Arlo Pro 5S - (missing events, taking snapshots). Pro 4 in same location works fine.

[chicane]

I've had ongoing headaches with my Pro 5S cameras not detecting events or taking snapshots instead.

Today I did a side by side test with a Pro 4 camera in the same location. Both devices are on 2.4GHz and connected to an outdoor Ubiquiti AP (great signal strength for both). I did try the device on 5GHz and found it to be similarly flaky so reverted to a hopefully more stable 2.4GHz connection. Unfortunately not.

Since I have done this side by side test, the Pro 4 is detecting every event (and recording a video). 

The pro 5 recorded video once, completely missed one event and recorded a snapshot instead for the third event. With the video was choppy and audio partially missing at the start, while the Pro4 was smooth and had audio for the full clip.

Both devices are active under my subscription, set identical under the routine (to record video), and smart notifications set the same.

I've had this replaced with a new sealed unit by support for the second time with the same outcome.

Are these devices inherently faulty? anyone else experiencing similar?

[BrookeN]

The firmware has started rolling out. It should be completed within the next week. As soon as that is fully rolled out the behavior you are seeing will be resolved. 

[BrookeN]

I have this escalated to the engineering team. I will update the community as soon as possible. 

[StephenB]

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@roundball wrote:

To facilitate a hassle-free return experience, we have included a prepaid label for you.

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Good to know.  That must be something new (or maybe regional).   

I think you'll need to reach out to them and ask about the labels.

[roundball]

@StephenB 

Nope...with all the problems / time I've already spent every day for over a year...like a part time job...I'm definitely not going to waste still more time dealing with their shipping issues.

I'll set the carton aside in the attic...if they do follow up I'll deal with it, but doubt seriously they'll spend even more time & $$ on these 5s cams.

[BrookeN]

@roundball I have reached out to support regarding the shipping labels. I will update you as soon as I get a response. 

[roundball]

@BrookeN 

BrookeN, you are just the best !! 

[BrookeN]

@roundball You do not need to return yours. 

[roundball]

@BrookeN …..Thank you for doing that…very nice of you !!

👌

[roundball]

@BrookeN@chicane @Edinburgh_lad1 @GeneralMeow @a102768

New retail packaged replacement Pro5s cams sent from arlo.

Have been installing new replacement 5s cams…the same way I installed sets of Pro2, then Pro3, then Pro4, then my original Pro5s cams.

New 5s replacements seem to ‘install normally’…but they all have a problem.

After being installed for a period of time, they no longer work.

No change in looks…no error indication…they just no longer work.

( as if they went to sleep )

Have to use the ‘Restart’ feature on them every time to get them working again.  But then after a period of time, they no longer work again.

No unique time of day…no unique contributing circumstances, etc.

They just don’t stay active, don’t operate, don’t notify, don’t record, etc.

Interestingly the ‘motion icon’ lights up on the UI cam image, but nothing happens.

NOTE:

I reinstalled my Pro4 cams and they didn’t ‘go to sleep’, they worked fine.

I reinstalled some original 5s cams and they didn’t ‘go to sleep’ either. 

The only differences I can see between my original 5s cams and the new replacement 5s cams from arlo is new replacement 5s cams have New Hardware & Firmware Versions.

New Hardware Version - VMC4060AerH53

New Firmware Version - 1.060.34.0_18_ba887f3

( auto updated during installation )

Any first-hand community knowledge about this situation?

Anybody know if this is a known situation at arlo?

[Edinburgh_lad1]

I've read somewhere that some newer models of Arlo cameras have some kind of sleep mode to preserve battery. Check in the settings if there is something like that.

Arlo HD and Pro 2 were superior products. Pro 3, too, and is highly sought after.

[chicane]

@roundball I presume you’ve updated your routines to include the devices to record?

[chicane]

@roundball 

https://community.arlo.com/t5/Arlo-Pro-5S-2K/Firmware-Pro-5s/m-p/2425703/highlight/true#M3390

it’s a slight hardware revision change but nothing really worth mentioning according to StephenB. 

no magic fixes to the woes that we experience though.

[roundball]

@chicane 

Well I've installed them like I've installed arlo cams for several years.

What / where specifically are you referring to and I'll double-check.

[roundball]

@Edinburgh_lad1 

Yes, from what I've read, that's a regular part of the design for quite a few years.  Motion Detection wakes them up...as does our manually touching the icon mid screen to activate them.

It's why I made the comment that it was interesting to see the little 'motion icon' turn on, but that nothing else happened with that camera's part of the application...it didn't turn on, open up, record, etc, etc.

[roundball]

@Edinburgh_lad1 

PS:

Agree on the Pro3 cams...and if this set of replacement 5s cams from arlo isn't a fix in a hurry, I'll just move them up to the attic with the older 5s cams they were supposed to replace.

Then I'll reinstall all my good Pro3 and Pro4 cams...and be done with this mess once and for all.

[chicane]

@roundball Under routines, make sure under each mode the device is included to record/send notification. 

[roundball]

@chicane 

FYI...I've gone through every page and everything is set up correctly, same as I've always set up for all models of cameras I've had...and as I mentioned, the Pro4's are working fine.

