Camera Video Quality

[JamesC]

10:42 AM 9-24-2019: In an effort to answer your questions efficiently, we'll be answering your question within the same post where it was asked. Due to the number of duplicate questions, you may need to refer to the first post answered.

Arlo recently released a new Arlo App for iOS and Android mobile devices. Please join Alex Jukl, senior product manager for Arlo iOS, Android and Web applications at 11AM PT this Tuesday 9/24/19 as he shares the highlights of this update and takes your questions about the new Arlo mobile app.

Alex will be taking your questions live in this Arlo Community discussion thread at 11AM PT Tuesday 9/24/19. We will leave this thread open until the end of the day for you to post questions if you can’t make it during the live chat. Alex will come back and respond to the questions you leave outside the time of our scheduled chat.

Alex Jukl serves as senior product manager for iOS, Android, and Web applications at Arlo where he is responsible for creating and delivering new features and enhancements to the Arlo apps. Since joining the company, Alex has led the effort to create and launch the new “By Arlo” app. Prior to Arlo, he held roles in business planning and product marketing at consumer electronics companies where he delivered connected solutions for creative professionals and enthusiasts. Alex earned his bachelor of arts at UC Santa Cruz (go Slugs!) and a MBA from Santa Clara University.

We look forward to having you join the conversation!

Thank you!

[archanut]

This is not an issue with the program or the base station not working correctly. It is just purely an issue of performance speed. 

[GMF]

When I run the newly downloaded app, I see this msg. "This is an older version of the Arlo app and will not receive fixes or support. Please update your operating system and/or device to download the newest version."  WHY?

[AlohaZekie]

Can you PLEASE make the app sign in quicker??? By the time I log in, it’s too late to speak to the person. In addition, the camera video begins too late (the person is GONE). My Kuna light/camera responds immediately!!!

[tdavisga]

I got the same message...It also says, that if you have already downloaded the new program, to disregard the second request.

[jonmiro36]

We've upgraded to Alro Ultra, we have a mix of Pro 2 and Ultra, but we still have videos where the quality isn't great, it's grainy. We have videos with night vision as well as lighted rooms and daylight. At its normal picture, it's fine, but pixelation with any zooming.

No need to trouble shoot for me, but just generally wondering if boosting wifi strength (or any other approaches) show improvement to video quality?

Thank you for doing this AMA.

[sdingding]

When I got the notification that someone is within the camera range, it often took at least 6 seconds to open the app and be able to load the camera live!  This is very serious problem because just few seconds, that person has already left.

Also, I often find out that the video doesn't really store the whole thing when it detects the person.  Many times it's postman and in the video, I can only see the back of him, but not him coming forward.

[ActionMedford]

PLEASE provide Push & Email Notifications for Cameras or Base Stations OFF-LINE which can be due to Defective Equipment, Power Failure, Loss of Internet, Etc!  This is a Basic Requirement of ANY Security System or Camera.  Your Customers have Requested this feature for Many Years......

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Hi @ActionMedford - I hear you loud and clear! Of course, the Arlo app will tell you when a camera or base station is offline once you go into the app, but what you're asking for is more proactive messaging that something may be wrong. 

[LeoCow]

I agree the app needs to load faster and also connect to the cameras faster.

[Jb224]

Will the ability to snooze ALARMED mode ever be offered (Ex.  30/60/90 or custome #).  It is a request echoed by Arlo users for years now but nothing but silence on this suggestion???

[AncientGeek]

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@Snowing wrote:

How can I add a second home to the app? I was unable to do in previous app version. If I can’t add a second home, I’ll have buy from another security system to have 2 apps on my phone. I would prefer to have everything on one system.

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You can add Arlo cameras to a second home and get modes,  notifications, use geofencing, etc.  but there are some features like e911 and “Mute Notifications”. That don’t properly support multiple homes.  

I monitor 5 homes on the app on iOS.  Most with geofencing enabled.

[Slimhaven]

All I know is that every time I try to add device it never finds it and I get the rotating circle of death. All of the workarounds have been useless and I can not add. This needs a straight up fix. I do not want to delete the arlo app or my Homekit app and start over due to having so many devices. Other cameras work with Homekit why is Arlo so bad?

[MeiraNYC]

Crv sucks!!!! You need to fix this bug. I love my Arlo Q camera but cannot stand the constant freezing!!!!!

[GMF]

I suspect this is because I'm running a dated Android OpSys (4.4.1).  The new app is supposed to be supported on 4.1 or newer.  Can anyone confirm that the new app can run on my OpSys.

