Pixelated video Arlo Pro

[jjs4653]

Has anyone experienced pixelating video in the first 2-3 seconds of the recorded video.  It happens every time for me.  It has great reception  full Wifi bars... and does not happen with my original Arlo camera.. just with the new Pro.

[Memcor77]

I received 2 replacements last week and they worked fine for one day then the video problems came back.

[jbaker8390]

We need developer feed back from net gear to respond to this. If it's indeed firmware it needs to be addressed ASAP. This renders the pros useless if it's pixelated during crucial times.

[jbaker8390]

Pixelation/artifacting and frozen video.

https://arlo.netgear.com/hmsweb/users/library/share/link/9E5818AD95EDDABC_201701

pixelation/artifacting

https://arlo.netgear.com/hmsweb/users/library/share/link/B7DE163AB568D104_201701

All my cameras are showing this pixelation. I have the 4 camera kit from bestbuy and for $599 i'm not quite sure i'm going to keep these if there's no solution. What's the point of the camera if its going to stutter during fast motion like seen in the video i posted, this doesn't just happen in fast motion even during normal movement it stutters and shows artifacts. I am using local storage too with no changes.

I look like i an idiot running through these but i figured this is the only way to show it LOL.

[Memcor77]

This is the exact problem I'm having. And the replacement they sent me does the same thing. I would not recommend the arlo pro unless they fix it in a firmware update. The regular arlo camera is much better than the pro. Thinking about switching back to it.

[Johnny290]

I too have this problem but I have noticed that when I view the cameras through the SmartThings app the video runs more smoothly

[watchdog99]

so....this is a different app to view the cameras other than the Arlo app? thanks

[Johnny290]

Smart things is a security system that is compatible with Arlo and it is an app but you also need to have the  

 Smart things hub in your house

[watchdog99]

thx

[SteveWhite]

I am having the same issues albeit quite seriously.  I believe it to be a base station problem.   I have 2 base stations on opposing sides of the house. The cameras on one base station do not exhibit the issue, the cameras on the other all show the problem with varying degrees of severity.  I thought it was a WiFi issue but I have spent the past two days moving WiFi channels even testing with other WiFi devices turned off.  I cannot make the problem go away.

It's a base station issue, I am almost certain of it at this point.

[Johnny290]

Not sure because it seems to be worse at certain times of the day like now it's night time and things are working much better might be a traffic issue this is just in my situation of course yours could be different

[manofice]

I looks to me more like a Netgear cloud infrastructure issue.

[manofice]

PS, I also see this issue sometimes but not always.

[underdog2003]

I am having the EXACT same problems with my "Pro". I have two old version Arlos with the first generation base and I bought a Pro specifically for the better night vision, wider FOV and audio. It worked fine for the first week and then it started pixelating and stuttering. It became very bad to where every single recording had one or both of those issues. I went through the "trouble shooting" with support and eventually they sent me another Pro with a message from L2 support that said "I have narrowed down your issue to what seems to be a hardware problem on the Arlo Pro wireless camera (and then it lists my model and serial number). 

The hardware model on the pro I sent back was H7 and the one they sent me read H8. Well guess what? SAME issues with the replacement camera, and i would say it's even worse! The videos pixelate so bad it looks like smoke trails around anything moving. Sometimes the recording "thumbs" in my gallery will have green screens. This is ridiculous. Lucky for me, I bought the pro at best buy during the holidays and they offer extended returns so i just returned mine today and got my money back. I am going to send back my replacement and be done with the pro. I'll go back to my "old" Arlo that works just fine.

Also, support wont respond to any of my follow up emails by the way.

[Johnny290]

Yes I know it's frustrating but I feel this could have to do with firmware and with future updates things will improve especially if the regular Arlo does not have this problem. Since Arlo Pro is new I think future updates will provide many improvements this is my hopes.

[jbaker8390]

They came out and said the pixelated issue is coming from the hardware in the Arlo pro? If this really is the case i'll be returning my 4 camera kit to best buy and be done with this entire setup.

[Johnny290]

I still feel these problems can be fixed with firmware updates. As they see problems they can fix them with new firmware. In my case this pixelation problem does not seem to be as bad as some people are experiencing.

[SteveWhite]

Great feedback everyone.  Here is the result of some more testing...

I do completely believe that it's either WiFi inteference (unlikely in my case) or some other problem with camera-base communication, or the base itself.  One of the cameras that was badly pixelizing was fine when connected to the other (front) base. Moving a working camera to my back of house base station yielded pixelized video.

Both base stations connect directly to the router.  I'm more or less at a loss at this point.  

[underdog2003]

well i didn't want to trust them with that and miss my window of opportunity to get my $200 back. besides, support said it was a hardware problem, not a software problem. That's a lose lose, because if it is in fact a hardware problem, no update would really fix that; and if it's not, they are not being forthcoming and released a product that wasn't ready for release. At that price point, i find that unacceptable. And dealing with support is not the smoothest of transactions anyway.

[underdog2003]

sorry steve, my reply was for Johnny when he said he believed an update would fix the issue. I'm new at this forum stuff and when i replied, you had posted so it looked like i was responding to you.

But i will say Steve, for the price they are charging for these pro setups, we shouldn't have to be subjected to all of this experimenting and troubleshooting. They should have done all of that before they released these products.

