Arlo|Smart Home Security|Wireless HD Security Cameras

My Arlo Pro keeps switching to night mode even when setting is turned off.

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JP_Arlo
Tutor
Tutor

I have an Arlo Pro in a hallway that always has a light on and My Arlo Pro keeps switching to night mode even when night vision is turned off.  It only takes black and white video in low light settings.  The only difference is that with night vision turned off it doesn't turn on the IR lights.  

 

What I've done to try to fix it:

- When I take the batteries out it will work once then it will switch back to black and white video.

- I've toggled the night vision setting on and off numerous times

- In live video I've set the brightness as high as it can go.  (This does nothing to fix the video, it just makes the video's in the daylight over exposed and unviewable)

- My regular Arlo Wire-free camera's work fine and produce great video in the same situation, but I want the Arlo Pro here to grab audio and because it has a rechargeable battery.

 

**I've got a few screenshots but I don't know how to upload them here**

12 REPLIES 12
TomMac
Guru Guru
Guru


Sounds like the PRO is working.... ( btw, the IR on/off only controls if IR illumination functions )

The camera will auto switch to B/W in low level of lighting.

 

To test the camera, move it temp to a more lit area( or increase lighting in the area ) and see if it switches over to color ( Arlo and PRO may have different switch over points for low light levels )

 

 

If in a well lit area the camera stays B/W, then do a re-set of the camera and then re-sync...

If it continues, contact Netgear.

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JP_Arlo
Tutor
Tutor

Thanks for taking the time to help me with my issue@TomMac.  So let me explain myself again and answer your questions.

 

If the camera is in a VERY well lit area it will display in color, so to answer you question, yes there are times when it records in color.  The problem I have is when the sun is not shining my hallway is iluminated with a light bulb, which gives ample amount of lighting because my regular Arlo Wire Free works fine.  Now if i substitute the Arlo Pro in it's place, night mode is triggered and I only get a very poor quality black and white video.  If I take the batteries out it will record it's first video perfectly with great picture quality, but then every video after that will be the poor B&W video.

 

This to me seems like a firmware issue, because low light sittings should only trigger night mode if that setting is enabled (That's how the regular Arlo's work).  And I know the Arlo Pro's can take good video in low light because it will do it once after a restart, just not after that. 

 

How do I report something like this to the Arlo Team for them to fix it?

 

And BTW:  I say low light but in all reality it's an illuminated room using a soft white light bulb.  It's not dark by any means but at the same time it's not high noon.  It's a normally lit room.  

TomMac
Guru Guru
Guru

How do I report something like this to the Arlo Team for them to fix it?

 

It does sound like a problem...

 

https://www.arlo.com/en-us/support/contact.aspx

 

By, phone, html or email...

 

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JP_Arlo
Tutor
Tutor

Hey @TomMac.  It looks like a number of people are complaining of the same issue.  I contacted Netgear and the person I spoke with didn't have a clue on what he was doing.  Just wasted 80 minutes on the phone.  Do you have a way to speak with the netgear team to let them know they have a design issue here.  The reason I say it's a design issue is because the regular Arlo's don't have this issue and there is no reason turning off night mode only turns it off 1/2 way.  I'm sure this could be fixed with a firmware update.  We just need to get this to the right people.

 

Here are some other posts from people with the same issue.

 

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Arlo-Pro/Constant-auto-switching-between-monochrome-and-color/m-p/1...

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Arlo-Pro/Night-vision-off-but-video-still-in-black-and-white/m-p/11...

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Arlo-Pro/My-Arlo-Pro-keeps-switching-to-night-mode-even-when-settin...

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Arlo-Pro/Why-does-one-camera-alternate-between-colour-and-B-amp-W-A...

 

 

 

 

 

TomMac
Guru Guru
Guru


Will try for you...also remember that you can ALWAYS private message the Netgear moderators here by going to messages and typing in their name

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JP_Arlo
Tutor
Tutor

Here are 2 screenshots of the original Arlo Wire Free and another of the Arlo Pro.  Both have night vision turned off and the enviornment was not changed at all.

 

Original Arlo Wire Free 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7iNvcK46JvrekFWTkVLRlhTbGM/view?usp=sharing

 

Arlo Pro

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7iNvcK46JvrZE9nejd2YkRUQUE/view?usp=sharing

 

As you can see the room is well lit

 

 

jguerdat
Guru Guru
Guru
I wouldn't call the Pro video low quality, just B&W. In any event, it may be a hardware or firmware issue. I haven't had that happen to me but my cameras are outdoors. When I had both my Pro cameras installed alongside the original Arlo cameras in the same locations, I didn't see a difference. If you have a second Pro camera to swap with, it would be instructive to see if both do the same thing or just one. You can also swap the camera at the store for another, if recent enough.

I'd suggest contacting support and open a case to track the issue. If everyone with the issue does so pressure is applied for either a fix or an explanation.
DaveWoj
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

I am having the same issue.

 

My opinion is that if I wanted the camera to switch to night vision/black and white, I would switch that option on.

 

but........... I DON'T WANT IT ON!

 

The problem for me is that I don't NEED night vision. In fact the night vision is so blown out that I can't even see any details. This happens because I have a motion sensing spotlight and it is way to bright for night vision and the contrast in the highlights are all blown out.

 

I'm sure it will be worked on in the firmware update

 

 

JamesC
Community Manager
Community Manager

Thank you all for the details on this issue. I have escalated this topic for further investigation and will post an update once I have more information.

 

JamesC

JP_Arlo
Tutor
Tutor

Hey @JamesC.  This is still an ongoing issue for me.  Any update on what's going on with this?

 

BTW:  I upgraded to the 1.090.0.0_9945 firmware and it still has not resolved the issue.

JamesC
Community Manager
Community Manager

JP_Arlo,

 

If you are still experiencing this issue, please contact the Arlo Support Team to further investigate. You will find several options for contacting support in the provided link. If you have any additional questions/concerns feel free to private message me. I would be happy to help.

 

JamesC

JP_Arlo
Tutor
Tutor

This is still an issue....  

 

Original Arlo Wire-Free

Screenshot_ArloWF.jpg

 

Arlo Pro (with Night Vision turned off)

Screenshot_ArloPro.jpg

 

If I wanted black and white I'd turn on the night vision.  I've called support and have gotten nowhere.   It's been about 2 months and still no answer to this issue.  Looks like I just wasted $249.