[MeiraNYC]

I already downloaded the new app and still having the same issue!!!!!! Really frustrating!!!! Because I love my nanny camera

[ActionMedford]

Website Status.Arlo.Com is RARELY being updated to report Problems which Sometimes have existed for Hours or Days.  Therefor it can't be Trusted?  I have had your Technical Support in Philippines admit Problems, Yet this website states: All Good and All Systems are Operational!

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Hi @ActionMedford , could you please provide a specific instance where you observed an outage yet status.arlo.com indicated "All good"? This can help us to determine where we may have room to improve. 

[vthinker4948]

Only our one Plug in Camera has worked since the update.  Replace the outdoor Camera with a different Company.  Nothing seems to fix the issue Not getting any help (answers)  We are now using other Cameras  Arlo waste of money

[DP-Arlo]

Yes.. any thoughts on Google HOME?  That would be awesome!

[erlinda]

why the new Arlo app?????? I downloaded the new app for my android phone, to which before doing so, I was able to talk to my spouse via the camera outside, and she could hear me, and now since adding the new app I no longer can longer use the microphone. and also I have to log in twice on my computer, due to the fact I do not support Adobe. never had a problem before this, evidently you do not understand, "that if it is not broken, do not try and fix it".

[Jeff151]

What is the difference in the two apps? I had Arlo then it changed to Arlo Legacy. Now you want me to download another Arlo app. Confusing.

[rgiersdorf]

I'm curious ... I have called in many time with the same issues.. And no one at Arlo can solve any of my issues. They all take the same path, have me do the the exact same steps as the previous 10 times I have called and yet I still have the same issue. 

My cameras start to record activity. They are set to a standard two minute recording. Usually at 6-10 seconds, the car being  filmed or  the person being filmed will suddenly disappear. But you still hear the at start up and drive away, or the for steps of the person walking away.... You just don't get to see them... Or it. 

Why?

[KilllerPenguins]

Hi Alex,

       I am using the Arlo Baby and have a few questions. It seems with the new app it doesn't work as good as it did before with the camera. I am also on last iOS 12. While monitoring sound will randomly cut off or will stop and have to manually refresh. Also, doing some sound delay tests, the delay from when a sound was made to receiving and hearing it on device app end got to be 20-25 second delay. That's a long time with a new born baby. When using the talk feature it sometimes takes a while to connect to that part to press and hold the button. When done talking there is a 5-10 second cut off that nothing comes through the speaker. If a person responds right away, you won't hear them. Another issue when connecting to the talk feature, it cuts the sound down by more than 50% so many times too low to hear things. Is there plans for more features with the Alexa such as zooming in, playing songs, 2-way talk, etc. The last thing is in regards to the smart music player. Is there any plans to allow uploading our own music, accessing our music library from our device, playing songs directly from the cloud library instead of downloading as the device doesn't have much storage space, and possibly connecting your Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, etc to it and play your music through it from there. Thank you in advance for your time!

[Luigierik]

When will the VIDEO doorbell be released?!

[ActionMedford]

Your Technical Support in Philippines admit that they have NO Direct Contact with your engineers or other personnel in the US in order to pass on problems which Mostly appear to be Software or Website Related.  They have stated there is only some type Weekly Chat?  They always seem to Guess the Solutions which Waists Your Customer and Their Time:  Reboot the App, Remove & Re-Install the Battery, Disconnect & Re-Install the Camera, Re-Install the Base Station, Etc.  Cameras are NOT Always Located at the Same Location where they are Monitored and the Customer must Drive Several Miles, Get 10 Foot Ladders, Etc.  It might help slightly IF the was a Camera Reset which Also Momentarily Disconnected the Battery?

[OscarTango]

Here's the feature that is desperately needed.  I have the cameras set to a schedule where they are active during the time nobody is home.  If I do go home during that time, I have to deactivate the system.  It needs to have a "deactivate for X hours" option, because I sometimes forget to turn it back on.  My workaround is to create reminders any time I turn it off, and that works pretty well.  But other times I leave it off for days because I don't even realize/remember it is deactivated.

Every modern thermostat has this feature baked in - it's set to a schedule and you turn the temp up or down, then it will eventually revert to the schedule.  Why in the world does Arlo not do this?  It's much more important for Arlo than it is for my thermostat.

[aalyea]

I can’t seem to set up geofencing as follows. Recording on for all cameras when I leave and all night whether home or not.