Arlo Pro 4 (Multiple Cameras) - Inconsistent Crackling Sound When Viewing or Recording

[src720]

Hello. I am frustrated by an frequent issue I am experiencing with my Arlo Pro 4 cameras. More often than not, there is a persistent crackling noise when viewing a live feed or a recording triggered from motion. At first I thought there was some interference with the cameras, but the issue is not consistent. Sometimes there is a crackle, sometimes not. I could play a live stream and it's fine, then stop and restart the stream and the noise is there. It is loud and covers any sound captured during a recording. I even received replacement cameras from Amazon, but the same issue occurs. Here is everything I tried:

1. Followed instructions from Arlo from a similar community post: removed/replaced batteries, restarted cameras, verified cameras have a strong connection to wi-fi, etc.
2. I removed the cameras from the app and added them again
3. Re positioned the cameras inside and outside
4. Uninstalled the app and reinstalled (Android)
5. Verified the latest version of the software is installed on my phone and the cameras also have the latest version of the firmware
6. As mentioned above, I received replacement cameras from Amazon. Again I reinstalled the app and cameras

I tried everything above, but the noise persists. While I like the cameras, I cannot use them if there is aloud crackling sound over my recordings or live stream. I'll just have to return them if there is no resolution.

I can share a sample video, but am not sure how to do that here. Arlo support was friendly but not very helpful when I had an issue with my doorbell camera (Amazon replacement fixed the issue), so I am hoping someone from the community may be able to provide a solution. Thank you in advance.

[JamesC]

For those experiencing this behavior, if you feel your camera is defective or has a hardware issue that is causing these symptoms, I encourage you to reach out to support using the Arlo Secure mobile app under Settings > Support and open a ticket to further investigate the issue.

JamesC

[Cliffmc]

I’ve read that. Sorry. Have to tried to force update the UI? I guess I just lucked out. It’s funny as the next day after the fix and commenting here, Arlo sent an email that the subscription price was increasing “Due to increasing costs and investment in developing innovative solutions”. LOL.

 We live in the country with no internet available and initially purchased a Go 2 which filled our need for an LTE based camera. Now we have TMobile home internet and added the Pro4 to cover the rest of the needed security areas around the property. Sam’s had a deal. In any event, other than the issue with fog rendering the Go 2 all but unusable at night, they seem to fit the bill. If we experience addition issues that remain unresolved, we’ll switch. I must say that the range (sensitivity) of the pro4 cameras are excellent with over 900 ft from the T Mobile router. 

CMC

[roundball]

Agree that arlo "Tech Support" definitely does not exist.

Worst support of any company I've ever dealt with in all my years on the planet.

I've begun Internet searches for best security camera alternatives to arlo.

[Cliffmc]

Has everyone updated their cameras with today’s available camera update and the new UI?

I cannot be that unique. My luck stinks especially with women and tech.

CMC

[roundball]

What “todays available camera update” are you referring to ?

[Cliffmc]

 I meant to say latest. When I installed the new Pro4s and went through the new camera add procedure, the UI indicated that a new FW update was available for the Pro4 cameras and began installing. Compare your cameras Firmware ver. and see. Maybe this may be the solution I experienced.

[roundball]

Oh yes,  I always check for device updates

[lwthomas1]

I would be curious as well. I have seen a few times where the problem might go away for a day or so and then reappear. When you said the latest update and new UI, what are you referring to. I have the latest app update and

the UI looks the same and it does not ask me to change anything.

I have had this problem for a couple of years now. They escalated to their backline support group.They requested I send them 4 of my cameras back in October and they sent me 4 new ones. Of course I STILL had the problem.  They say they have been working on it since, and have not closed out the ticket. Once a month I get a note that they are still working on it (really). I called in and asked to speak to them, and they said they would have them call me back (twice). I still have never received a call from them. Their support service is terrible. I have some of their

Arlo Go 2 cellular cameras and they work fine, clear as a bell.

I doubt they intend on doing anything with it.

Please let me know about this new UI. Can you do it on one camera, or does it do your entire setup.

Thanks.

[Faithtld123]

Nothing is working. Someone said to log out and back in, it logs out everytime I close the app.

Half my cameras are using a base since they are older pro's. 

The newer pro's don't use the base but those are the only ones that sometimes crackle. 1 crackles no matter what, even when I move it to another location where another didn't crackle. I give up. 

