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Pro 3 activity zones don’t work unless on AC power

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Rara2608
Guide
Guide

Well Arlo, I’m extremely disappointed to find out (and only after reading comments on the site) that activity zones don’t work unless on AC power. The whole reason I brought wireless was because there is no power available to the building it’s mounted to.
I specifically brought Arlo because of the ability to choose zones as we have a lot of trees around the property. Considering the price, you shouldn’t have to pay extra to have this feature, or any feature really. Very misleading as nowhere does it say you can’t use with battery 😤

26 REPLIES 26
Shaun1234
Virtuoso
Virtuoso
Hi mine work on battery fine, have you got track and zoom on? As these don't work together.
The track overrides the zone features I found
Rara2608
Guide
Guide
I’ll give it a try.
Do I still set the activity zones and then turn on track and zoom?
Shaun1234
Virtuoso
Virtuoso
I have found that you can only have either track and zoom or zones , you will have to choose what's more important to you, for me track and zoom isn't really needed and just stops me having a full view when watching back, let me know if it fixes it, cheers
dcfox1
Master
Master

I have track and zoom on and activity zones are working for me. Not perfect though. but better then before i set them up. 

K80Shooter
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

Just a little misinformation in this thread.

 

Activity zones are a crap shoot right now. They work for some and not for others. 

On mine wheather I'm on ac power or battery power, track and zoom on or off it does not work.

Rara2608
Guide
Guide
Tried the track and zoom and that doesn’t work either! Starting to wish I’d never purchased Arlo and gone with another brand 😕
michaelkenward
Sensei Sensei
Sensei

For anyone who has not seen this:

 

What are activity zones and how do I create them?

 

Note this bit:

 


You must subscribe to Arlo Smart to use activity zones without plugging in your camera.

 

 

How do I set up the Arlo Smart Cloud Activity Zones?

 

 


Just another user
Arlo hardware: Q Plus, Pro 2 (X2), Pro 3 (X3), Pro 3 Floodlight, Security Light (X2), Ultra (X2), Doorbell, Chime
K80Shooter
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

I have tried everything the above link tells you to do. Mine constantly records outside of the activity zones.

 

The only thing I did notice when going to the page linked above is that the VMB4540 is not listed.

 

dcfox1
Master
Master

I noticed when i get some there is a little movement on the tree at the bottom of it that is in my zone. Its worse higher up but could lower the zone a little but want that area. I dont get recordings when that part is not blowing but the top is.

StephenB
Guru Guru
Guru

@K80Shooter wrote:

The only thing I did notice when going to the page linked above is that the VMB4540 is not listed.

 


Just an oversight.

 

But there are certainly quite a few folks seeing issues with activity zones recently, and I have experienced some of them myself.  That includes recordings out-of-zone for some of my cameras.

Mizterz
Star
Star

Has anyone be given a resolution to this problem?  I have 3 PRO 3 cameras, on a 3-month trial subscription (which I have been told is the same as a paid Smart subscription).  Activity Zones are not working when on battery power.  I was told that my case would be escalated, but I have not heard anything since then.

sw3ll3r3
Tutor
Tutor

You aren't alone! Mine are doing the same thing and my phone is buzzing off the table. I have an open case about the issue...hopefully we hear something soon.

JamesC
Community Manager
Community Manager

Arlo recently deployed a cloud update enhancing Activity Zone accuracy. This should improve the experience for users reporting symptoms of motion detection alerts and recordings occurring outside of their defined Activity Zones. We are continuing to monitor Activity Zone behavior and will provide additional enhancements in the coming weeks.

Mizterz
Star
Star

Giving up... After almost a month of the problem going unresolved and my support ticket not being updated after 3 requests from me.  I am boxing up the cameras and returning them.  Good luck to those that may be stuck with them.

 

JamesC
Community Manager
Community Manager

A recent update was deployed to the Arlo cloud that should address the accuracy of Activity Zones. This should improve accuracy by more reliably sending notifications only when motion occurs within defined zones. More work is being done to improve the behavior of Arlo Smart notifications and to fix the Activity Zones error that some users are seeing when not using an AC adapter (battery only). Stay tuned for future updates.

 

JamesC

Rara2608
Guide
Guide
Will it automatically update?
JamesC
Community Manager
Community Manager

For those still experiencing issues with Activity Zones, please take a look at the following KB articles for best performance and troubleshooting tips:

 

How do I troubleshoot problems with Arlo activity zones?

What are activity zones and how do I create them?

 

JamesC

tellthetruth
Tutor
Tutor

Arlo,

 

Stop giving canned answers, we want dates and times to commit to the SW upgrade to fix this.

