EOL policy VMC 3030 cameras & VMB3010 base - How do I record video clips to base station ?

[basilbob]

This morning I received an email advising cloud recording and all support for VMC 3030 cameras and VMB 3010 base station will end on  31-03-2023 .. It also says that I can record clips to the base station but I cannot find any info anywhere, on how that is done. If I cannot find out how to save vids to the base once the Cloud option ends, then the system is junk from a security perspective, and I am not prepared to pay a secure subscription having already paid for the privelege of cloud storage upfront.. All help appreciated.

[DannyBearAgain]

I can’t say I have seen the email but probably because I don’t have the early model cameras or Base station.

If your free 7days cloud storage feature will end and they are offering a local recording alternative, it could be that they intend for you to purchase a new base station that supports direct access storage for viewing the USB/card storage device attached to the base.

But I also wonder if the arlo subscription will re-enable arlo cloud recordings?

[StephenB]

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@DannyBearAgain wrote:

I can’t say I have seen the email but probably because I don’t have the early model cameras or Base station.

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It is also announced in a KB article here: 

• https://kb.arlo.com/000063018/Arlo-Legacy-Cameras-End-of-Life

[Randyws]

Arlo should be ashamed giving 3 months notice on a policy they must have decided a long time ago.  Those of us with thousands invested in Arlo should never make the same mistake again.

[Eyball]

Nothing but a money grab by Netgear.  All good things must come to an end I guess.  😕

[ducksfam22]

I agree - can't believe they are discontinuing support.  Shame on them for leaving customers stranded.  

[rye_whiskey]

I'm steamed about this.  With the elimination of the firmware updates they'll be worthless on the secondary market now as well.  Not sure what we'll do.  We have 5, two of them outdoors.  Could try the local storage I suppose.  They certainly lost a customer though.

Might look into the Blink cameras.  My buddy has two outdoor cams and has been really happy with them and we're already heavily Alexa set up in the house.

[Wirelezz]

  DannyBearAgain said:

If your free 7days cloud storage feature will end and they are offering a local recording alternative, it could be that they intend for you to purchase a new base station that supports direct access storage for viewing the USB/card storage device attached to the base.

__________________________________________________________

What base station supports direct access storage for viewing the USB/card storage device attached to the base?

It's my understanding that the attached USB device must be physically removed from the base station and plugged into a computer to view the recordings.

[TuanLam]

Is this policy in original packaging?  Will there be a class action case for this?

[DannyBearAgain]

@Wirelezz ,

See below,

https://kb.arlo.com/000062337/What-is-Direct-Storage-Access-and-how-do-I-use-it-for-Arlo-video-recor... 

Note that this may not be what arlo intended so has to be taken with a grain of salt.

[Wirelezz]

Danny, Thanks! That's just what I was looking for. 👍

[mmkk]

None of the other home appliances come to EOL. There can be mechanical issues due to which we may have to replace them but these IT hardware companies indirectly force people to throw away old hardware. I had a netgear router which I was forced to retire and now this security camera. There should be a law which can protect consumers.  If this product was working for me until now and I purchased it with a feature that will provide me 7 days of recording then this condition must be met all the time.

Shame on Netgear for not supporting customers. I'll not buy any product from this company any more.

[mmkk]

@jguerdat  I saw you offer some kind of script which can download the video. Will that script help keep this device to life, I mean "can that script store videos to local storage?" if so can you pls share with me. Thanks

[StephenB]

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@mmkk wrote:

Shame on Netgear ...

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FYI, Netgear divested Arlo back in 2018.

[Randyws]

Arlo Technologies is an American company that makes wireless surveillance cameras. Prior to an initial public offering (IPO) on the New York Stock Exchange in August 2018, Arlo was a brand of such products by Netgear, which retained majority control after the IPO.

So Netgear is still calling the shots at Arlo.

[StephenB]

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@Randyws wrote:

 Arlo was a brand of such products by Netgear, which retained majority control after the IPO.

So Netgear is still calling the shots at Arlo.

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No.  They redistributed the Arlo stock to their shareholders, and didn't keep any.  See this:

• https://investor.netgear.com/releases/press-release-details/2018/NETGEAR-Completes-Spin-Off-of-Arlo/...

You can see the top institutional investors here:

• https://money.cnn.com/quote/shareholders/shareholders.html?symb=ARLO&subView=institutional

Netgear is not listed.

[Randyws]

Thanks for the clarification 

[jguerdat]

@mmkk  It's a Python script someone else wrote and I was just distributing. Unfortunately, 2FA broke it since you can't log in without that authentication. If you're a Python expert perhaps you could figure out a way to make it work again.

[StephenB]

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@mmkk wrote:

@jguerdat  I saw you offer some kind of script which can download the video. Will that script help keep this device to life, I mean "can that script store videos to local storage?" if so can you pls share with me. Thanks

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To add to @jguerdat's response, the script downloaded from the cloud library.  So it wouldn't have any utility if you didn't have cloud storage in the first place. 

[GregRM]

Disappointing.  Was happy with my Arlo Pro system, and was looking at buying a couple more cams for outside, but better off to start over with something that better integrates with Google since I’m not interested in purchasing more cloud storage/access through yet another company.  So much for recommending Arlo to friends and family.  Lots of other good options out there.

[basilbob]

Yes I am peeved myself. Its now 7 years since I sourced and bought the Arlo gear - there will be better options now, than back then.

In the email of 31-12-2022 is a link to a PDF (see below) of the EOL Policy, which says they will place Public Notices of EOL for their hardware, software/firmware and cloud services, on their website.

(https://click.e.arlo.com/?qs=d43a64f7b846a394e116bbcc8d3da4fa8376df59051370d27f2cb8b6ff169d095a7d01b...)

Th Policy document has an embedded link to https://www.arlo.com/en-us/support .... a search in "support" on EOL brings up reference to "End of VueZone Service" in 2019 and a few articles about battery life, but otherwise zilch.

Whilst I search for non-Arlo replacements, I will be contacting the Australian Consumer & Competition Commission (ACCC) here in Oz, but am confident they won't bother - its under-resourced and the laws underlying it were borne of reaction to the USA's Ralph Nader and his consumer protection campaigns back in the day .. the statutes inscribe a laissez fare regulatory approach unless parliament has, by statute, explicitly outlawed a specific corporate behaviour.

[basilbob]

apparently the VMB3010 base station doesn't even do local recordings - it appears will have to upgrade to a new base station if I want to use the cameras, and no promises the VMC3030 cameras will work for long as no firmware updates etc..

Arlo's approach epitomises all that is wrong with "disposable" commercial culture. Arlo as a brand is shooting itself in the foot. Good luck to them, but will never ever buy anything of theirs again, will tell anybody who asks, and is in earshot what I think of them. For those who persist with their Arlo gear and are prepared to pay for cloud storage and all of the other fear driven services they offer, good luck and remember you are now on an escalator of regular  price and service revisions - you need to be careful you don't lock yourself in.

[StephenB]

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@basilbob wrote:

apparently the VMB3010 base station doesn't even do local recordings

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Correct.  You would need to update the base (or purchase a subscription).

FWIW, there are more details on the EOL action here:

• https://kb.arlo.com/000063018/Arlo-Legacy-Cameras-End-of-Life