What's the longest time of recordings and can they be kept permanently if I only use local stora

[sherlock643]

I'm thinking of getting the Pro 5S and the SmartHub, and use the local storage by attaching an external drive. I wanna know how long can the camera record at most for one recorded video (30 mins, 1 hour, etc.) and if the recorded videos can be stored in my external drive permanently as long as I don't delete them on my side or the videos don't surpass the volume capacity.

[StephenB]

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@sherlock643 wrote:

I'm thinking of getting the Pro 5S and the SmartHub, and use the local storage by attaching an external drive. I wanna know how long can the camera record at most for one recorded video (30 mins, 1 hour, etc.) and if the recorded videos can be stored in my external drive permanently as long as I don't delete them on my side or the videos don't surpass the volume capacity.

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Note that VMB5000 requires a microSD card; while the VMB4540 requires USB.  In the case of the VMB4540, I always recommend using a thumb drive.  128GB-512GB is enough, and the thumb drive is easier to manage (no need to worry about external power, etc).  128 GB can hold ~300 hours of recordings from a Pro 5s.  The max capacity is 2 TB, and the storage is formatted as FAT32.  

Recording time doesn't change - motion recordings can be up to 5 minutes long, but not longer.  Videos can't be deleted via the app (unless you reformat the storage), but normally are set to be overwritten as the storage fills.

There are several limitations with local storage compared with the subscription - if you want details on that, post back.  

[sherlock643]

Thanks for the details about local storage. And yes I'd love to learn more about the pros and cons of it compared to having the subscription.

[StephenB]

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@sherlock643 wrote:

Thanks for the details about local storage. And yes I'd love to learn more about the pros and cons of it compared to having the subscription.

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As far as local storage goes, the limitations are

• recordings can only be seen in the app (not my.arlo.com)
• recordings can only be seen using the primary account (not "friend" accounts)
• no thumbnails, so each recording needs to be downloaded to your phone before you see anything
• no ability to make manual recordings or take snapshots
• remote access requires router setting changes that some find difficult (and which do not work with some internet service providers).

Cloud Storage is not the only subscription feature, activity zones (when on battery power) and smart detection also require a subscription.

[sherlock643]

I think I only need motion-triggered and audio-triggered recordings for now. Do I still need the subscription? And do you mind giving a bit more info on the activity zones and smart detection?

[StephenB]

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@sherlock643 wrote:

I think I only need motion-triggered and audio-triggered recordings for now. Do I still need the subscription? 

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Again, if you want cloud recordings you will need the subscription.  If you are ok with local storage, then you don't.

There will be a trial subscription (30 days) when you install the cameras.  Set up local storage during the trial (so both will be available) - that will help you sort out whether local storage will work for you (or not).

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@sherlock643 wrote:

 And do you mind giving a bit more info on the activity zones and smart detection?

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• https://kb.arlo.com/1001908/What-are-Arlo-Activity-Zones-and-how-do-I-create-them
• https://kb.arlo.com/000063424/What-are-Arlo-Smart-Detections-and-how-do-I-set-them-up

One important aspect on activity zones - although they will reduce unwanted notifications, they will not increase battery life.  That is because the camera always streams video when it detects motion, and the Arlo Cloud supresses recordings and notifications when the motion is out-of-zone.

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@sherlock643 wrote:

I think I only need motion-triggered and audio-triggered recordings for now.

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FWIW, I don't use audio-triggering myself.  Traffic noise in my area triggers the cameras too often for it to be useful.