Why does Activity zones only work on AC again? Marketing ply? Had I known I would not buy this junk! Push notifications too?

Tell you SWE's and you management to get off facebook coolaid and profit driven excuses and fix these issues, Or I will also box up my unit and return it.

 

I am a HW engineer, and my designs always work. Yours can too! Stop the excuses. tic tok tic tok "returning my unit", and flaming Arlo on social media soon!!

dcfox1
Master
Master

@tellthetruth  They do work with the battery as the servers process the zones but you need a smart subscription to do that. On AC the camera does that. If camera did it it on battery alone it would kill the battery quick without AC.  Since you are a HW engineer it should make sense. 

tellthetruth
Tutor
Tutor

Ok, yes I am a HW eng for sure, btw do you work for Arlo? it seems yes!! 🙂 - I can figure out stuff 10x faster them most engineers do, SO BE PLS SPECIFIC! If I have a solar charger - AND NOT "AC" 60 Hertz? , ---power is power, right? IF it has constant power - solar whatever, charging it should allow my cam's activity zone to work right? - I can go in a hot wire it out and post all my findings on the forums or on media, or Arlo can make it work and let me CHOOSE MY HW OPTIONS and not force my hand. Allow me to chose my option in Firmware, I dont need big brother Arlo to tell me how to manage my power, I am a big boi and can do it myself! In fact I test PMIC integrated circuits!

 

SOOO- (with zoom etc and auto track off) will the the "activity zone" function work on DC-SOLAR CHARGE? Push notifications? notify me? I will have an external USB drive and I will not pay a monthly drug dealer arlo addiction security system fee.!! NOT MY GIG!!

 

Q will this systems Activity Zone Alert function work without AC and without a subscription?

Now i need to HW/FW hack the hub too? - maybe its time to return this!??

dcfox1
Master
Master

@tellthetruth No I don't work for Arlo but the solar panel is a trickle charger not AC constant power. And no it will not work without a subscription or without AC power as you ask. You need at least one of them.

michaelkenward
Sensei Sensei
Sensei

@tellthetruth wrote:

---power is power, right? IF it has constant power - solar whatever, charging it should allow my cam's activity zone to work right?


No. Power is not power. At least, not from solar panels.

 

Solar panels can charge your batteries. They cannot power your cameras and their electronics.

 

This has been explained many, many times. You must have missed it.

 

Think of it like this, if you have solar panels on the roof of your house, they feed into the electricity network. They do not run your domestic mains circuit. Your electricity comes from a power station somewhere, possible a coal fired or nuclear plant, or from someone else's panels.

 

No, I do not work for Arlo, but I can read manuals. Here is a  bit of text that I just lifted from the user manual for the Pro 3 cameras:

 

Note: Connecting your camera to the Arlo Solar Panel (sold separately) to charge the battery doesn’t provide AC power.

 

 

 

 


Just another user
Arlo hardware: Q Plus, Pro 2 (X2), Pro 3 (X3), Pro 3 Floodlight, Security Light (X2), Ultra (X2), Doorbell, Chime
tellthetruth
Tutor
Tutor

Ok,

 

Thanks for a straight answer, I thought you might work for Arlo, sry I assumed.

I don't like the answer though. They are forcing me to use AC or "Subscribe" because they know better than i do to manage my power usage? NOT GOOD, bad design- bad product spec. Basically greed. why do i need a subscription to manage my power usage?

I may just box up and return my unit then. Unless i can bypass the AC only act zone function capabilities. jumper it out etc. BS i tell you.

TTT

tellthetruth
Tutor
Tutor

 

Yes, I know power well as i am a power engineer, the solar panel only delivers x amount 6V x X amps "rate" per unit time and the "AC" Power supply which is not really AC at all (except at the 120 VAC side from the Wall receptacle through the step down transformer/switcher PS (assuming that's what it utilizes) into the Bridge rectifier or buck-boost or flyback circuit yada yada then its rectified DC and regulated after that thus its called an AC -  "DC power  adapter", anyway I digress, its actually 5.2V DC (i know because I measured it) and the spec also says so- 5.2V DC (unloaded)  & delivers a constant current/power regulated output of about 2 Amps to the Camera for a constant charge / or run power. of approximately 10 Watts. P=I x E (ohms law) 5.2V X 2A = well approx 10-12 watts. anyway, I digress. I should be able to "fool" the camera into thinking it has a constant power 5.2V DC source. I i think i found the KNOB to do this! SO i don't need Arlo's help anymore! LOL problem solved!! I will advise on the fix!! when I know! Thanks!!

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