[TRACKING] Night Vision False Alarm Issues of Arlo Pro

[ysu]

The purpose of this thread is to track multiple reports of the popular issue: false alarms after live view or legit motion during night vision.

As customers who spent $$$ on this product, we need Netgear to understand this is not an isolated issue. They need to take actions and stop bouncing customers back and forth with their standard troubleshooting policy, slowly...

The following threads have exactly same issue reported, with all factors matched:

1) night vision on

2) after live view or legit motion

3) multiple false alarms afterwards

4) the only resolved cases were by replacing cameras by Netgear

Arlo Pro Nightvision Issue
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Arlo-Pro/Arlo-Pro-Nightvision-Issue/m-p/1176183#U1176183

4XH16C7UA9955 - recording without motion [originator just confirmed it's only with night vision]
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Arlo-Pro/4XH16C7UA9955-recording-without-motion/m-p/1219762#U121976...

Motion alerts are non stop at night. Arlo Pro
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Arlo-Pro/Motion-alerts-are-non-stop-at-night-Arlo-Pro/m-p/1196788#U...

Outdoor camera detects motion constantly at night
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Arlo-Pro/Outdoor-camera-detects-motion-constantly-at-night/m-p/1219...

Arlo Pro Night Vision constant motion activation and no night vision
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Arlo-Pro/Arlo-Pro-Night-Vision-constant-motion-activation-and-no-ni...

Motion detected nonstop
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Arlo-Pro/Motion-detected-nonstop/m-p/1217969#U1217969

The following threads are related issues, but might or might not be the same issue, as some factors are not confirmed. E.g., some didn't mention night vision:

motion detection sends false alerts
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Arlo-Pro/motion-detection-sends-false-alerts/m-p/1219951#U1219951

Arlo pro will not reset motion sensor. The motion icon stays orange
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Arlo-Pro/Arlo-pro-will-not-reset-motion-sensor-The-motion-icon-stay...

Arlo pro camera senativity issues
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Arlo-Pro/Arlo-pro-camera-senativity-issues/m-p/1217907#U1217907

Netgear, if you are reading, there's something wrong with this otherwise great product. This is not an isolated issue. Stop asking customers to go thru a nearly 2 week troubleshooting process (like you did to me, case #27976415) and still only want to RMA 1 camera at a time when multiple cameras have issues -- experience shows even with RMA, you might need to get it right in multiple rounds, because Netgear hasn't figured out the root cause so every swap is just a random hit or miss. We spent $$$ on this product and many of us like it, but this issue is driving lots of frastration.

I, for one, am seriously considering returning the product to Bestbuy at end of this week (within 15 days) if your support doesn't move faster.

[Tlpollock]

I just bought a 4 camera system today. One of the cameras sounds like bacon frying and the other keeps giving constant motion alarms tonight. I opened a case earlier today on the bacon camera and I'll probably open one about the constant false alarms tomorrow if I just don't take the whole thing back to Best Buy. I may give it a few days and see if they will help me out. I'm wondering if I return it and get another set, will they have problems also.

[MightyMaik]

Is it possible to share this firmware? (1.092.0.1_11504)

arlo [at] katjesdrop [dot] nl

[pcuser12345]

how to get this firmware

[jguerdat]

Firmware is only available via automatic update - no way to download and install it yourself.

The usual process is to power cycle the base, open and close the battery door on the affected camera and wait overnight.  Sometimes it may help to check Settings, My Devices, your camera, Device Info for a red triangle indicating a firmware update is available.  Click on it to see if it will update.  If not, the overnight wait is needed.  Be sure the batteries have a reasonable charge (>25%, I believe).  There have also been recent issues when the Internet access speeds, including upload, are slow causing the update failure.  Moving the base and camera to another location with faster speeds has allowed the update to happen.

[paulmike3]

As I mentioned, the firmware update I received is experimental and a field trial. As such, it had to be manually pushed to my cameras (via my Arlo account) by a Netgear/Arlo engineer.

The process of updating firmware in the post above mine works for general releases, but not for non-standard updates like I received. Performing the steps will not update your cameras to the experimental firmware.

[ranran]

Checking my camera firmware, I also have 1.092.0.1_11504.  This is on all my cameras. I guess this means I have the experimental firmware and can start testing my faulty camera.

I did not do anything with my system, so I assume this was an automatic push once JamesC got my system scheduled for it.

I also have a replacement camera coming in the mail.....so I'll need to test this quick, or just use the new one....

[Boss281]

I got the upgrade as well (I was asked to participate) and tested Night Vision in dark drawers, as well as interior household.  The Live View no longer triggers a million alerts, and a real motion event under Night Vision (me walking past the camera to trigger motion capture) no longer triggers a long list of alerts.

Assuming it's early code, my guess is they still need to collate information from all users participating in the test, ensure they have 95% fitness or whereever their cutoff value is, refactor the code to clean anything up, add error handling, etc.  Depending on what state of use this firmware release is (early, final, etc), it may get pushed out soon to everyone, or may need further testing if their fitness threshold isn't met.

[Chillmiester]

Tlpollock. BestBuy will replace any part of the package with no problem. I had a camera exchanged and a battery from the second camera on two visits.

