recording on USB drive question

[JerryR]

I know that recordings normally go to the cloud but will also be recorded to a USB drive if on is available. The manual also states that recordings to the USB drive continue if the internet connect is lost. This is a good thing.

The manual also states that the USB drive cannot be used as a substitute for the cloud. How does that work? Recordings can go to the USB drive without an internet connection yet cannot go to the USB drive without an internet connection?!?!

[jguerdat]

Arlo considers a USB drive to be a backup, partly due to the need to remove the drive from the base to be able to see the videos on the drive.

[JerryR]

I understand the logic, though I don't necessarily agree with it. I'm more interested in how it actually works. How can it not be possible to operate without the cloud (using a flash drive as primary) yet operate and record to the flash drive when the cloud is unavailable? Perhaps the base needs to contact the cloud periodically? a timeout on cloudless operation? or ???

[jguerdat · Accepted solution]

Your guess is as good as mine. I do know the base shows network access (the blinking Internet LED on the base) when no recording is going on so the idea of "check-ins" seems logical.