Arlo Pro Audio: ticking sound like a clock, delay

[Dmmack]

All 4 of my new Arlo Pro cameras (updated firmwares for base and cams) are making a clicking sound that sound just like a ticking clock. It's constant. Harder to hear on outdoor cams, but indoors it's very apparent.

Also, it seems that once triggered, it takes a full second for the (recorded) sound to activate. Is there a sensitivity setting that would adjust the sound to initiate as soon as video? (So far haven't had any recorded events triggered by audio.)

[Cheftech86]

I just Installed my system today.

1 in an empty bedroom to catch ghost orbs (yes I have ghosts).

the other 3 outside.

All 4 have this incessant ticking like a windup alarm clock.

Viewing on an iPad air2 and my IPhone SE.

You can hear it when in live feed viewing. Can’t hear it on recordings.

[Dmmack]

I've tested this with 2 batches of Arlo Pro cameras, and now with Arlo Pro 2 cameras. The ticking is there on all cameras no matter if they're plugged in, on battery power only, with all options turned off/on (LED, Night vision, etc). 

I wonder if this could be a power conditioning issue, or even a Base Station issue. 

[JPC]

I found most of these cameras tick when plugged in but when battery only it should not tick or just very minimal when charged 100% while plugged in. I've returned quite a bit of these from costco(different serials) and tested them and I finally found a kit which 3 cameras only tick/hammer noise when plugged in charging but when used battery only no tick at all on the 2 and 1 does tick but very minimal. I used the included cable/adapter. Next time you pick one of these cams either AP1 or AP2. I recommend test it by plugging in first without battery and make sure no ticking sound then unplug it and try battery only and see. Good ones do exist but it's like finding a needle in a haystack.. Also, you may find one that doesn't tick but a different problem exist such as going offline intermittently then that's not good also. Welcome to Arlo's Product Quality control. It does look good from the outside though.. 

[Dmmack]

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Cheftech86 wrote:

I just Installed my system today.

1 in an empty bedroom to catch ghost orbs (yes I have ghosts).

the other 3 outside.

All 4 have this incessant ticking like a windup alarm clock.

Viewing on an iPad air2 and my IPhone SE.

You can hear it when in live feed viewing. Can’t hear it on recordings.

---

Um... can we see some ghosts?!

[Johnny290]

Yes I am also very interested in this ghost thing

[Dmmack]

JPC wrote:

I found most of these cameras tick when plugged in but when battery only it should not tick or just very minimal when charged 100% while plugged in. I've returned quite a bit of these from costco(different serials) and tested them and I finally found a kit which 3 cameras only tick/hammer noise when plugged in charging but when used battery only no tick at all on the 2 and 1 does tick but very minimal. I used the included cable/adapter. Next time you pick one of these cams either AP1 or AP2. I recommend test it by plugging in first without battery and make sure no ticking sound then unplug it and try battery only and see. Good ones do exist but it's like finding a needle in a haystack.. Also, you may find one that doesn't tick but a different problem exist such as going offline intermittently then that's not good also. Welcome to Arlo's Product Quality control. It does look good from the outside though.. 

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I will try the ones I have now (Pro 2s) without a battery installed to see if that helps. So far, I've tested 12 Pro cameras, and they all have ticking issues. I wonder if it could be the base station. I have NOT tried a different base station or tried plugging it into a conditioned or isolated power strip. 

Yes, slick marketing and GUI  indeed; I fell for it. 

[denisvic]

I’ve same problem, tested 6 Arlo Pro cameras (2 from kit, two spares from amazon and two from RMA) only 1 doesn’t have the problem. It seems to be an hardware issue of cameras. I’m waiting for support to send me two more...

https://youtu.be/iQiNWNZVHl8

[Zzzzzzzzzz]

this past weekend I bought the Arlo Pro 2 system with 4 cameras. all the cameras have a buzzing sound and the ticking sound issue. Two of the cameras have this high pitch squeal as well.

when I call technical support, she wanted permission to go into my account and look at all my videos. Obviously I said no. it made me extremely uncomfortable that they even have such easy access to all our personal info.

She also said that this is not a known issue for the Pro 2 cameras. And all she said for Pro was that they are working on it. She claims that they are completely different Hardware, so they shouldn't have the same issues. I like the system in theory, but not sure how much of my life I want to spend on trying to track down non-defective cameras. She kept asking me how much of a problem the noise was, and why I didn't just live with it. I repeatedly told her for this kind of money, this is not acceptable.

