ULTRA 2 VMS5340-2BYNAS

[CornelR]

When we purchased this at Best Buy (10/29/2023) we explained to the salesman that we would need to be able to connected to a regular monitor as well as stream.  He said we would need Wi-Fi and a modem. First of all, is this correct?
Second, is there documentation explaining how to set it up so that it will connect to a monitor?

Thank you for your help,

CornelR

[DannyBearAgain]

The advice given is correct to enable the cameras to be setup and function.

The advice does not relate to the question of being able to use a regular monitor unfortunately.

The arlo app on a pc desktop browser is the only user interface able to view video from the cameras on a pc monitor for a limited time before needing a manual restart of the camera or web browser.

Arlo mobile app is available for iOS and android devices. Same time limits apply.

A paid CVR subscription plan is available that would allow you viewing and to navigate 24hr cloud footage on a desktop web browser but footage is not something you can download.

Without a CVR plan you’re limited to motion/sound triggered footage that have a max 5min recording period. Arlo cloud storage requires a paid subscription plan.

[CornelR]

Got it,

Thank you for your help.  We were completely misled by the salesman. I am not tech savvy with modern security systems.  The system that I'm replacing was purchased in 2004 and was very functional.  Everything is so outdated now it's impossible to get proper cabling for camera replacements.  Anyway I guess we will return this thing to the store because it's not what we thought it was.  Not even close.

He assured us that with a few tweaks with the modem and Wi-Fi we could get it to function on a regular monitor like my old security system.

Again, thank you for your help.

[DannyBearAgain]

You are at the mercy of the salesman if you don’t do the homework.

Just because arlo is pricier it would not guarantee reliability for everyone.

 If you’re chasing something to replace a wired camera system you probably should get something similar to spare yourself disappointment and the ensuing money pit.

I am just a user myself and although have arlo since 2018 I have been moderately satisfied with the product although it has been slowly degraded by arlo.

You should probably wait for more comments before deciding on the next move, read the many comments here on the forum if you’re inclined.

[CornelR]

Thank you for your help on this.  We did do some preliminary homework, but it has always been part of the homework for me to get the opinion of a salesman experienced in the sale and use of a product I am looking at.  At any rate we will watch for some of the other comments and then make a decision.

[StephenB]

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@CornelR wrote:

He assured us that with a few tweaks with the modem and Wi-Fi we could get it to function on a regular monitor like my old security system.

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Definitely incorrect.  You can get it to livestream to a smart tv (Alexa is one path), or to a tablet.  But that will time out after 20-30 minutes.

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@CornelR wrote:

Anyway I guess we will return this thing to the store because it's not what we thought it was.  Not even close.

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You probably should be looking for an ONVIF system (which is a standard that lets you use a variety of cameras combined with a central hub).  If you want continuous monitoring, you will need to get power to the cameras, and not run them on battery.  Most use power-over-ethernet (PoE), which lets you carry both power and the video on the same cable.

[Edinburgh_lad1]

honestly, a bad idea to take into what a salesman wants to say about a product: their aim is to sell.