Arlo Pro 2-Way Audio Just Does NOT Work!

[Shrick]

Hi

I'm really fedup of waiting for something to happen around the 2-way communication on the Arlo Pro?! This function just does not work - full stop! I've owned my 5-cam Arlo Pro system for around 7 months now, and up to today I could not get it to work on iPhone (all IOS versions), Android (6.0, 7.0 and 8.0) and your web interface.

The biggest issue is with the commnication TO the camera. Its TOTALLY inconsitent and unrealiable. Mostly its broken communication that reaches the cam (less than 50% of the messages reaches the cam) and the rest of the time theres NO communication, just silence. Nowadays I see when you press the Mic button to speak, theres a big delay before the button turns purple - whats that all about?

I'm really fed-up that I had to pay so much for this system and the functionality just does not work. And don't tell me theres an issue with my cams, I have 5 of them and ALL of them does the same thing.

Please fix this function on your system. I paid a lot of money for this system and I expect it to work! Otherwise, please don't advertise that your system can do it!

Regards

Rico

[Chillmiester]

The issue has nothing to do with an ios iPhone update. I have an old version ios 9.0.2 on my iPhone and I have the same issue. No two way audio!!

[BakerAK]

Expensive equipment not working as advertised. I hope a solution is found soon. I could have bought 5 cameras and a dvr for the price I paid for my Arlo. 2 camera system just because it had push to talk....

[kilomon]

This is looking like an Apple problem. https://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2018/05/06/apple-iphone-problem-calls-facetime-ios11-ios-11...

[Evan_Aggie]

I honestly don't think that article indicates it is an Apple problem at all; maybe, maybe not.

That article specifically mentions Iphone7 and 7plus wrt to iOS 11.3 updates.  There have been plenty of people on this thread that have reported the issue with Android, and with iOS versions 9.X.X.  My mic worked for a very short while using iOS 11.3 on a iPhoneSE.   My wife's worked and then stopped working similarly and she has an 8plus.   

[pc2k17]

Even though they mention the 7 and 7 plus, doesn't matter, same mic hardware in the 8 and the X, it's iOS. I'm not sure why apple users just won't admit apple has issues just like google and microsoft does.

The people with android who say it doesn't work for them are probably phone and connection related because it works good for me on android 8 with an S8 on ATT. 5 seconds to start the mic, 1-2 second delay when I talk and the sound comes out the camera speaker. As far as I know, none of the iphones on 11.3 or 11.3.1 work, but many android phones do work just fine.

Yes the feature is far from perfect but as I've been saying all along the iphone issue is 11.3 or 11.3.1 (and possibly carried over into 11.4 beta). And yes Arlo certainly could improve the feature as well.

[RChobby]

Easy solution for Arlo. Change the advertising and packaging:
“Push to talk (android only)”

[Shrick]

As mentioned, this is NOT an Apple problem. The opening post is actually related to Android. Unusable on Android...

Netgear, Please, I'm asking really politely, allocate time to your development team to fix this function once and for all. I really need this to work, as was advertised when I bought your product, for a lot of money.

Please show us that we can rely on your company for support and sorting out these issues.

PS: You really do have a great product. I believe 90+% of your problems are software related, thus, your development team, things are not running well there, or not the right people in that team, or too little people in the team, or the team is not managed properly. 

Thanks.

[pc2k17]

But iOS does have a mic issue.......

https://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2018/05/06/apple-iphone-problem-calls-facetime-ios11-ios-11...

Hard to think the two issues aren't related.

FYI - works fine for me on Android. 5 seconds to initiate the mic, 1-2 second delay between talkiing and hearing my voice loud and clear thru the camera speaker. Out of 10 tests, 2 times part of my voice got cut off. While not perfect, 80% of the time it works great. So yes it needs some improvement.

When I roll a piece of software out to users in my company, if it works for 100 peope and for 5 it doesn't, it's not the software, it's those users specific computers. For people with Android who state they have an issue, it's more likely it's related to their specific phone, then add in that yes the feature needs improvment and they have a bad experience.

