Base Station stopped recording

[JeffRand]

I have a VMB5000r5 Ultra SmartHub running firmware 1.20 4.0_1367_36740e8. I also have two Arlo Ultra 2 (H10 4k) cameras and one Arlo Video Doorbell (1.2 wired). These have been working great for two years.

As of this morning, the VMB5000 base station is no longer recording any videos locally to the SD card. I reformatted the SD card through the app. It reports that storage is available and doesn't show any issues, yet when motion is detected on any of the cameras no recordings take place. I also cold booted the base and also restarted it several times. I can't figure out what has changed. The system status on Arlo's website says everything is good. I tried contacting support, but the chat bot says I can't connect to a live agent unless I have a subscription, which I do not (and have not for over a year). I just need the base to record videos locally and have no need for cloud storage.

Is anyone else having this issue? Any ideas as to what is wrong? Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

[JamesC]

I would like to reiterate that the issues being experienced in this discussion are not expected behavior. The development team is currently testing new firmware to address these concerns, we do not recommend any troubleshooting at this time. Once the firmware fix is available I will provide more information.

We appreciate your patience while we work to resolve this issue.

JamesC

[JamesC]

The development team is currently testing a fix for this issue that we hope to be able to release soon. I will continue providing information as it becomes available.

JamesC

[JamesC]

The issue being described here is not expected behavior. The development team is actively investigating reports of this issue and working on a resolution. As soon as I have more information to share I will provide an update.

JamesC

[User_es]

I run a 4540 with local storage enabled with pro 3 cameras. Everything was fine until dec 12, now my cameras notify me when they are triggered but they are not recording to local storage. Did arlo release a software update around the 12th that is affecting my 4540? Tried all the obvious solutions, ( reinstall base unit, reinstall cameras, went through all the system settings, ect) i have pro1 cameras on the system they record to the free cloud and local storage with no problem. I never had a pay subscription. 

[S-w]

Exact same problem here local recording stopped at the same time. Once again, Arlo is trying to force us to take their subscription.

[Pauld33]

I have the same issue, started the same day (12/12). I still can access older videos on the base station, the cameras are still connected, but nothing is recording to the library. I removed and reinitiated the base station and all the cameras and still nothing.

[Sanon]

In the past how long has arlo usually taken to push out bug fixes for local recording approximately? Are we talking, days, weeks or months? This is day 3. I can’t believe that a fix is not out yet.

[IBUYHOUSES]

Wasted Days and Wasted Nights, I Should Have Checked Here Sooner. Even The App Reviews Mention This Bug. Also Been Going Crazy After Apparent Firmware “Upgrade” On 13th, (VMB5000 SD Tall) Direct Access Storage NO MORE! Formatted SD, Tried Everything, Fortunately I Came Here Before ’Removing Devices’ and RE-Onboarding My 9 Cameras or Hard Resetting The Hub. So Now I Have Nothing Being Recorded or Stored, but At Least Now I Know It’s Not On My End, I’ll Sleep Better Tonight…

#TheresGotToBeaBetterWay #ResetRebootRepeatRecapitulate 🤪

Walt @YOUandMeRealtyDotCom

[PESMCR]

We have one camera out of many under trial subscription and not surprisingly still records locally. All other cameras have stopped recording locally with the latest firmware roll out.

Recommend rolling back out the previous working firmware until resolved.

Christmas holidays are upon us and for those leaving locations, people want peace of mind.

[IBUYHOUSES]

Everything Is Beautiful…

#InItsOwnWay 😎 #AllGood 🥸 #NoIncidentsReported 🤥

[Kawijr]

Same problem here, get notifications but nothing saved locally

[Heyronwilson]

Just filed this report in the Apple App Store.

Fraud/Scam

Arlo has once again provided an app update that has broken it’s most important feature: recording and viewing locally stored security videos on equipment owned by customers. In this latest release, Arlo has once again changed this feature to require a subscription fee on all customer owned equipment. This illegal action goes against their own public policies. Unless a customer pays them a monthly fee to access their wholly owned device, they will not allow the customer to access the files. At minimum this is an egregious error, or it is outright fraud. Please act immediately and correct this absurd change. All Arlo customers without a subscription are left unmonitored during the worst time of the year when many packages are left on porches. Truly disappointed in Arlo and its business practices.

[Coolbluedab]

I have a smarthub that has recorded from 2 essential cameras for over a year. Stopped the same day. All else works but no recording. Honestly im fed up and will be buying a new traditional local storage camera system and encouraging everyone to pass on arlo. It has been nothing but trouble. Unreliable. And constant shilling for a subscription for products that dont work and are updated to lose function automatically. 

