Arlo Ultra compatibility with Arlo Pro 2 & it's base

[pjsisk01]

Please tell me these new Arlo Ultra cameras are compatible with the exisiting Arlo Pro base staton and app. If not it pretty much leaves all of the exisitng customers who invested a lot of money (myself over 700 USD) out of the upgrade game.

[Jakkkkkk]

Hello, Just saw the arlo ultra got relesed. I have a arlo pro 2 system, do you think that the arlo ultra base station would work with the pro 2 cameras or does this make my pro 2 system uncompatible with the new system thanks!

[Stallard84]

I'm sure it wont. I was thinking the same thing. I love my arlo pro 2 system, and would love the new 4k camera but sounds like it would use a new smart hub, which I assume will screw those of us that have invested a lot in the system already.

[jguerdat]

First, the Ultra has NOT been released, even if some store sez so. AFAIK, it hasn't even been in beta. Any thoughts as to compatibility is pure conjecctur and has nothing to do with facts or reality.

[Stallard84]

You're right, we dont know, but the fact the the press release mentions a new smart hub is a pretty good indicator that the 4k cameras wont work on the older hubs. Hope I'm wrong about that. . . Time will tell.

[Jakkkkkk]

Yeah I guess time will tell although I’m hopeful that worst comes to worst we have to buy the new hub and the pro 2 cameras will be able to connect to that new hub not rendering them useless

[jguerdat]

If you're referring to the Best Buy product note, that's the new VMB4500 that will be replacing the VMB4000 for the Pro series like the VMB3500 is replacing the VMB3000 for the original wireless camera systems. You can see both new bases when you try to add a new base to your account.

[Jakkkkkk]

Yeah I guess VMB4500 is the ultra base because my arlo pro 2 base is VMB4000 so yeah I guess let’s hope that the VMB4500 will support the arlo pro 2 cameras

[brh]

From what I have read it will work with all prior bases, but probably the new base has new features that won't work with prior bases just like the differences between the Pro base and the original. Besides, my guess is that individual cameras will not be available for some time after the kits are released. Time will tell.

Brian

[slompochomp]

It seems Best Buy has already put them up on there site.

[Cdenges2828]

[Cdenges2828]

Yes its compatible with arlo pro base stations

[jguerdat]

False. We don't know compatibility until it's released and in use with documentation stating what works and doesn't.

[diegol]

Yes, Please!

I hope the new Arlo Ultra is compatible with the Arlo Pro base. 

[castro1688]

Funny how the "community manager" skipped this post. It is NOT compatable. So they are going to milk you again for a new base station PLUS a subscription to their trash premium service. Maybe someone should let the product managers know that the wireless camera business is saturated. 

[pjsisk01]

No, I won’t be milked. Someone should explain to the PM’s that one of the driving reasons behind going with Arlo was the requirement of the others that you buy their monthly service. Arlo really needs to wake up and make these compatible too with the base station {router} I bought and spent a fortune on. This will be their undoing, well done Arlo Product Team!

so, to answer your last state,ent about letting the pm team aware, PM Team, read the points below.

1. 4K is all but useless here. I don’t know anyone who has a 4K phone and few that have a 4ktablet where this would matter.

2. Force-feeding a monthly subscription for mediocre value add is silly and hurts the brand. EVERYONE KNOWS THIS BUT YOU.

3. Retire the pro and pro 2 and make this its replacement, period. Saturating an already saturated market with your own level of saturation doesn’t breed confidence in your customer base, especially when backwards compatibility goes away.

4. The single easiest way to p1ss off your loyal base is to tell them “the new stuff that we just added isn’t compatible with the new stuff we got you to buy less than a year ago with the promise of cutting edge and expandability”. How many existing customers do you expect will spend 600 bucks for 2 new cameras and base after spending close to 500 or more for the same thing less than a year ago?

5. The new magnetic adapter makes all existing usb runs for power useless....it took me forever to run these lines outside and now they are useless. This is just unnecessary and points to arrogance in a company that just doesn’t see the value of existing customers. What a shame.

[JamesC · Accepted solution]

1-24-2020 update: Arlo Ultra is now compatible with VMB4000, VMB4500, VMB4540 and VMB5000 Base Stations/SmartHubs

The SmartHub enables 4k, Auto Track and Zooming, local live streaming, as well as a simplified onboarding experience for Arlo Ultra. Further, all users who purchase Arlo Ultra kits get 1 year of Arlo Smart included, for up to 10 cameras on their account, for all camera models. What we recommend for existing users who upgrade to an Ultra kit, is to swap out their existing basestations to the Arlo SmartHub, which allows them to take advantage of all of the benefits of Ultra, as well as all of the benefits of Arlo Smart. Finally, all current generations of camera products are forwards compatible with the Ultra SmartHub, so existing users can pair their existing cameras to the new SmartHub.

In the meantime, Arlo is working on introducing full backwards compatibility to be released at a future update.

[jake158693]

So like many, i have the arlo pro 2 cameras and accompanying base.   I saw that there are new 4k cameras (that I don't really care about) but also that there is a new ultra base w/ it.  What is so special about this base if you don't plan on using 4k cameras? Does it serve as a "hub" just like SmartThings and other central hubs like that? If so, if I already have SmartThings as a hub and don't plan on buying 4k cameras, is getting the ultra base worth it?  Also, do the new devices coming out later this year (motion sensors, Carbon detector, etc..) compatible w/ ONLY the ultra base or will work just as well w/ the major hubs like SmartThings?

[spykid]

I purchased my Arlo Pro 2 in September and within the return period I was already looking at 4K from Best Buy which is where I had purchased the Arlo 2 cameras and hub and many other Netgear products.  I also have a Smart subscription.  I spent over an hour today with Arlo support to get this precise question answered and they simply did not know.  I drove to Best Buy to ask and was told my newly purchased Arlo 2 hub would not work with the new product. Apparently the hubs are tthe weakest link to the Arlo system.  This is no way to treat your customers.  I am not interested in promises for some future date..maybe we....  Maybe I should just go for the Dahua system and be done with Arlo and Netgear.

[RIRedd]

Best Buy already has the Ultra listed for sale with a release date of 1/13/19. I just got the Pro2 with 4 cameras before Christmas so I'm pretty bummed if they are not going to be compatible. Then again, it will lower the price of the additional cameras on the Pro2 so there's that.

[LLZEL]

Is it true that the USB power cables I have just installed to my Pro 2 cameras are not compatible with the new Ultra mounts? If so, that's not cool. Add that to having to upgrade again to a new hub, makes me want to look at Lorex now. 

[jguerdat]

The Ultra chargers use a magnetic connection which should be far more waterproof that the old microUSB connectors. I see it as a step up.

[GuiMar]

Has anyone tested yet whether or not the Arlo ultra will work with the Arlo pro 2 base station?

[aizadaddean]

Found this on the Amazon page for Arlo Ultra. Looks like it will be compatible!

[jguerdat]

I've been told that this may happen in a future firmware relase for the older bases so I assume it's not possible right now.