I'm not making excuses for Arlo at all, just providing some info based on 25 years of experience. Either way, Arlo does needs to get the feature working on iOS and improve it for Android.

[stephan01]

Mine has started working after latest update but volume is very low.  I have an ip-7

[RChobby]

Astounding is Netgear/Arlo’s lack of communication to customers. . No status page. No timeline. Hard to be supportive when communication is so poor. Even a weekly “a fix is coming” would ease tensions.

[DebOQ]

Thanks!

[JamesC · Accepted solution]

An update for the Arlo iOS mobile app has been released that addresses the issue with the push to talk feature. Please make sure you have the latest version of the Arlo mobile app downloaded and installed from the iOS app store.

Release Notes - iOS App 2.5.0 - 13th May 2018

If you continue to experience this issue. Please let us know.

JamesC

[HKM]

Perfect it works very good
Thank you

[BakerAK]

Thank you! Mines working now 😊

[DebOQ]

I haven't seen anything on my iphone about updating this app as of yet. Will this pop up on my "App Store" app just like other updates to apps?

[steveli]

Mine are still not working.

[DebOQ]

Mine is working good now since I have updated my Arlo app. Thanks!

[ybd81]

This update fixed my audio issue.  Now the audio works on both wifi and LTE.  Thanks.

[jamiereinshagen]

It seems that after I did the latest update just last week to the Arlo app oh, I started having issues with my audio and video.? The video and audio are both choppy. We have not changed any setup with regards to location of cameras and the home base so I'm not sure why this started happening? Can you help?

[jguerdat]

I replied to your PM with as much info as I have.

[8936nevada]

I just bought the Arlo Pro 2 a week ago and update to version 2.5.0. The speaker feature just doesn't work out of the box.

[WaltonKY]

I have great internet, great latency, great connections to base unit, upgraded to latest app and the 2-Way voice works <10% of the time. Fact: false advertising on Netgears part - period. I only wish I had read this fourm before I purchased. I have been a long time supporter of Netgear products (My current WiFi router is a sweet NightHawk X6S) but they definately rushed this to market in regards to the 2-Way voice talk feature. Frustrated with thier ability to resolve so many issues.

[Wr3k]

I cant get the 2 way audio to work it work a bit while I'm home but while I'm gone it doesnt seem to work so well. The purpose is to watch my dog of she trys to escape the yard and if she hears my voice she stops but it's almost pointless now if the she cant hear me.

[Alfredcwc]

I bought the Arlo Pro about a month ago and get it installed just now. The sound volume coming out from the camera is very very very low and only intermittantly. Sound quality, if heard, is poor and that 2-way communications is simply non-existent. I agree with other Arlo Pro users that the promised 2-way audio communications is just not true. Very disaapointed!!!

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@Shrick wrote:

Hi

I'm really fedup of waiting for something to happen around the 2-way communication on the Arlo Pro?! This function just does not work - full stop! I've owned my 5-cam Arlo Pro system for around 7 months now, and up to today I could not get it to work on iPhone (all IOS versions), Android (6.0, 7.0 and 8.0) and your web interface.

The biggest issue is with the commnication TO the camera. Its TOTALLY inconsitent and unrealiable. Mostly its broken communication that reaches the cam (less than 50% of the messages reaches the cam) and the rest of the time theres NO communication, just silence. Nowadays I see when you press the Mic button to speak, theres a big delay before the button turns purple - whats that all about?

I'm really fed-up that I had to pay so much for this system and the functionality just does not work. And don't tell me theres an issue with my cams, I have 5 of them and ALL of them does the same thing.

Please fix this function on your system. I paid a lot of money for this system and I expect it to work! Otherwise, please don't advertise that your system can do it!

Regards

Rico

---

t impossible. I agree with other Arlo Pro users that the promised audio is just non-existent. Rather dispaoointed!!!

[JamesC]

Alfredcwc,

What device are you using to speak through the camera? Do you see the same behavior from all devices? Check your audio settings for your camera and be sure the speaker volume is turned up.

JamesC