[Keyhole]

Just purchased and set up a 4 camera set. Have one camera that is dojnf this. I will try to bring back just the one camera to Best Buy for exchange.

[Tlpollock]

I haven't tried yet to return just two cameras, let me know how it turns out with Best Buy. I moved the cameras around and the bacon frying noise is staying the one camera and tonight I will see if my other cameras sets off another storm of false triggers.

[Golferine]

I just bought and installed 2 cameras 2 days ago and I thought I was going crazy with motion detected from my front door every 1 min.  I am so glad to find this thread.

How do we get on to the list to get the new firmware or does James have a timeline on when this will be pushed to the general public ? 

[ranran]

Experimental firmware is being pushed out now.  I am testing my faulty camera...as we "speak" 🙂

Send a PM to JamesC, or open a case Ticket. 

[LHL129]

The firmware testing sounds positive. Have they given any indications as to when they may be releasing it publicly? I did open a case on my issues so support is aware. I am also working with them on my battery drain issue.

[manofice]

This is great news that they have been able to identify and hopefully resolve the issue via Firmware upgrade. I think the issue is hardware related but they can compensate the issue with firmware, which is great!

[ranran]

No idea when it will be made public.

Tested last night.  I went outside to trigger it around 10pm.  No false triggers after that.

Just one test at night (didn't want to bring it in), but previously I would have gotten a crazy number of videos after that one trigger, so another positive feedback on the firmware....

Now what to do with that RMA camera being delivered today...

[fcantare]

I have and am experiencing the same issues as documented in the many posting on this thread for a camera that is only about 1 1/2 months old a week after I received it and installed. I have finally opened up a case with NETGEAR Support because I’m at my wits end on how to fix the issue. After a 3 am to 4 am constant false alarms again this morningI have had enough.

Is the only fix a replacement of the camera?

[paulmike3]

They have developed and pushed out a new (experimental/field trial) firmware update that has resolved the issue for those of us that have received it. We had to opt-in via DM with @JamesC to receive the update.

If you can, wait a little longer for word on when it will be publicity rolled out. We're all hoping it will be soon, but only Netgear knows for sure. 

[fcantare]

Thank you PaulMike3...

FC

[fcantare]

PaulMike3, noit sure how to opt-in via DM with @JamesC to receive the update?

What do I need to do?

[paulmike3]

I posted in this thread that I was also experiencing the issue, and he reached out to me asking if I'd be willing to participate in the field trial with the experimental firmware.  You could probably try sending him a direct message (DM) to let him know you're interested in participating in the field trial as well. Hopefully I didn't just blow up his inbox. 

[Keyhole]

Best Buy would not allow me to exchange just one camera. Quick vent, but I don't even know why I shop at brick and mortar anymore. There is no benefit.

That said, I have one camera out of 4 that is defective. Extremely frustrating.

[kcweazle]

I am having this same problem and it is very frustrating. I am really close to returning these to Best Buy if the firmware fix isn't rolled out soon. I have 1 out of my 4 cameras that constantly have night vision false alarms. 

When can we expect a fix or should I just return them? I don't want to wait for the slow RMA process and I don't want to have to pay to send my camera back. This is obviously a known problem and they shouldn't expect us to pay and send the old camera back before receiving the new one. 

[Up4speed]

I had the same exact problem.  I was one of the early ones as well, so I had to go through hours of wasted troubleshooting with tech support.  2 of the 4 cameras had this issue so Netgear sent me two replacements.  One of the replacements was good and the other gave 10 additional alerts instead of 3-5!!

I was sooo frustrated.  At that point I decided that since I am dealing with a 50% failure rate, it was just worth it to go to Best Buy and purchase another one and return the bad one instead of dealing with many more hours of tech support going in circles.  After exchanging the one bad camera, I received ANOTHER bad one!!  I tried a second time and finally had 4 working cameras

3 of the 4 still give a very occasional extra alert, but it is infrequent, and it's only one alert, so I left well enough alone.  Looking forward to the update!

[Boss281]

Most of us went through lengthy procedures to try to remedy the problem.  These procedures and end user results revealed specific patterns that helps the software engineers hone in on segment(s) of code that may be responsible for the problem.  As a former software engineer and later software team manager, believe me, I'm sure that engineering team was likely pulling there hair out looking for the problem.  They have an significant problem here with a system that probably cost a bit of $$$ developing and pushing out to market, and they want to ensure it's working properly so they can grow the program...

[ranran]

As an update from a tester of the experimental firmware, it's been several nights now with the new firmware and night vision enabled on the problem camera.  The problem seems completely resolved as I have not received any false triggers.

All other features (web access, device configuration, mode changes, etc...) seem to be working normally so this firmware doesn't seem to have broken anything in the process...

I think Netgear has resolved this problem.

JamesC, will Netgear be removing this firmware from my system?  I am trying to decide whether I should keep the camera or install the replacement I received a couple of days ago.  I don't want to keep the problem camera only to have Netgear yank the experimental firmware and leave me stuck with having to disable night vision again for a period of time before formal release of the firmware...

Please advise...