[lwthomas1]

I am using the Pro4s with the base and without as well. It doesn't matter. They all have the "crackling" feature. I

have 8 of them connected to the 5000 series bases and 3 that are standalone wifi. They all crackle.

[Cliffmc]

Read message 47 in this thread (screenshot attached). This is where I found post from another member describing the procedure that resolved the issue AFTER there was what I believe may have been an OTA (over the air) update like Tesla. Initially, it did NOT fix the noise,  then I was logged out if my UI ( the new one) after which the crackling noise was gone. It did reappear 1 time and has not reappeared since. The new UI looks like this and works on all cameras. 

 

 

[roundball]

............................

[Cliffmc]

Well, I spoke too soon. Suddenly, this morning, 2 of my 3 cameras started making the dreaded rhythmic cracking noise. I don’t know what to say. This is very strange and an engineering nightmare. I’ll likely end up returning them to Sam’s and purchase something else if they don’t resolve themselves. Again, very strange. 

Very sad. 

[roundball]

Very much appreciate your status updates...sorry to hear it didn't help you.

FWIW, based upon my 12 week nightmare with support, I have held off accepting their claim that upgrading to the new UI would fix everything.
Now hearing your reality, I'll just use my set of Pro4 cameras with the microphone turned off...because there is zero indication that the company will give us new working replacements.

Having acknowledged it's a known problem with Pro4 cameras, I just shake my head that the company won't fix the situation for those of us who have spent money on their Pro4 cameras.

[Cliffmc]

So I got logged out very early this morning just after 2 AM EST and couldn’t get into any Arlo domain unless I used a Proxy. This is usually a sign of an update. A couple of hours later, I was able to but alas, there was no fix for the still present noise on my Pro 4 gate camera. The other 2 camera are fine. 
KYFC

[roundball]

They've admitted the Pro4 cameras have a noise problem.

They've admitted they don't have a fix for it.

Every indication is that they can't / won't fix the Pro4.

Their website Pro4 price is all the way down to $125 each...apparently hoping to get rid of them.

NOTE:
The fact that they're still trying to sell the Pro4 WITHOUT volunteering that they have a serious manufacturing audio defect says everything about the company's professionalism.

[roundball]

Regarding all the negative issues with the "New UI"...I need help making a decision to stay with Arlo or not.

• Is the UI located in the “Arlo subscription / payment plan”…and if I decide to just use Local Storage USB on a base station, is there any UI involved at all?
  
  
• With 4 Pro4 cameras currently installed…if I install just 1 Pro5 that forces me to the new UI…does that automatically force all my other Pro4 cameras to the new UI ?
  
  
• Is there ANY way I can install a new Pro5 camera…AND…somehow side-step being forced to use the new Feed UI ?
  
  
• If not…is Arlo going to officially create an option for users to avoid using the new FEED UI so we can just stay with the properly working Library UI ?
  
  
• If so…when will Arlo do that?

In the meantime, I’ve just changed my Arlo plan from the “Annual payment plan” to the  “Monthly payment plan” for flexibility in case I get forced to leave Arlo.  Thanks in advance for any UI clarification you can share.

[StephenB]

---

@roundball wrote:

• If not…is Arlo going to officially create an option for users to avoid using the new FEED UI so we can just stay with the properly working Library UI ?
  
  

---

No. It's not practical to keep two UIs in place for the long term.

Instead Arlo will migrate everyone to FEED at some point.  I expect they are working behind the scenes to add some of the missing features.

---

@roundball wrote:

• With 4 Pro4 cameras currently installed…if I install just 1 Pro5 that forces me to the new UI…does that automatically force all my other Pro4 cameras to the new UI ?
  
  
• Is there ANY way I can install a new Pro5 camera…AND…somehow side-step being forced to use the new Feed UI ?

---

The UI you see is a back-end setting for the account.  So the UI will be the same for all cameras.

The only way to keep your Pro 4s on Library would be to set up a different account for the Pro 5.  Possible for testing, but not practical for real use - you can only log into one account at a time on your device, and the friend account feature won't work if one account is on Library and the other is on Feed.

---

@roundball wrote:

• if I decide to just use Local Storage USB on a base station, is there any UI involved at all?

---

The UI is everything you see in the app and my.arlo.com. 

Cutting to the chase here: the challenges with "Feed" are mostly with the more advanced features. The biggest gap is the lack of custom modes.  A second drawback is that if you have cameras at multiple sites, you will need one subscription for each location. There are challenges with scheduling, but it does work.  A lot of issues are being reported with geofencing, but that is also true with "Library".  

