Cannot live stream in 4k. Anyone else having the same issue recently?

[PGalore]

Yesterday my 1-year free Premier subscription expired and I renewed it. Since then I've noticed that I only see "Local 2k Live Streaming" option where it used to show "Local 4k Live Streaming."   

Now just to be clear, recording and live streaming are different things. I'm fully aware that Premier subscription only lets you record in 2k in cloud but to live stream in 4k you don't need any subscription at all.  See an attached screenshot that clearly states that.  Also here, https://kb.arlo.com/000062127/How-do-I-stream-in-4K-with-my-Arlo-Ultra-camera

I'm on the same local network as the SmartHub. Tried everything from removing the cameras, restarting the Hub to reinstalling the app.  2 chat support agents left the chat because they couldn't solve the issue and the 3rd one escalated the issue. 

I found an old thread from a year ago, so this is a known issue.    

[PGalore]

Nobody?   

The exact same issue was reported here over a year ago, so clearly this is a known issue. What's the point of having Ultra cameras if it doesn't live stream in 4k or record locally to SD card in 4k as promised?  My Ultra cameras are now essentially Arlo Pro, and I promise yours will be after your free 1-year subscription ends. 

https://community.arlo.com/t5/Arlo-Ultra/4K-live-is-now-only-2K-live/td-p/1768776

[LandJS]

That will depend on the plan.  If you have premier that is all you will get, in the cloud, live and on the SD.  They will only send 4K under the elite plan.  I know it sucks but I fought them for more than a year and a half and they aren't going to change.  Even their own moderators weren't aware of it at the time and said this wasn't true --- but yes, yes it is and they even changed the wording to be sure everyone now knows this is how it now is.

[LandJS]

I see the link you posted seems to state different but unless something has changed that hasn't been the case for quite awhile now.  It's not something I can test because I now have the elite plan.  Maybe a moderator can answer if there has been a change or not.

[PGalore]

Oh I recognize your name from the old thread!

Actually, your subscription level is irrelevant. If you have Ultra cameras, they should live stream in 4k on home network and record locally in 4k onto your SD card. They are clearly documented here - https://kb.arlo.com/000062127/How-do-I-stream-in-4K-with-my-Arlo-Ultra-camera

Also, looked at my screenshot. It says "No matter your subscription status, your Arlo Ultra will locally stream live 4K video and record 4k clips to your SmartHub."

Their wording is very clear.  I know that Premier subscription only lets you record in 2k to cloud but I'm talking about 4k live streaming and 4k SD card recording here.   But I agree, customer support has been clueless and they often confuse 4k cloud recording with 4k live streaming and tell me that only Elite plan records in 4k (to cloud).  

So are you still having the same issue after a year? Surely, we can't be the only ones having this issue?

[PGalore]

After you upgraded your subscription to Elite, did it magically switch to 4k live streaming and 4k local SD card recording? We should be able to live stream in 4k and record locally in 4k onto SD card without any subscription with Ultra cameras though....

[LandJS]

upgrading to elite was the only way to get 4K back.  I see the link you reference to and was under the impression that was the case but it hasn't been.  Now that being said, if you were actually able keep the original free 1 year plan that may be the case.  1080 to the cloud, 4K live and 4K to SD.  Few were able to keep it.  It seems there was always a reason it didn't continue.  In my case they turned mine off at midnight ( I was going to renew in the morning ) but after midnight it was no longer a option.  They turned me off and said I had to take either premier or elite and could no longer have the original.  Others tried to keep there's and were told their credit card didn't work and they could no longer keep the original.  Any excuse they could find to say your original free plan could no longer be had.  Now of the two that remain, premier and elite, premier gets you 2K cloud, 2K live and 2K SD.  Elite gets you 4K cloud, 4K live and 4K SD.  Now then the link you showed was what we were told and Arlo denied.  That is where I made mention of how even the moderators weren't aware it wasn't so but upper level support e-mailed me they were wrong and would be told so.  Some of us still had a copy of the statement that appears as the link you mention and were given a discount on elite for a year I think it was so as to get the 4K.  Unless something I'm unaware of changed and they have gone back to it last I had premier it was still only 2K for everything.  I wish it would go back because I like the original 1080, 4K, 4K best.  The cloud to me is for quick reference and 1080 is faster.  If I need 4K I can use the SD when needed.

[LandJS]

I guess I missed a bit of your last post.  Yes, if you have no subscription you have 4K but with limitations on access.  Must be on the same network, only account holder can access it, must use VPN or port fwd when away.

[PGalore]

Oh well, their KB link clearly states that you don't need any subscription to live stream in 4k and record locally in 4k onto SD card. If they don't provide that, then they are deceiving customers.   Do you still have the email address of the so-called upper level support? Dealing with customer support based out of Asia is a tremendous waste of time. 

[PGalore]

So it seems like live streaming and recording to SD card are limited to 2K if you sign up for the Premier plan whereas you get to live stream in 4k and record in SD card in 4k if you don't have any subscription, albeit the limitations you mentioned....   I will try to get the free Elite subscription rather than trying to get them to fix their system issues. 

[LandJS]

except the elite plan is not free.  There are the two plans premier and elite with elite being the more expensive plan.  As I said unless something has changed this is how it has been advertised for at least a year now.

[LandJS]

I don't still have it on e-mail but I may find it in my conversations logs on here, it's been quite a spell.  It was part of a case I had with support and came down after they escalated it twice.

[PGalore]

Nowhere in their article does it say that 4k live streaming and local recording will be limited to 2k if you have the premier plan though. In fact the screenshot I uploaded clearly states that Ultra cameras enable you to live stream in 4k and record locally regardless of your subscription level. This couldn't be more clearer to me. 

So why aren't we getting 4k live streaming and local recording features with the paid premier plan after the free subscription ends?  The fact that no moderator has chimed in suggests that this is a known issue (obviously since I found the old thread from 2020 discussing the exact same issue)  but they couldn't care less about fixing it. I honestly thought that there would be many people facing the same issue. After all people buy Ultra for 4k resolutions.

[LandJS]

I agree with what your saying but time has proven they really don't care.  They claim it can't be done and if your legacy plans ends for any reason whatsoever it can never be restored, that's Arlo under new ownership, the Netgear days are gone and not coming back as far as Arlo goes.  If you have been reading the threads, many have dropped Arlo for others some like me are just waiting until they need replacing and going another route.  Other brands are offering many of the same features now and since Arlo cams need to be plugged in anyway for full use such as the 3 sec, lookback a person may as well just install a wired system which is faster and with some better quality and features.  Now that others are advancing smart features by replacement time I won't see any benefit to Arlo.  Even wired systems allow for a couple wi-fi cams and of my seven ultras only one isn't wired.  Sorry for your situation but all I can say is been through it myself and know how you feel.