Arlo|Smart Home Security|Wireless HD Security Cameras
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Black Screen in Live Mode

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Barto123
Aspirant
Aspirant

Whenever I try to watch live mode in the android app, I get a black screen with audio about 75% of the time. I used to get video more often but the problem is getting worse. Please help. 

78 REPLIES 78
RAYdisaster
Aspirant
Aspirant
Same problem my ultra cam mostly just Black screen When have 4k local livestream on .. s20 ultra
RAYdisaster
Aspirant
Aspirant
Started the Apple ipad pro app changed it There to 4k now it works on my ultra s20 to
Will see if it continiu to work will let you now
Peterp67
Aspirant
Aspirant
same problem, app update did not help
RAYdisaster
Aspirant
Aspirant
Have to start a stream many times and more streams from other cameras at same time and some times i can make 4k on the camera i try to.
Ipad pro never had a problem with it yet. Its a pain .. and it get black as soon i move phone side ways to watch bigger so they need to solve it ..
We pay to much for fail
ride1058
Aspirant
Aspirant

Same problem. Had to disable 4k streaming until it is resolved

Pizza_Ninja
Initiate
Initiate
Everybody dont waste your time on these garbage over rated cameras.

First and last time I will arlo.

Reolink has better products and no issues.
McMadjock
Tutor
Tutor

James

This is clearly an issue with the Arlo app. There are numerous issues across all platforms by reading through the previous posts. It’s become apparent that Arlo are only bothered about sales and not after sales service. The same questions keep get asked over and over and yet we seem to be treated as idiots who have never dealt with any tech before. It’s not one or two individuals. Arlo need to pull their finger out before the company gets a terrible reputation for lack of customer awareness and the ability to sort out customer complaints/queries

Subpeaksurfer
Tutor
Tutor
So without any support at all from arlo, I started working on this issue on my own. So I am assuming that this is a network traffic issue. Arlo did some updates that caused either the data rates or the data packet size to increase. Or maybe their encryption changed and this caused the packet size to dramatically increase. What I know is that it happens on the baby cam (communicates with the Ap via my wifi router) and it also happens on my Arlo Pro and Arlo Pro2 cameras. So it's not just a problem with the hub or just a problem with the "hub-less" cameras. Anyway, so I have a Netgear X6 Nighthawk R8000 router that should be capable of GIGAbytes and yet I was getting this black screen issue (and occasionally also the digital static thing where colorful boxes and lines run across the screen). The first major win came when I recognized that our Vtech wireless audio baby monitor (right in the same room as the baby camera) was interfering with the wireless transmission of the camera. Turn the Vtech off, suddenly the scrambled image issues went away. Still have the black screen thing. I wired ethernet throughout my house (major chore) and went around taking devices off the wireless network and putting them on Cat6 instead. Lo and behold, the signal issues slowly got better and better. I still have some issues, the cameras restart themselves somewhat frequently, still blackscreen. The wife's galaxy S9 still has some issues. My phone (which is the master on the Ap) has fewer issues. The bottom line is that the issues are caused by arlo software, or something, and even a highly optomized wireless network still has trouble displaying properly, though if you want to sink some $ and time into beefing up your wifi network, you will see an improvement in the issues we are all having. My guess is that Arlo will roll out a new base for the pro, Pro2, 4k cameras that will have a quad core processor, better data handling capabilities, and it will be able to handle the demand. If we're lucky, owners of the previous system might get a discount on upgrading. 😕
Dumdidum
Tutor
Tutor
Hm. From my experience:
It's only not working in 4K direct mode. But at the same time, 4K recording to the cloud does work. And also 4K recording to the Hub too.

So - bandwith should not be a problem.

Using a Note 10+.

I thought it might be an encryption issue, but then after turning 4K view off and on, it did work for a few minutes. So. I have no clue.

Things worked before for all of us - so Arlo should be able to fix it in no time...
Robi1970
Aspirant
Aspirant

Regarding network traffic issue.

