Irresponsible firmware updates

[Johnny290]

I've had Arlo for years this is not the first time I've seen them put out a firmware update untested and just destroy the system. And they don't even seem to care. Their customer service sucks. I'm sure after the Forum leader reads this it will be deleted just like many posts on this form are deleted

[Johnny290]

This December firmware update was released in their Rush to get Arlo video doorbell out on the market. Remember when Arlo Ultra was first released they rushed it onto the market and it was so screwed up they had to take it off the market for a few months to get things working right. Just another example of poor quality control

[J-Boy20]

This was my first Arlo purchase this summer and will probably be my last. It had a few hiccups here and there but until this last firmware release in December, it just totally screwed up everything. All 4 of my cameras are zoomed/ panned to the left. What the hell is the purpose of a security camera that doesn’t work?!? I would not recommend any Arlo product to any of my family and friends just for the simple fact they can’t release stable products that work as design. It seems like you were a loyal customer for awhile for using previous products but I bet your done dealing with them too.

[Johnny290]

When they became a new company I was hoping things would change. I tried out the ultra cameras and they worked great. But these engineer's who do these firmware updates are totally irresponsible people and should be replaced . I have a different product from a different company and they made a mistake on a firmware update and they fixed it in less than 24 hours that is good customer service

[LandJS]

I think they are making a bigger mistake than they think.  They were out in front for a few years with tech but others are caught up or doing so quickly.  NVR systems are 4K now with local storage that's simple to access and optional cloud service cheaper than Arlo.  Most Arlo people are running power if they can anyway and it's just as easy and cheaper to run ethernet cables.  You can even get them with a couple wireless to cover where you have to.  Competition means they can't continue with this bull not being fixed quickly.

[n1976jmk]

I don’t understand a few things-

#1- why they don’t test their firmware more before they release it to the public

#2 - why can’t it be like an iPhone or MacBook where you can select to paste software or not. Instead of automatically update only with no choice to the consumer

#3- when there is troubled firmware release that handicaps the security system there is no urgency to send out updated firmware. Usually takes weeks for them to fix there own mistakes!!!

[Johnny290]

Totally agree

[surfer1000]

As I commented in another thread  would take them 5mins to roll it back....but hey as it's been mentioned maybe it's all to do with new video doorbell and a rollback wont help that! Been a full week now I've had a useless system 4 ultras, 1 pro 2, 2 pro 1, 3 Arlo lights, 1 door bell, 1 chime a lot of money! I'm pissed to say the least.

[JamesC]

The issues being reported here have been escalated to the development team and are currently being investigated. I will provide an update as soon as I have more information.

JamesC

[Whops]

Here is the telephone number for Arlo Corp Office.    408-890-3900 

Perhaps if a lot of users call them they will get the message.   You get a reordered message when calling,  if you dial 0 , it will  transfer to operator,   you may get another recording saying reception is not available,  and allow you to leave a message.

Another option I am looking at is Better Business Bureau,   they claim to have superb rating there,  So I guess no one has made any complaints about their of support,  lack of customer service.  

And why is an American Company have tech support out of the Philippines?  Yeah, I know they are an international company  and the tech support claimed they have agents in the US.   But did tell me that most of the Engineering was being handled in Carlsbad, CA.   So I am sure that there is someone there that should have an answer as to when this problem will get fixed.

Here is link to Better Business Bureau,  it also includes address and phone number of Arlo in Carlsbad, CA 

[Whops]

I was just reading on the Better Business Bureau web page complaints from users.  I think there were 44 complaints.   The difference is that those complaints are getting response from Arlo.  Where here,  No one from Arlo (Same JamesC)   seems to even read this forum.  So maybe we need to making our complaints there and see if things can get resolved.

[LandJS]

Not surprising really, no matter the product only a small percentage of a customer base get involved with forums.  More would first call support and then file a complaint with BBB.  BBB notifies them of the complaint and they want it shown as resolved.  If you ever filed with them you can quite a reaction from a business but I've learned that though they can get pretty pissed at you, it can also get results.

