Arlo Pro Fixed Length Recording Ends Early

[Trigger78]

In my armed mode rules in the iOS app v2.5.1, I have each of my four cameras configured to record upon motion detection for a fixed length of 120 seconds. Each camera's rule is also configured to record on the other three cameras for the same fixed length. The actual recording lengths are much shorter than 120 seconds and vary seemingly at random. Also the recording lengths differ between the four cameras for the same recording event. For example, one camera might record for about 60 seconds while another ends after about 30 seconds. Does anyone know how to make the fixed length setting work properly?

[Redmoonstar]

I have been having the same problem with my 5 cameras since 12/5/18 until then they all recorded for the fixed time. I am also having trouble with motion detection It's become very hit and miss and my sensitivity is set to 100%. I spoke to support through live chat on the 22/5/18 and am still waiting for them to get back to me with a fix. I have totally reset my router and had to set it up again, I have unplugged the base station and left for 5 mins while resetting router and had unplugged for 1 min previously 3 other times with no change. I have deleted my custom modes and schedule 3 times and reset also with no change. Support had me use the armed mode not my custom mode and still no change. I am going to contact support again today and then do a total reset of the system, removing my modes,  schedule and cameras and factory resetting the base to see if that helps. I'm sure arlo broke something ( along with all the other issues) with the last update they did because mine has been working correctly for a couple of months prior. I'm not very happy as I now will be climbing ladders all day ( I'm not good with heights and have a solar panel so I don't have to climb ladders) to resync cameras that I shouldn't have to move. I'll be an even more angry customer if this doesn't solve the problem.  I am in Australia so don't know if that has anything to do with it. I'll post here if it works. 

              Monica

[Redmoonstar]

Ok so I did a reset of the base then synced all my cameras again,  reset my modes with set recording times and they are still not recording to time. I'm getting recording times between 8 - 27 secs when they are all set to 45- 80 secs. Resetting doesn't fix the issue it was just a waste of time!

[Trigger78]

This is working properly now. I don't think I changed anything; maybe a bug was fixed.

[Redmoonstar]

Unfortunately mine are still not recording to the correct time, my night mode did record correctly overnight but my day time recordings are still between 3 - 24 secs one was 2 secs. This is unacceptable as I am missing motion that would be caught if the camera's were operating correctly.I received an email today to say my case would be closed in 3 days, someone was supposed to get back to me with a fix! I have re- emailed and will do a live chat tomorrow to see what they are going to do. Glad yours are now back on track.

[Redmoonstar]

Ok I contacted support via live chat again as no-one had gotten back to me and after explaining the issue and what steps I have taken it appears to be a hardware issue with my base station. Support have given me an RMA for a replacement base station. Hope this one works!

[JPC]

I still have this issue when simultaneous trigger motion/recording occurs. I have 5-cams total.. When only 2-cams trigger motion/recording, it works fine and it ends as setup 1min 35sec each.. But when 3-5 cams trigger motion/recording simultaneously, suddenly all recordings fall short and varies from 8-30secs only each.. Live Feed is the same... 1-2 cams is fine but 3-5 cams just dies early and sounds are intermittent.. 

[jguerdat]

That is likely due to the throughput of all your streaming cameras exceeding your upload speed limit, causing communication issues and cutting recordings short. You can increase your ISP bandwidth (at a cost, of course) and/or reduce the quality settings for your cameras so you don't saturate your upload pipe.

[JPC]

I doubt it's my upload.. 10mbps upload is way enough.. This is obviously a bug on Server/App/firmware issue..

[Redmoonstar]

@JPC That is what is happening with my camera's, they record correctly (sometimes) when only 2 are activated but not when 3 are activated. Mine were recording correctly until the 12/5/18 around the time of the firmware update that "broke" many systems. Contact support, I did a live chat and explained this only started around the same time as the firmware update and they said my base has a hardware issue and are going to replace it. I did restart the base, delete all custom modes and schedule several times and finally reset the base back to factory settings before contacting support. I explained my troubleshooting to support as well. Good Luck!

                                                                Monica

[Redmoonstar]

I received a new base station as support said my old one had hardware issues ( after the update that BROKE many systems) and I am still havinmg the same issue with recording times being hit or miss as to whether they record for specified time. I know I am missing events because of this as the motion detection doesn't then pick the motion up after it has recorded for 5 secs instead of 60 secs! I am sure this is a bug from the last firmware update. I suggest anyone with this issue contact support so they know it's more than 1 system that is affected. I will be contacting them again. 