[Dmmack]

Absolutely an issue with Arlo Pro 2. Here is a short clip (from an Arlo Pro 2 plugged into an outlet), which actually sounds worse than the previous Arlo Pro ticking. Sounds like its a windup clock now. 

PR/sell more units vs Fix the problem: it's a tough battle, Netgear. We know your choice. 

[Johnny290]

That's the exact same sound I have with my Pro 2 camera and I'm past my return date

[Johnny290]

I called Netgear tech support today had a very nice conversation with them on the phone they were very helpful and they're sending me a new camera Arlo Pro 2

[Zzzzzzzzzz]

Johnny290: I hope you get a tick-free, noise-free replacement camera! At least the support person you spoke with seemed to realize that it was a problem....

I'm starting to wonder if any of the Pro or Pro 2 cameras are free of ticking and other weird noises.

Despite my better judgement, I went to another Best Buy and picked up another set of four Pro 2 cameras. Of those new ones, only one didn't have the ticking noise, but all had the background buzzing static noise. And the one that didn't have a ticking noise, the buzzing stack noise was intermittent, like ticking. And two of the new cameras had a slight high pitch squealing noise. So if I wanted to keep four cameras, they would all have some sort of background noise combination of ticking and buzzing. I definitely would not keep any of the three cameras with the high-pitched squealing.

This is depressing. For as expensive as these things are.... I will say at least these kind of work, unlike the Ring video doorbells 2 that I've tried. Those flat-out just don't work. So I don't think I could even rely on the other Ring products

[Johnny290]

okay thanks I have my fingers crossed

[Slash702]

just bought pro 2 add-on at best buy. clock tick noise running on battery only. haven't wired it to run on power yet.
Will return and exchange to best buy till I get lucky with one that works.
if no luck may just send back whole system to hsn for full refund.
sad that qc let's these pass onto the consumer, instead of just fixing the problem before it gets into our hands.

[Zzzzzzzzzz]

Yes, it's just totally ridiculous..... If they actually work, the Arlo Pro 2 has all the theoretical characteristics that I'm looking for. however, I've gone through 17 cameras to find maybe 4-5 that don't have a ticking sound, or at least not a loud ticking sound. For the cameras that I've had, the ticking occurs regardless or whether it's on battery or wired. Although, I can't vouch for any other defects that that the cameras might have.... So that's about what a 60%+ defect rate? and I also discovered that really for the cameras to work effectively, you really need the 3 second look back, which means it has to be plugged in. and there's also another known issue out there where the motion zones aren't working for a lot of the Arlo cameras cameras, including the q's not just the pros 2s. Kind of nutty. Now that I've managed to plug in most of the cameras outside to some outlet to get the three second look back, maybe I should just look at Nest or something else instead.... Arlo motion zones are stupid squares and rectangles, where R and Nest allow you to make other shapes..

good luck in your non-ticking, non-defective arlo camera quest!

[96708]

This issue has been brought up since the release of the AP1. I bet NG and its reps come here and pretend its new and ask people to swap locations and all kinds of other BS. Its well documnted and frankly has been ignored. IMO, if it bothers you then contact the BBB and force it back down their throat for a refund. I decided to just keep mine due to the hassle of removing the cams, having holes where they are mounted and finding a replacement. NG is a networking company not a camera company. This is evident in the solid connection of the cams but also evident in the performance of the cam being worse than true security cams., They went beyond their core competency and we have been basically been beta testing until probably AP5 when they finally get it right. 

[Johnny290]

I called Netgear about the ticking sound on my camera and they replaced it for me now the new one works fine

[Timmay]

I've had a ticket open for 2+ months on the ticking issue with 4 of 5 cameras. Last update was about 6 weeks where they've acknowledged the issue to only state they are waiting on new hardware to address it. I requested any update a few days ago and just received a response that they are waiting for a response from their next level support. It's frustrating to hear that the issue also exists on the pro 2 as I was hoping this was the hardware I've been waiting on. It really seems netgear doesn't care to address the real issue as this has been reported by so many over a long period of time. I'm beginning to wonder if there needs to be a larger issue opened as a group to force the issue to provide refunds to those affected but do not wish to wait for an unknown and elusive solution to be discovered.