[Johnny290]

Often the best way to troubleshoot these problems are in the real world once they are out to the consumer in all different situations that's when the real problems arise and that's when they can deal with it. It's like if you bought a new car and this is the first year this model has been released you will find the first year this model has been released they will be all kinds of problems that will arise when the consumer starts to drive it around. The second-year the models out all those problems are fixed. And when it comes to electronic stuff most of it can be fixed with firmware updates. All in all these cameras have great reviews most people don't seem to be having the problems that's some people are. And the problems that I have certainly are not serious enough for me to return the product. Especially since I feel these problems will be fixed. I'm sure netgear monitors these forms and works on fixing things.

[SteveWhite]

No worries, underdog.

I completely agree with your point of view.  In the last 3 weeks I purchased a 4 camera kit and 1 camera kit following a car break in here.  I also have 2 D-Link WiFi cameras which, despite lackluster night vision, have been bulletproof for the 10 months I've had them.  The Pro's were a good way to complete camera coverage of the property here.  It's a great concept, but it's not well executed.  I've spent about 11 hours since Friday testing and tweaking, trying to make my system work.  It's far more time than I or any customer should ever be expected to spend.

I have extended returns wtih BestBuy and plan to make a decision and execute it before next weekend.  I may dump the Arlo's and just add more traditional WiFi or PoE cameras instead.

[underdog2003]

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Johnny290 wrote:
Often the best way to troubleshoot these problems are in the real world once they are out to the consumer in all different situations that's when the real problems arise and that's when they can deal with it. It's like if you bought a new car and this is the first year this model has been released you will find the first year this model has been released they will be all kinds of problems that will arise when the consumer starts to drive it around. The second-year the models out all those problems are fixed. And when it comes to electronic stuff most of it can be fixed with firmware updates. All in all these cameras have great reviews most people don't seem to be having the problems that's some people are. And the problems that I have certainly are not serious enough for me to return the product. Especially since I feel these problems will be fixed. I'm sure netgear monitors these forms and works on fixing things.

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i have to respectfully disagree with that point of view with respect to this issue of major pixelation and stutter. This is a major problem, not one that is to be somewhat expected with a new release. The old arlo's had their issues with the apps and playback on the app, but those were quickly fixed with various updates. The fact that some pros are having these issues and others are not, leads me to conclude that it's not a one size fits all update solution, but rather an actual issue with the manafacturing of these cameras as in some bad batches being put out there.

I bought a brand new truck in 2014 and i have yet to have any issues with it. If there was a recall over something minor like issues with the mpg reader display or something else that doesn't affect true performance; it would annoy me but ok, but i would bring it back to the dealer and get it fixed. But if my truck had repeated transmission problems or braking problems i would not be happy about that and chalk it up to 'these things are to be expected with new releases'. Because something that obvious should be discovered in the testing phase of the product. minor glitches like the mpg monitor i can understand would slip through quality control most likely.

Anyway, to each his own. You're more patient than me.

[underdog2003]

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SteveWhite wrote:

No worries, underdog.

I completely agree with your point of view.  In the last 3 weeks I purchased a 4 camera kit and 1 camera kit following a car break in here.  I also have 2 D-Link WiFi cameras which, despite lackluster night vision, have been bulletproof for the 10 months I've had them.  The Pro's were a good way to complete camera coverage of the property here.  It's a great concept, but it's not well executed.  I've spent about 11 hours since Friday testing and tweaking, trying to make my system work.  It's far more time than I or any customer should ever be expected to spend.

I have extended returns wtih BestBuy and plan to make a decision and execute it before next weekend.  I may dump the Arlo's and just add more traditional WiFi or PoE cameras instead.

---

i would always recommend wired over wireless when possible. But when i made the decision to purchase an arlo, it was to go on the outside of my fence facing the alley. I didn't want to run wire underground from the top of my fence to the electrical outlet (for a wireless camera power source) or through my attic and to my NVR (wired camera). I purchased a second arlo for cheap on ebay to cover a side of my house i didn't feel like running wire to and really didn't have anything more to cover other than a kitchen window (no bedroom windows or anything more important); and to have a 'utility' camera so to speak that i could move around when needed.

some folks don't feel comfortable running wire, or don't have the right tools and don't want to hassle with running wire and therefore turn to wireless. But until the day wireless catches up completely with wired in terms of quality and reliability, wired is always the way to go when possible. I'm probably preaching to the choir, but just my two cents.

If you do opt for wireless, i also have a NEST outdoor and they work nice. Some folks don't like the residual costs of video retention ability that NEST charges for. And yes i know i just preached about wired vs wireless.  there's a long story about why i added a NEST wireless to my wired video set up that i won't bore you all with

[underdog2003]

one more thing...so if a customer (me) notifies and shows tech support of the pixelation issue i was having with the pro camera i had, and they say they found the issue within the hardware and sent me a replacement camera; is it too much to ask for SOMEONE in tech support to run a quick test with the replacement camera to make sure it didn't pixelate and/or stutter when in the same room with the router before sending it to me? Had they done that, they would have seen the issue immediately and not have sent that particular camera to me. The last test they had me run was to record with the camera in the same room with the base to see if it had the same issues. Once they saw the videos from my camera having the same issue when in the same room with the base they authorized a replacement camera to be sent.

[Johnny290]

It is also possible that you have some type of interference in your area causing this problem. Because most people are not having the problems you are having with pixelation