Dec 2019 arlo ultra update broke motion window creation

[Chrisk2]

After the update 1.070.50.0_197_09137a0 my base station would go offline once motion recording from 1 of my 4 cameras.  I rebooted the base, removed device, pulled battery and the added to system again.  Now when I try to setup the motion zones the picture is 1/4 of the view, I only see the top left of the camera view to set the motion area.  The camera shows and records the entire view. 

Any software patch coming out to fix the motion window image not showing the entire picture?

[Whops]

---

@Tech-D wrote:

I'm seeing the same issue, I have performed the same steps someone mentioned above.  If you REMOVE DEVICE and re-add it I can set my Activity Zones but as soon as I

So what you are saying is even though you set activity window with 4k off,  when you turn the 4K back on the activity window goes back to 1/4 view.    So really then the activity zone is useless that you set and not working in 4k steaming mode.

That is the same as I am seeing.  But for some reason they have not resolved that problem at all do not seem to be working on it.  Been a problem now for a over a week.  All support will stay is that the engineers are aware of the problem,  but not give any idea of when it will be fixed if it ever will be fixed.  

turn on "Local 4k Live Streaming" the full video snaps to the top right corner and I don't see the whole video area.

I have removed the camera again and only changed the "Local 4k Live Streaming" option on and the issue comes back. 

Hope this helps Arlo come up with a permanent solution.

---

[HazzMatt]

This is one of the same problems that I noticed after the last base station firmware release. I've reported it to Arlo and they said they had other reports. I have other symptoms as well, all showed up after the last update around Dec 7th. Thisnisntjr second time in a year that a firmware update caused me many issues and hours of troubleshooting. Hopefully they fix these recent issues with a good firmware update.

[bgerring]

A Workaround to resolve the quarter screen issue is to disable the "Best Local Recording" option on the base unit. Not a solution, but it'll do until Arlo resolve the Issue.

[HazzMatt]

You might not realize it yet, but there are several other issues that the last firmware update caused and in my opinion they're just as serious if not worse than this 1/4 screen issue.

[srandall25]

You mean like the base station consistently going offline? Yep

[FrankRN]

Agree... We should not have to be constantly climbing ladders and trees in the cold to troubleshoot the mess they caused with a firmware update. It is a several hours job to get the cameras down and back to the base station... Remove re-add... Remount. They act like I can sit in my freakin kitchen and do this. FIX THE FIRMWARE.

[srandall25]

That pretty much describes my last few days with Arlo support. Just to find out that it has nothing to do with my base station or cameras. I had to tell Arlo support about what I found on their own support forum regarding the complaints about December 2nd firmware update causing base station disconnects. They acted like it was the first time hearing about it.

[enigmaphoenix]

CEO Matthew McRae is all about plugging new feature functionality.  But has yet to address this issue.

https://twitter.com/mbmcrae/status/1205503405289947139?s=20

Please, keep letting him know via twitter your honest opinions on this situation!  Don't let up.

Thanks,

K

[Whops]

---

Thanks to the ones that have posted on Twitter,  But need more posts there if we are to get this long drawn out problem resolved.   10 days is way to long to fix problems.

https://twitter.com/mbmcrae/status/1205186841000833024?s=20

@enigmaphoenix wrote:

CEO Matthew McRae is all about plugging new feature functionality.  But has yet to address this issue.

https://twitter.com/mbmcrae/status/1205503405289947139?s=20

Please, keep letting him know via twitter your honest opinions on this situation!  Don't let up.

Thanks,

K

---

[dennmoore]

Ugh!  Customer service frustration growing.  Bought brand new Ultra cameras last week.  Never worked - 1/4 screen issue in settings.  Hours with support without solution.  Sent updates through their email case link this week to let them know not working looking for update.  Today I get email saying that they are closing my case and another email asking for a survey.  Needless to say not real happy with Arlo right now.