I don´t  think that network traffic is the issue.

4K live workes fine for me when using Samsung S9+ & Samsung A40.

I have only issues with 4K-live Back screen is only when using Samsung S20 Ultra(european version).

I have had the problems since I started to use my S20 Ultra in mid-March.

Still no solution - not satisfied with Arlo actions to meet this issue!

Amar66
Aspirant
Aspirant
have got the same problem as you all are reporting here. It started *after* my one year free storage service.

WiFi and HDR on, when 4k is enabled I get the black screen. Then I enable tracking and I get the 1080p screen, when I then switch back to 4k it often works again, I get the 4k screen. So it does work (not always though) but it's an annoying workaround which obviously should not be the case with such an expensive camera. Haven't heard anything from James, what's up, is there no solution?
Dumdidum
Tutor
Tutor
Look, it is as it is:
Arlo doesnt give a damn **bleep** about it.
It's ridiculous, really. I have to turn 4K off on a very expensive setup.
And it worked before so they had to change something.
steamyb
Guide
Guide

Feel your pain Barto,

 

I am getting the same along with other issues on recordings not showing in the cloud. Uninstalling and reinstalling the app only temporaily restores the video from a black screen on the SD card for me. I am on the lates IOS app. by the way so it is not limited by OS. My system was fine in the first few month however of late I have had nothing but trouble. It seems Arlo are reluctant to admit there is a problem with their systems especially the first edition of the Ultras.

JamesC
Community Manager
Community Manager

If you have the latest version of the Arlo mobile app installed from the app store and you're still experiencing an issue, please contact the Arlo Support Team to further investigate. You will find several options for contacting support in the provided link.

 

JamesC

Weerosco
Aspirant
Aspirant
James, of course it's still not working, after another update.. it's been months. Simply not good enough. Taking people's money and expecting them to do your beta testing. Sort it out or give us a refund.
Dumdidum
Tutor
Tutor
No it is NOT working since half a year at least and several updates...
BTW - you've got only half a year to switch to HTML5 from Flash...
GrantLeffler
Star
Star

What...  more problems from Arlo?  Tell me it isn't so.  

Robi1970
Aspirant
Aspirant
Hi!
I have tried everything I think.
Factory reset of my Samsung S20 Ultra. Factory reset of my Hub. Reinstalled latest apps and reinstalled all my Ultra cameras. Still black screen when trying to view live locally, 4K.
I just have to wait for Arlo team to present a proper update of the app....😒
dcfox1
Master
Master
steamyb
Guide
Guide

Obviously this system is more messed than anyone thinks .... Opening via the safari browser wouldn’t let me view the cameras until i installed adobe flash ... and that was only a couple of weeks ago. 

dcfox1
Master
Master

@steamyb 

Were you able to see 4k on Safari or 1080? 

steamyb
Guide
Guide

@dcfox1 

 

Put it this way, its definately not 4k by the looks of things and I do not have an icon in the video suggesting it is. The video takes ages to load and when it does is very jumpy.

Live feed works fine on the IOS app ie no jumps and only about a 3 second latency.

Shark10006
Guide
Guide

Arlo, when will you have a solution to this problem???!!! I have had a black screen for several months already, when watching live in 2K (earlier 4K) on my Samsung Galaxy S10+ (I'm always using the latest Android version). Works just fine on my iPad Pro, but not on my phone, so I cannot use the live 2K option at all! PLS FIX THE PROBLEM!!!

Dumdidum
Tutor
Tutor
I dont like the following concept, but I think only 1 star ratings on the android app will give them enough motivation to fix this.
So: please, all, give them a 1-star-rating.
It did work before, so. It is not impossible ( and it is advertised!)
JamesC
Community Manager
Community Manager

Be sure you have the latest version of the Arlo mobile app downloaded and installed from the app store. If you experience the same issue with the latest app version, please contact the Arlo Support Team to further investigate the issue.

 

JamesC