Ultra2 dropping video frames while using charging cable at night

[AFoxOrASkunk]

I recently set up an Arlo system with 4 ultra2 cameras. Didn't want to have to deal with charging the batteries, so I bought charging cables for 3 of the cameras close to outlets, and a solar panel for the one not near an outlet.

Since starting to use the charging cables & solar panel, I've run into 2 problems at night, probably related:

1. If the cameras are plugged in to AC power/solar panel, night vision starts in black & white and then eventually, after a few seconds, goes to color once the spotlight turns on. If they are unplugged and running off of battery power, then the nighttime video is in color the whole time.

2. If the cameras are plugged in to AC power/solar panel at night, when the spotlight comes on the video stops recording for a second or so while it switches from black & white to color. There is no loss of video if they're on battery power.

Any ideas what could be going on here? Is it my setup? Is it a bug in the firmware? How can I fix it.

I don't care too much about the B&W -> color issue, but the loss of video while it is switching is really annoying because often whatever was being recorded is then gone by the time the video comes back.

[StephenB · Accepted solution]

I believe this is actually due to the foresight feature.  https://kb.arlo.com/000062053/How-does-the-Foresight-feature-work-on-my-Arlo-camera

When the Ultra is AC powered, it is always capturing video.  When motion detection triggers, the last 3 seconds of video before the trigger are included in the recording.  Since the spotlight comes on when the motion triggers, that means that the first couple of seconds are using IR (which is rendered in black and white).  Then the system switches over to color.

Note you are not getting foresight on the camera connected to the solar panel.

[AFoxOrASkunk]

Thank you so much for this explanation StephenB! I didn't even know about the Foresight feature and this makes a lot of sense.

I double-checked the video clip from the camera on solar and looked closely - the color in the first few seconds is washed out so at first glance it appears to be B&W, but it is in color.

I'll stop being annoyed now - its a feature, not a bug! 🙂