you go to Youtube and do a search for Stevedoes. He has a video that shows a comparison between the Arlo Pro2, Pro3 and the Arlo Ultra. The color night vision really is amazing and that video really highlights how good it does work. Based on that video I would certainly pick up the Pro 3 over the Pro 2. Depending on which Pro 2 hub you have it may be 1k or 2k. Make sure you have the 4000 variant and not the 4500

[BigSteve223]

I found out pro ultra solar panels don't fit pro2...i had to return them !

[AncientGeek]

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@BigSteve223 wrote:
I found out pro ultra solar panels don't fit pro2...i had to return them !

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For sure.  It is important to understand the "family" of products is based on chronology and not name.  That was (IMHO) a mistake on the part of Arlo product management.  The Pro 3 and Ultra are members of the same family, but you could easily assume any member of the "Pro" family would use compatible accessories.   Another mistake in a conference room somewhere.

When looking for accessories, you have to start on the Arlo Accessories page and select the camera model to see what it compatible with what.

https://www.arlo.com/en-us/products/accessories.aspx

However, even this isn't 100%.  For example the 1/4" thread mounts seem to work across all of the wireless cameras, even though they are not listed on the Pro 3 and Ultra accessories pages.  I like the VMA4000 mounts, but they are not mentioned on the Ultra or Pro 3 accessories pages, so you might think they are incompatible.  They work fine.

Ultra and Pro 3 share the same batteries,  magnetic mounts and magnetic power accessories.  The Pro, Pro 2 and Go appear to be a family as well.  I believe the Arlo security light may also be part of this latter family, but I really can't find any information on Arlo's accessories pages nor the Security Light data sheets that tell you which batteries or solar panels are compatible with this device.  It seems that no one at Arlo has the responsibility for rationalizing, organizing and explaining the entire product line.  It appears that every product development group is on their own.