[Johnny290]

I called once I told him about the ticking sound I told them I tried to take the battery out and reset it and reinstall I tried uninstalling it from my app and reinstalling it I tried rebooting the base station I told them all of this in advance. They told me I had a bad microphone and they sent me a new camera with a return shipping label. The new camera has no ticking sound

[Terminal3]

I have only had my cameras for a month or two now and I had heard the ticking.  I had two Arlo Pros and I added a Arlo Pro 2 just a couple of weeks ago.  I just thought the ticking weird and it didn't really bother me that much.  I don't usually listen to the audio anyway.  If they are defective, however, and should be replaced, I thought I might call support.  So I just went and viewed all my cameras to verify the ticking and none of them are doing it now.

[JonRep]

I have just noticed the ticking noise on two of my cameras out on the field.  I thought someone had tampered with the cameras  until i searched this forum.  I had other cameras and batteries that I had not used and decided to do a test.  I switched the newer unused batteries with the older batteries .   I wanted to determine where the ticking was coming from.  The New Batteries I put into the ticking Camera did not make the ticking sound.  The ticking sound on my cameras are being produced by the older or used batteries.  Why I dont Know???  Maybe this info may be helpful to the Engineers.  I also recharged the older batteries fully and disconnected and connected the cameras with old and new batteries in the tests.

My Conclusion:   1.  Used Batteries are causing the ticking but should not be because their not that old.ie 3- 6 months                        2. The New batteries I put into the (Cameras that were ticking) did not cause any ticking.  Why Who Knows?

[xiaowai]

This is a really strange observation.  Speaking as an electronics engineer, I can't see how a battery in itself can cause RFI (assuming that's what it is).  My guess, therefore, is that it must be  due to something in the circuitry which is responding to some difference in the batteries.  Possibly a slight change in voltage, or maybe internal resistance?  Very odd.  From what others have written, a camera swap seems to have fixed the problem.  I wonder whether the swap included new batteries, or was the user reinserting the old ones?  Of course it could be that the newer cameras had improvements in the circuitry which meant they were less susceptible to battery conditions.  Jonrep, is the camera working on battery alone or is there a charger connected?  I've noticed that the one I have responds to the light level, and gets slightly louder in bright light.  I guess that could be a similar effect as a different amount of power is drawn.

[Timmay]

Netgears solution was to give me an older version of the hardware because new hardware wasnt available that addressed the ticking. I asked if the arlo 2 had the issue and if not, could you send those since there is just a $20 retail difference in cost. They would not. I requested a full refund. Took some time but I shipped everything back on their prepaid label and received a refund minus taxes. Fo what they refunded me, it would have be cheaper to send me the new arlo 2 cameras. So now, I've held off buying anything new so they lost out there by having a happy customer. If you're having problems, do not settle for the older hardware. Demand a product that works that is equivalent or better than what you bought. If that doesn't work, go for a refund. That may finally get them going at a fix if they have to keep refunding money.
Good luck.

[Zzzzzzzzzz]

In December 2017, I went through about17 to 18 Arlo Pro 2 cameras until I could find 5 cameras that had no notable to only slight ticking noises or high-pitched squeals. And even after all that effort, one of my Pro 2 cameras has since developed a really loud constant static noise, and of course it was just after the return perio. That should have been my first clue to run away from Arlo products. But I was desperate to install some wireless cameras, which I ended up figuring out how to plug in at least four them, so I probably could have gone with a different brand.....

it was a discussed issue on this forum back then, as well as discussed in reviews on retail websites. So it seems as no effort has gone into fixing the issue......

[96708]

Based on testing and replication using diff batts and cams, the sound occurs more so on the outdoor charger. It has nothing to do with new or old batter. All my batteries were new when I did this test.

Also the outdoor charger can cause your house to burn down if it shorts. Netgear simply annnouced a recall but it was a passive annoucement on their which is buried and no one ever heard from them again as they don't have a replacement and as far as I know did not provide any compensation to people who relied on their tecnology to work before plunking down on average $500 to buy their Arlo system. 

NG IMO is legallly liable and the passive notice does not relieve them of any responsiblity. 

NG as a company should be shamed in public IMO.