[Johnny290]

Still waiting for some responsible people to fix these cameras

[Johnny290]

😡When are is arlo team going to fix this  😡

[Louis_ArloPM]

Hi, I am one of the product managers here. I know you've tried reaching out, Can you explain in a bit more detail what exactly is going on?  Are you unable to receive recordings? Are you unable to livestream?

[Louis_ArloPM]

Hi,

Is there any other issues that you are seeing or is this purely the Activity Zone issue?

[Johnny290]

This is the problem I am having ever since your last firmware update about a week ago. My ultra cameras are plugged in when they are plugged in at night activity zones no longer work. Also I get many false notifications anyting triggers to camera like it seeing pixels instead of PIR. My solution is to unplug the cameras and then everything seems to work fine. Of course I no longer get 3 second look back. During the day plugged in everything seems to work fine. That is the problem I am having I can't speak for everybody else. This all started from your last firmware update a week ago

[Johnny290]

And just to be clear when the cameras are plugged in ,activity zones at night are not working properly. Unplugged working fine for me plugged in during the day everything is fine. If I leave them plugged in at night I can get a hundred notifications of absolutely nothing we're typically at night I may pick up a raccoon one or two notifications that's it

[Louis_ArloPM]

This is helpful. Ok seems to be a different issue I was chasing the team down with. Can I PM you for more details? I'd love to grab logs as well. 

[Johnny290]

Yes

[Johnny290]

You can have whatever you need to help resolve this problem

[J-Boy20]

Louis, my issue is almost the same as everybody else or maybe on a different topic. I cannot properly set up my activity zone because the view is 1/4 of the screen (towards the top left). The only reason why I caught this was because of all the false notification I was getting. I messed around with the settings and was able to get the view to normal by turning off local storage and/ or turning off 4K live stream. This defeats the purpose of the ultra cameras if I cannot activate 4K. All 4 ultras cameras has this issue. I have updated everything, I reset everything, I practically tried everything a tech person can do with nothing. Can you please fix this issue. I did not pay for a camera to sit in my living room collecting dust nor did I pay for a subscription for you guys to do nothing about it. Roll back the firmware that caused all this or release a firmware for a fix please. This isn’t the only topic with this issue, look at every single comment recently and they all have this problem

[Whops]

WOW!  Louis  for 10 days this Arlo Community Forum has been filled with issues from your firmware update,  Most people on here have talked to or tried to talk to support, with no avail.  I have received over a dozen new case numbers in the last 10 days (Not sure why Arlo keeps emailing me new case numbers)  When I talk to support and give them the case number they oh that has been elevated to level 2 tech.  But they never let you talk to a level 2 tech, do they exist?  And last wed, they told me the level 2 tech assigned to my case is not available until Friday.  (Never heard from any one again)  Leaving tweets on Mattew McRae twitter has not seemed to expedite anything either.  So I have had it,  I am preparing a statement that I will be posting on BBB compliant web site their are already 44 complaints there.  But the public needs to be warned that Arlo does not care about existing customers Only new products and hope to snare some new suckers into buying their products.   A bad business model as the word will get out.  I have asked support to let me speak to an agent in the United States,  They say their are none.  I asked support where the software engineers were located, they Say most of them in Carlsbad, CA.   Perhaps I need to drive down there and show them what the problems are.   Anyway Louis,  if you have not got back to me by this evening,  my compliant will be posted on BBB.   JamesC,  has been ineffective,  always saying the problem has been escalated and will report back when he knows something.   I say if the CEO does not care,  then the entire company will have the same attitude.   And yes I have named him and the chairman of the board in my compliant.   Fix the Activity Zone/ and the Motion detection methods back to what they were before the firmware update and I bet most of the other problems will go away.   But it has to be done with Charging cable attached, 4k video streaming enabled,  Local Storage enabled,  Best Video enabled, and super wide view enabled.   Other wise the product is not as advertised,  and therefore Arlo will be guilty of false advertising.  If you want to see what I am posting on BBB

send me a private message. 

