VMB5000 Base Station upgrade

[ralfyguy1]

I currently have 4 Arlo Pro2, 5 Arlo Pro and 4 Arlo cameras on a VMB4000 base station. I have two questions:

1. Can I get access to the Local Recordings without unplugging the USB Drive if upgrading the VMB4000 to the VMB5000 Smart Hub?

2. Does the VMB5000 Smart Hub have as good of a signal coverage as the VMB4000?

[StephenB · Accepted solution]

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@ralfyguy1 wrote:

1. Can I get access to the Local Recordings without unplugging the USB Drive if upgrading the VMB4000 to the VMB5000 Smart Hub?

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The VMB5000 uses microSD and not USB.  But you can access the recordings w/o removing the card.  https://kb.arlo.com/000062337/What-is-Direct-Storage-Access-and-how-do-I-use-it

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@ralfyguy1 wrote:

2. Does the VMB5000 Smart Hub have as good of a signal coverage as the VMB4000?

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I haven't noticed any difference, though my cameras aren't that far from the base.

FWIW, I suggest holding off a bit on upgrading the base.  Direct Storage Access is new, and there are some issues with it that I hope Arlo will address.  One is the lack of thumbnails, another is that it doesn't support "grant access".

Though 13 cameras is a lot for one base.

[michaelkenward]

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@StephenB wrote:

FWIW, I suggest holding off a bit on upgrading the base.  Direct Storage Access is new, and there are some issues with it that I hope Arlo will address.  One is the lack of thumbnails, another is that it doesn't support "grant access".

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Also missing from Direct Storage Access is local access with your browser on a desktop PC.

A serious shortcoming by my reckoning.

[ralfyguy1]

Well, that's not what I envisioned. No PC Access makes it useless to me then.

[michaelkenward]

Indeed.

Maybe this is something else, like thumbnails, that will get fixed in the future.

[StephenB]

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@ralfyguy1 wrote:

Well, that's not what I envisioned. No PC Access makes it useless to me then.

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FWIW, I agree PC access is needed.