[srandall25]

There appears to be zero communication among support. It’s like every problem reported is a new problem when it’s not. They never recognize immediately to the customer that this is a known issue they’re working to fix. Instead they go through all these troubleshooting steps wasting people’s time. ALL Ultras have these same problems right now. Base Station going offline and Inability to set a zone due to the zoomed in video. It should really be a 5 minute call for everyone.

[HazzMatt]

I totally agree. I have 6 Ultra Cameras and now have multiple issues now that I didn't have before - due to the recent firmware change maybe? I have the upper 1/4 view in the positioning menu, cameras periodically going offline and tonight unidentified an issue that causes my camera signal strength to go to 1/4-1/3 level after plugging in a full-time power source. The camera worked all day with just the battery but when I plugged in the power cable, the camera showed the above symptoms and then going offline due to a weak signal. I've had Arlo Ultra for over a year now and this is at least the second time a slew of problems showed up after a firmware change. Help Me Spock.... (Sigh...)

[FrankRN]

Still no call back from 2nd level tech. Got a notification that my ticket has been closed. I'm sure they have to report their effectiveness to someone. And just closing open tickets is faster and cheaper than helping customers. Jokers! After several days of having my system set to disarmed, I armed it again last night. It's raining in New England and by morning I had 204 clips from multiple cameras none of which had any actual activity. So I've had to set the system back to disarmed. I'm putting my Chihuahua out in the yard to look out for Christmas porch pirates. He is way more effective than my Arlo system. And far less aggravating than Arlo support. I've made several tweets to Arlo CEO as have others. He has answered some tweets... Just not ours. I wish I could send this crap back and get my $2,000 back so I can get another dog. Then they could take shifts.

[Whops]

Yes,  same here,  I have joined twitter just to post comments to Matthew McRae in hopes that a CEO of a company would be concerned when he had a problem of this magnitude. But no response from him on twitter,  and nothing has improved with support, or the cameras,  And rarely do they call you back,  and if and when they do,  they just tell you the same thing as before.  They told me they had turned my case over to level 2 tech.  Great, I said are you a level 2 tech,  No was the response,  then I said OK let me talk to Level 2 tech.  Just a minute have to put on hold for 3-4 minutes.  5 Minutes late they came back on the line sorry for the long hold,   The level 2 tech will not be available until Friday.  But then have never heard from them again.   I am only waiting until tonight.   Then I am posting my compliant on BBB website.   Time to let the world know Arlo does not care about you once you purchased their equipment,  they have their money so they are happy.  

---

@HazzMatt wrote:
I totally agree. I have 6 Ultra Cameras and now have multiple issues now that I didn't have before - due to the recent firmware change maybe? I have the upper 1/4 view in the positioning menu, cameras periodically going offline and tonight unidentified an issue that causes my camera signal strength to go to 1/4-1/3 level after plugging in a full-time power source. The camera worked all day with just the battery but when I plugged in the power cable, the camera showed the above symptoms and then going offline due to a weak signal. I've had Arlo Ultra for over a year now and this is at least the second time a slew of problems showed up after a firmware change. Help Me Spock.... (Sigh...)

---

[dennmoore]

Piece of advice.  Don't waste your time.  Have hours on phone waiting and troubleshooting with various people over the last week that have no clue.  I even sent message to the ceo just to let him know how poor their customer service was.  Actually received a timely response voicemail saying they where from the “executive team” and left a number to call back with a new case number (they cancelled the previous case unexpectedly without resolution).  Number they provided didn't work so called main # and waited half hour to be told that I needed to talk to someone in their higher level support but no one available someone would call back by the end of the day.  Someone calls a few hours later from “level 2” support.  Explain I bought brand new Ultra system last week - hasn't worked yet, hours of trial and error,  have the known 1/4 pic issue in settings and cant set activity zones.  From the many posts on their forum it appears to be caused by firmware they pushed out early December and effecting most ultra users.  This “executive level 2” support person tells me he hasn't heard of this issue yet and wants to start trouble shooting which we do.  I assure him it is a known issue, has been for 2 weeks and that I have been previously told they where working on it.  After his troubleshooting doesn't work he leaves for 10 minuets and comes back to tell me it appears that the engineers know about this and are working on it “so yeah”.  I ask any time line - he says no.  So I tell him thanks for all the help - glad I was able to help educate him.  