---

@Louis_ArloPM wrote:

Hi,

Is there any other issues that you are seeing or is this purely the Activity Zone issue?

---

[53Crusher]

JamesC - You are the only person trying to help this community, I thank you for what you do, but this is a plea to you for help!

I was one of the very first owners of the Arlo Ultra system and am well versed in it and previous firmware updates/problems. This is my current system.

Base Station VMB500r4 Firmware 1.15.0.1_244_c345a43

4 Ultra Cameras H6 Firmware 1.070.50.0_197_09137a0

Audio Doorbell HW version 1.2 Firmware 1.2.0.0_309_283

Chime HW version 1.2 Firmware 1.2.0.0_297_266

Android Arlo App 2.12.0_26090 released 12/13/19

All cameras have constant AC power cables

The above is just to show that my $1500 Arlo Ultra system is completely up to date for firmware/software and is still completely non-functional. Although I did NOT want to spend 1/2 of my weekend troubleshooting Arlo equipment, I felt it was my duty to try and be part of the solution and not just complain. I did NOT want to go down this road, but I did. 

Got out my ladder, physically removed all four Ultra cameras, audio doorbell and chime. Within the Arlo desktop app, I removed the chime, bell, four cameras and then base. Pressed sync button on chime 10 seconds to reset it. Pressed sync button on doorbell 10 seconds to reset it. Removed the batteries from all four cameras. Pressed reset on the base station for 10 seconds. Took the additional steps of deleting all video in my cloud storage library. Bought a brand new 64Gb SD card for the base station. Deleted the cache for my Arlo Android app and then deleted the app. Restarted cell phone and re-installed Arlo app. 

At this point, I believe I had created the equivalent of a new out of box experience. Plugged Ethernet cable into my SmartHub and applied power. Light went to a solid blue. Used my newly installed Android app to add the SmartHub to my account. To be extra safe, I gave it a different name than before. Inserted brand new 64 GB SD card and reformatted with the Arlo Android app. One at a time, I installed the camera batteries and added them using my Android app. To be extra cautious, all cameras received a new name. 

Finally, I added the audio doorbell (with new name), and associated it to a camera. Lastly, added the Arlo chime (with new name). All synced well and everything went as it should have. 

Physically reinstalled all devices back to where they belong. Verified that I could do a "live view" on all cameras. Doorbell and Chime behaved as expected. 

THIS IS WHERE I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM LIES.........

Tried to set up activity zones with my Android app as well as Desktop app. All four cameras are automatically zoomed to either the upper left 1/4 of the live view screen, or they are even zoomed into a 12"x 12" area in the upper left quadrant. There is no way for me to change this. As a result, I can NOT set an activity zone and they really only trigger when something happens in this small area. 

Although Arlo hasn't paid me to be a beta tester for their system over the last year, that is EXACTLY what I have had to do to protect my $1500 investment. I REALLY hope you will forward this to your engineers. There is NOTHING I can do to make this better. The problem lies with the firmware update of 12/2. Instead of focusing on new features, Arlo should make sure that basic functionality exists first. I am starting to regret my purchase last year. 

Certainly i could call tech support and let them take me through their pre-written scripts, but as you can see I have meticulously done what they would have me do and my system is still no better than a door stop.  The problem lies with ARLO.

PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT TO DO!

[J-Boy20]

Whops,

You couldn’t say it any better!!!! I’m still waiting on this “phone call”. It’s been 6 days now. I will try and contact them again and I will also submit a BBB complaint. I have 4 useless Arlo Ultra cameras. Arlo is pathetic. New people buying this or thinking about it, stay away, far away!!!