                     Monica

[Redmoonstar]

I'm hoping someone on here can give me some advice, I received a replacement base station due to my set recording times no longer working after the firmware update, I have set it up and now two of my five camera's record for the correct time 90% of the time but the other three are still only recording for 2 -30 secs instead of the set time. I contacted support via live chat again yesterday but they are unable to "find " my case no due to maintenance???? I have to wait for 2 - 3 days before contacting them again and then maybe they will be able to access my case! They couldn't give me a time frame for the maintenance and my case has disappeared from my netgear. I am now wondering if the "hacking " theory is correct. Has anyone got any thoughts on what I can do to get the other three camera's back to recording for set times? I am thinking maybe reset the base station again and then reync camera's maybe changing there positions around. I also thought I would remove the battery and replace before resyncing the camera's again. Any one got any idea's? It's been happening since 12/5/18 so over three weeks, it was working correctly up till then. 

                                        Thanks in advance for any suggestions Monica

[storage_man]

Only advice I have is that if the mode setting is set correctly, then the camera setting will be observed.  But if you create New Mode, it takes a Default setting which is when motion stops.   I created several modes for my cameras and after testing them, I noticed that when creating a new Mode, you get the default setting.  I would like to know where the default setting is because I would change it so that it does what I want.  So if you have created new modes, you need to check the recording lenght settings.

[Redmoonstar]

I have set custom modes and changed both motion sensitivity and set recording times to my preferences and this is where I am having issues. They were recording to the times set until upgrade now I sometimes get the correct times but mostly very short recording times.

[jguerdat]

Check using a browser - I find that more reliable recently.

[snip3rboy]

@Trigger78, @Redmoonstar, @JPC - could you PM me the Arlo email address and base station serial number? 

[Redmoonstar]

So just an update, my camera's are still not recording to the set times when on motion I occassionally get them correct but 85% of the time they stop between 3 - 26 secs, they are all set to between 55 - 85 secs. The interesting thing is I have audio set on a couple of camera's but when it's windy I turn it off. The other night it got windy after I went to bed and I woke to 20 + video's set off from audio and all RECORDED TO THE SET TIME! I have other camera's set to record from these two camera's and they also recorded correctly so it's definately something to do with motion NOT MY INTERNET! I will be "Chatting" with support once my replacement camera's arrive ( for battery drain). 

[pc2k17]

Question for anyone having this issue...........

When you get the short recordings, by chance are two or more cameras recording at the same time? I ask because I've noticed twice now on my cameras, which I have record for 60 seconds, that when two cameras get triggered at the same time or within seconds of each other that I get two 30 second videos, instead of two 60 second videos. It split them in half because two cameras were recording at the same time.

Could it be that some one has 2, 3, even 4 cameras getting tripped at the same time and it's splitting the time you set into 2 or 3 or 4 smaller recordings depending on how many cams are recording at that given time. If this is the case, it's got to be a bug. IDK, I only saw it happen twice, but very rarely do I ever have two or more camera recording at once.

[Redmoonstar]

Yes I have more than one Camera recording at once but never had the problem of not recording to set time before May and my modes are the same. When the audio was triggered I had more than one camera recording same as motion detection and all audio recorded to the correct time just not motion detection which has also deteriorated and is very hit or miss detecting motion!

[pc2k17]

I never saw the "splitting" of video record time until after may either. Could more than one camera recording at a time be "splitting" the set record times? Did we find yet another arlo bug..........

[jguerdat]

If multiple cameras are recording at the same time and you have low upload bandwidth, that could point to the problem. Figure on 1-1.5Mbps for each camera - if all you have is a 1Mbps upload speed, you have an issue. You could try manually recording multiple cameras at once to see what happens under controlled circumstances.

[Redmoonstar]

My internet speed hasn't changed and it always recorded correctly before the May update. When the audio triggered it recorded 20+ videos at the correct recording times with mutiple camera's recording. I was without internet for a week and the camera's recorded to a USB they still didn't record to set times with motion activation so I don't think my internet has anything to do with it. It appears that the camera's don't recognise the set time and are using record until motion stops which is useless as they don't detect motion most of the time.

[jguerdat]

About all you can try to see if something just got stupid is to reset the system and start fresh. No guarantees but maybe, just maybe...

[Redmoonstar]

I've already done that twice and will be third time when my replacement cameras come. I've had two replacement base stations that have also been reset before adding any camera's. It's a problem from arlo with the May update so nothing I do is going to fix it. Unfortunately it misses alot, I  know because we have employees that come each day and it might pick one up heading to vehicle to go to work but miss him getting in and driving away because it willl only record for  maybe 25 secs instead of 80 then won't puck up motion after and misses everything. To bad if I get burglarized . Good thing my boxer let's me know when anyone is around and Hopefully his barking sets of the cannery. 

[Rico----]

I am having this same issue

When I had the recording length based on motion ending, the reocrdings would max out at 5 minutes. Now I have them set to fixed length of 2 minutes; however they are never making it to 2 minutes. Some are as short as 9 seconds!. 

Has anyone been able to find a solution? Has the replacement base unit worked?