[Coolbluedab]

Agreed. But they have been horrible for years. I have to reboot it all daily or cameras stop working. Have had to since beginning. Ill never give them more money. They can't even get offline products to work. Just looking for a good traditional system to replace this useless company. The "fix" wont be out for over a month i am sure. When all they had to do is roll back and reissue. Total fraud. Total bs. Do not believe it was not intentional. 

[Orcamoon]

Arlo:

You can fix this now by releasing the prior version of the firmware as the latest version. Revert to the prior working version. Those of us with low bandwidth internet who rely on local recordings for 4K security video are naked during the porch pirate party days!

[Heyronwilson]

I just spent the last 30-45 minutes “chatting” with an Arlo agent named Stephen who is located in India. He was professional and apologetic. He told me that it is an error that Arlo

is working on. He suggested that I buy a subscription “temporarily” to ensure my home is safe until the correction is made. I suggested that Arlo give all affected customers a free subscription until the error is corrected.

I’m no legal scholar, but I do believe that this request to buy a subscription to fix an error caused by a company could qualify for software ransom, and doing it by a U.S. company across international (or state lines) means a felony and under the jurisdiction of the FBI. I screen recorded the whole interaction for my files.

[astepanyan]

Has anyone received any response in this regard?  

[Orcamoon]

Arlo Secure will only record locally at 2K. It is my understanding that Arlo Secure Plus enables 4K local recording; but, is that now broken? My problem is low bandwidth internet. I need local 4K recording without Arlo Secure Plus saturating my upload bandwidth.

Arlo: revert to the prior working SmartHub software!

[PGalore]

Arlo Secure Plus will record in 4K in cloud.  If you have Arlo Secure, your Ultra camera recording and live streaming are limited to 2K.  If you don't have any subscription, Ultra will record locally and stream live view in 4K. 

[JMC53]

I have Arlo Floodlight Pro 3 and 2 x Essential cameras that have been operating successfully for months. They are connected to a homebase with thumbdrive storage. The last couple of days they have stopped recording to the library. I believe the thumbdrive was full so I have cleared that, still not working. I have removed all devices and started fresh without success, all cameras register movement and I receive notification but they are not recording to my library. Can you please assist? Thank you

[GCAL]

Exact same issue here. Once the app automatically updated my pro3 cameras and wired doorbell also miraculously stopped recording. I haven't had a subscription in over a year and other than my library occasionally disappearing and reappearing (another Arlo app problem that was well known) I have had no issues recently with any recordings or being able to view my library through the app. Now, however, the only thing that occurred was an app update and lo and behold I have a useless/decorative and very expensive camera system that no longer records to USB drive. Thanks Arlo for screwing over your customers at Christmas!

[GCAL]

I have the exact same problem with same setup except for Pro3 cameras. Arlo forced an app update and took our local storage from us is all that happened. I woke up the morning after the update and went to check my storage library, like I did every other morning, and nada, blank, nothing! No recordings. First thought was my USB drive was full as the "overwrite" feature is another useless POS button that does nothing, so I cleared my usb drive and spent the next several hours wasting my time trying to restart my local storage not realizing yet it was the App update. Further research then led me what we all know caused the problem and that's ARLO trying to get us to buy a useless subscription. Why sell products with local storage then, hmmm Arlo! Stop acting like douchbags and give us our local storage back!

[GCAL]

JamesC, are you for real?! Have you read the posts!! Everyone on here has the same issue and has spent plenty of time trying to "fix" their systems when it was caused by ARLO! Wake the hell up and get a fix out to your customers after stealing our local storage!

[salandpaul]

I am having the same problem over last 2 days. Apparently it is a known issue and Arlo engineers are working on it. I hope it will be resolved soon. Seems to coincide with app update a few days ago.

[Orochi]

I am also getting this issue as of the 13/12/22 recordings are no longer saving locally to base station VB4540 on firmware 1.20.4.0_1305_38740e8. Please either patch or roll back update. Thanks

[Vnkstr]

I have the same problem. I have both pro and pro 3 cameras. It’s pro 3 footage that is not downloading from the cloud to the App for viewing. The older cameras record properly and I can view the footage in the App. I don’t have a subscription. It was working right up until Dec 13th. Hope it gets resolved soon. 

[Dsay84]

https://community.arlo.com/t5/Arlo-Ultra-2/VMB5000-no-longer-recording-locally-as-of-last-night/td-p...

Arlo disabled local recordings with their last firmware update on 12/13. Agents are advising customers to buy a subscription until it is fixed.  Shameful. 

[Vnkstr]

Shouldn’t they be giving free subscription until it is fixed?