[JamesC]

The engineering team is working hard to resolve the issues being reported here with Activity Zones, SmartHubs falling offline etc. I don't have a solution to provide at this time but will post again here as soon as I receive more information from the team.

We apologize for any inconvenience caused and appreciate your patience while we work to resolve these issues.

JamesC

[Whops]

I am in awe at how Arlo can not fix this problem.   I did file a compliant last night on BBB.  They forward it to Arlo.  Arlo responded right away,  that they are aware of the problem, and are working on fixing it.  No mention of a time table, No mention of why they can not go back to the working firmware.   (While it was not perfect, certainly much much better then the upgrade)  I rejected their response, and wrote another letter back asking that question,  why can you not answer the question about rolling back to working firmware.   I also said,  that they should have documented all the changes they made,  so it should not be that difficult to change it back.   II am waiting for their response back to me.  It would appear that Matthew McRae is just passing the buck to his lame software team and not applying any pressure to get this resolved.  I also mentioned in my response that it seemed Arlo was more interested in rolling out new products and dealing with those issues then working with their established base that have purchased cameras.   My compliant and the back and forth should be publicly posted on their compliant website,  just not sure if they wait to post after it has been resolved or in real time.   But as usual Arlo is just blowing us off.    More people need to be making complaints on BBB this will get their attention faster then comments here.   If something does not happen soon will start posting on the ripoff sites.

[JamesC]

The development team is hard at work to resolve these reported issues. I do not have an ETA for a fix to be released but will provide an update as soon as I have more information.

We apologize for any inconvenience caused and appreciate your patience while we work to resolve these issues.

JamesC

[harlequinman]

Ok @JamesC  and frustrated Ultra owners experiencing 1/4 screen issue ......  I have been trying different camera settings to see what might be making the Ultra cameras show only the top left quadrant of the video screen. If you have Local 4k Live Streaming enabled within your video settings for your camera then go into Activity Zones and chances are your screen will only show the top left quadrant of the overall picture. So I tried these steps:-

1. Go to Device settings for your Ultra camera using the cog wheel, then select Video Settings

2. Turn Local 4K live Streaming off

3. Go back to camera view and play the live stream for the camera in question, then stop it

4. Go to Device settings for your Ultra camera using the cog wheel, then select Activity Zones and you should find the full screen showing

** Health Warning: It is very temperamental and something I am not yet clear on is if Local 4k Live Streaming is disabled, then does this mean that recorded videos to the cloud and to the microSim are no longer in 4k? I believe if you have Smart notifications turned on then the resolution to the cloud is only 1080HD anyway, but presumably recordings to microSim will still be 4k? @JamesC would appreciate your answer on this whilst the developers are working to fix this prevalent and widespread issue.

Clearly this situation is totally unacceptable as it stands. Arlo Ultra cameras are advertised and sold as 4k resolution cameras so each and every customers should expect ALL the settings to work in 4k, today clearly customers have not received what they have paid for.

[JamesC · Accepted solution]

The major issues being discussed in this thread have been resolved with the most recent Ultra Camera and SmartHub firmware updates. Please check here to make sure your systems automatically updated to the latest versions:

Arlo Ultra VMC5040 - 1.070.50.2_205_0c7c8e1 - 19th December 2019

Arlo SmartHub VMB5000 - 1.15.0.4_297_aa40f04 - 18th December 2019

If you're having a different issue, please open a new thread here in the community, reach out to me in a private message directly or contact support to further investigate: Arlo Support Team

A big thanks to the community for helping our engineering team troubleshoot these issues and thank you for your patience while we worked to release these updates.

JamesC