If all your cameras are in the same location, and you don't use geofencing and custom modes, then you won't run into problems with "Feed" (once you figure it out).

[roundball]

Your reply is very much appreciated StephenB...best explanation I've found / received to date !

If I may ask another:

Due to the nightmare I've lived through with the new defective Pro4 cameras, and constant weekly dealings with different L1 support people since November, I'm very wary of now jumping into a new UI...with no fallback...while at the same time trying to install / set up 5S replacements for my set of four Pro4 cameras...too many new unknowns all at the same time with no way to back out.

So it seems the safer approach would be to install the new UI with the current Pro4 cameras...so all I have to focus on is getting the new UI figured out & working...then, assuming I can get it working...deal with actually changing out the cameras after that.

Problem is the arlo link L1 support told me about for the new UI says it's not available everywhere and when it is available, my current Arlo Secure App will pop up with the 'Upgrade Option'.

Do you know of anywhere I can download the new UI right now ?

[StephenB]

---

@roundball wrote:

Do you know of anywhere I can download the new UI right now ?

---

The trick to force migration is to go into add device and start to add a Pro 5s camera (you don' need to actually have one).  The process can't be finished, but the workflow will migrate you to "Feed" before that happens.

Unfortunately, once you migrate to "Feed", there is no going back to "Library".

[lwthomas1]

Let me add a coupe of things. I have had the same problems with the Pro 4 cameras. Their 2nd level Tech support even sent me 4 replacements for some of my cameras and had me send mine back, Of course the problem STILL exists on the new ones they sent me. That was back in October. Once a month they send me an email telling me they are STILL working on the problem. Really.

I wasn't of the geofencing issues with the new UI. I have not been forced to it yet. If they do force me to it and it has

geofence problems I will go back to my Eufy Cameras. The main reason I switched was due to the fact that they 

could never get geofencing to work with two people coming and going and they don't have the option to setup schedule and geofencing as one option. Geofencing and schedule are manual. Their cameras are just as good and their battery life as much longer. The downside is you can't have a charger and swap batteries as it is built into the camera. So You need a spare camera or two to avoid taking them offline. They also don't require a subscription.  

If you have an old Arlo account you can setup the Arlo Pro 4 cameras without a subscription but you will lose some functionality.  I believe all new accounts automatically come with the new UI. You can receive alerts when you are away, but only receive notices and no thumbnails. In order to access it from outside your home you will need to setup port forwarding within your router and the base as well.  If you get an alert from a camera, you would need to login immediately to see what was happening. You can set it up to record to a USB drive and view it. I didn't test this remotely so I can't say if there are issues with it. I test it with the VMB4500 Base. I have not bothered testing it with my 5000 base. Due to Arlo's lack of performance on the Pro 's  I am looking for another solution. They can't explain why none of their other cameras have the crackling.

[roundball]

Your knowledge is impressive...arlo should hire you to manage & improve their technical support operation...thank you very much !!

[roundball]

Thanks for the additional information lwthomas1.

I use a pretty basic approach with our household security system, just setting the up basics of camera position, ac power, activity zones, etc...so maybe the new UI won't be the end of the world assuming that it actually works.

Absolutely hate the fact that arlo made no 'Library' fall-back capability from the so-called "Feed" UI in case of problems and it doesn't work...I will have zero home security protection.

[roundball]

StephenB.....Your knowledge is impressive...arlo should hire you to manage & improve their technical support operation...thank you very much !!

[roundball]

StephenB, I just now held my breath, used the 5S add device approach and the new UI apparently installed OK.

All my Pro4 cameras still seem to be working  ( including all the terrible audio crackling noise ).

Now I’m going to test each camera and see if they activate alerts & videos.

thanks again for your excellent help.

[roundball]

FWIW Update reference "new UI"...working on figuring out the basics.

So far, haven't seen any alleged improvements over the tried & true "Library UI" version...so far, navigating its functionality is a pain.

IMO:

The 'new Feed UI' version design / layout / terminology does not make it very intuitive / user friendly like the "Library UI" version was.

Very mis-leading for the new Feed UI to be referenced / claimed to be an improvement over the Library UI from an end user perspective.

Planning to use the new UI with my existing set of ( noisy ) Pro4 cameras for a week or two and see if its usability settles down.

Then I'll decide if I want to stay with Arlo and install 5S cameras or not.