[roundball]

@BrookeN   and all

FWIW, I have now removed the new arlo replacement 5s cams from the WIFI configuration, and installed them on two different Base Stations.

These replacement 5s cams do not work on Base Stations either.

Also removed three Pro4 cams from WIFI over to the Base Stations and they work fine as usual.

Compared to the original set of 5s cams, the only thing different are these two new 5s items:

New Hardware Version - VMC4060AerH53

New Firmware Version - 1.060.34.0_18_ba887f3

( firmware auto updated during installation )

Does anyone have good, working Pro5s cams working in the U.S.

with Firmware # 1.060.34.0_18_ba887f3 ?

@BrookeN ...do you know if there is any different working Firmware # for these new Hardware Version 5s cams arlo sent me ?

Any help would be appreciated...thanks !

I have to uninstall all of them now because I don't have a security system...at least the original set of 5s cams worked with the occasional missed event...and my Pro3 and Pro4 cams all work in WIFI and Base Stations.

[GeneralMeow]

@roundball   stupid question, did you select "Best video"?  That might influence the power mode.

Probably doesn't matter.  I have video doorbells that I have set to "Best Battery Life" that doesn't miss anything.

[roundball]

@GeneralMeow 

Not stupid, appreciate the thought…and yes, I always set Best Video in Power Management.

PS:

Since I’d removed my original set of event missing 5s cams to install the arlo replacement 5s cams, I then had to remove them as they didn’t work at all.

And instead of re-installing the original failing 5s cams…I pulled out my previous set of Pro3 cams, put in fresh batteries and got pending firmware upgrades done, installed them in all the views for security cams and was reminded at just how very good the Pro3 cams are.
The street is 110’ from the house and suddenly I was getting so many vehicle notifications I had to re-establish the activity zone to block off the street again like I used to.

[jguerdat]

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@roundball

with Firmware # 1.060.34.0_18_ba887f3 ?

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I do. However, I do note that of the two Pro 5 cameras here, they have slightly different firmware with one using 1.060.34.0_18_ba887f3 and the other using 1.060.34.0_18_4286fd3. I can't say that I noticed a difference in operation between them although one is indoors and the other is out.

[roundball]

@jguerdat 

Thanks for the info...my original 5s was Firmware  1.060.34.0_18_4286fd3, actually downloaded by arlo develop team…worked but missed events often;

Then while installing 5s replacements, they auto-updated to Firmware 1.060.34.0_18_ba887f3, and I couldn't get them to work...when I'd step in front of them, the little orange ‘motion detection’ icon lights up that it’s seeing motion but the camera didn't respond, didn't record, etc.

So I had to remove them and put some Pro3 & Pro4 cams in all the locations to have a security system during last night...left one 5s replacement cam in place for arlo access if they needed to.

Now...get this:

I came down this morning, got my day started, checked security cameras and to my shock, the one remaining replacement 5s cam was now working !!

Not going to start removing / replacing cams again yet...will just monitor this thing for a few days and see what's what.

[roundball]

@jguerdat 

Well, I figured this morning out.

The replacement 5s cams still fail…requiring the “restart” command be used every time after they go quiet.

And this morning’s power up effectively was a ‘restart’ command.

Hasn’t worked since without using ‘restart’.

[roundball]

@jguerdat @BrookeN 

If when you get a minute, could you please compare your two different Pro5s cams Hardware / Firmware versions with mine below?

My ORIGINAL Pro5s Cams:

HARDWARE Version # VMC4060AerH5

FIRMWARE Version # 1.060.34.0_18_4286fd3 installed by Arlo Dev.

Recent Arlo REPLACEMENT Pro5s Cams:

HARDWARE Version # VMC4060AerH53 ( slight difference )

FIRMWARE Version # 1.060.34.0_18_ba887f3

( auto-updated to this Firmware during install )

[jguerdat]

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@roundball wrote:

My ORIGINAL Pro5s Cams:

HARDWARE Version # VMC4060AerH5

FIRMWARE Version # 1.060.34.0_18_4286fd3 installed by Arlo Dev.

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My oldest camera is H3 hardware and uses the same firmware as yours.

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Recent Arlo REPLACEMENT Pro5s Cams:

HARDWARE Version # VMC4060AerH53 ( slight difference )

FIRMWARE Version # 1.060.34.0_18_ba887f3

( auto-updated to this Firmware during install )

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My H52 hardware one (so slightly older than yours) is also a newer cameras and has the same firmware as yours.

[roundball]

@jguerdat @BrookeN 

OK, thanks for that...slight hardware difference probably has no bearing at all but I'm just trying to explore / document everything possible.

Meanwhile, FWIW, I decided to try a different installation approach for the replacement cams arlo sent.

Going through the normal steps adding a cam, when it gets to the point where it asks if a blue LED is blinking,...instead of saying yes ( which they always have been )...I now said "no", forcing the next step to 'pair' the cam.

I'd then hold the sync button down until the 'amber' LED color starts blinking and hold it until it finishes and blue starts blinking...then I'd go get the 'chines' from the cam code screen.

So far, after that approach, one of the arlo replacement 5s cams still doesn't work...but two are acting normal...( without constantly having to 'Restart' them )

It's only been a couple hours but 'seems' like progress...will see if it lasts.