Can't access USB recordings from Android app anymore

[Johnny290]

After downloading your new app 3.5.1. I no longer have access to my SD card. I tried rebooting my phone rebooting the base station reconfiguring my port forwarding and nothing works. What did you do with the new app that broke the system again. Sounds like you updated the app once again without fully testing it. I've had Arlo for years and this is not the first time I've seen you people break the system will you ever learn

[philip_rhoades]

People,

I previously reported a problem with this situation - a responder said this was due to a power problem to run the algorithm in the camera for the Activity Zones - I was more inclined to believe it was deliberate crippling of the software to push people to paying for the cloud solution - now I am even more inclined to believe that is the case:

I couple of days ago my (now 3) cameras stopped listing captured videos on the SD Card altogether - even after rebooting the Base Station and the phone a couple of times, the counters for each camera still show "0" videos - prior to that situation (and after the cloud solution ran out and I installed the SD Card), it would take a few seconds for the "0" to change to an icon that reflected "> 0" counts for the current day - now ALL the videos for ALL the days have disappeared - even though I can tell there is still storage space being used on the SD Card (~0.7 of 32GB).  Sometimes, when it was working, I still had to choose "SD Card" instead of "Cloud" when trying to view videos before they would show up - now that optioin has DISAPPEARED!

So what the hell is going on?  Is this just another deliberate and infuriating crippling of the system to drive people to paying for the cloud solution?

Thanks,

Phil.

[faroarlo]

Hi, I've got the Arlo Base Station w/5 Ultra (Gen 1). There's a SD card in the base. I've had for about a year but now that the "cloud" package is expired, it seems like despite getting notifications, I can't view any of the recorded video when it's armed and there is motion. What's the point of the base w/SD card if you have to pay for a "cloud" subscription to view? This happens even when I'm connected to the same network (LAN) as the base and not over cell data. The app also is quite unreliable at displaying these. I need to take a screenshot but when I did have motion/saved video in the past, it'd say something to the extend of there being an error displaying saved motion/videos and that Arlo's team is working on it. Is there a way to debug here? Where should I start? I know I lack screenshots and not much info. Thanks

[StephenB]

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@philip_rhoades wrote:

A couple of days ago my (now 3) cameras stopped listing captured videos on the SD Card altogether

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There's a bug in the Android app that was updated on 7/20.  Arlo is working on a fix.  It is possible to side-load the previous version of the app if you wish.

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@philip_rhoades wrote:

I previously reported a problem with this situation - a responder said this was due to a power problem to run the algorithm in the camera for the Activity Zones

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That was likely me, but it is a completely different issue.  Cameras have always needed a subscription for cloud activity zones.

[StephenB]

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@faroarlo wrote:
Hi, I've got the Arlo Base Station w/5 Ultra (Gen 1). There's a SD card in the base. I've had for about a year but now that the "cloud" package is expired, it seems like despite getting notifications, I can't view any of the recorded video when it's armed and there is motion. 

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I suspect you are using Android - there is a bug in the most recent update (20 July) that makes it impossible to access local storage.  That bug doesn't affect iOS.

Arlo is working on a fix.  In the meantime, you could side-load the previous version of the app.

[philip_rhoades]

@StephenB ,

Thanks for the fast reply!

> There's a bug in the Android app that was updated on 7/20.  Arlo is working on a fix.  It is possible to side-load the previous version of the app if you wish.

Ah, that would at least get me operational again - is there a link somewhere about how to do the side-load?

I have Android v11 and just found this:

Google's Advanced Protection limits sideloading of non-Play Store apps and turns on Play Protect automatically

https://www.androidpolice.com/2020/03/18/googles-advanced-protection-now-limits-non-play-store-apps-...

Update:  I seem to have managed to do it but it is scary turning of Play Protect . . 

Phil.

[PG00]

Same problem for me. Please correct quickly. Not possible to experience these problems so often.

[StephenB]

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@philip_rhoades wrote:

Update:  I seem to have managed to do it but it is scary turning of Play Protect . . 

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Agreed - you do need to trust whoever posted the APK.  But it's the only way to downgrade.

[TechGuyAu]

Same here. There has been a problem now and then and looking at this thread it looks like there is sufficient evidence to raise this with Fair Trade in Australia. You sell expensive devices with promises and break things deliberately. If you cant support it refunds us and takes your product off the market. There are other competitors who are better than this. 

Guys look like it's time to stop complaining and take legal action as it's not going anywhere with complaints. 

[arlosucks1]

Arlo removed the ability to view videos on local storage. I was able to view videos on my smart hub previously and since the app was updated I can no longer toggle between cloud storage. I get notifications of recordings but can not access them.

[Cobra99]

Hi there,

I lost the possibility to access the recordings stored on my SD card on the SmartHub via the app. Suddenly I don't have the option of switching between "cloud" or "SD card" anymore within the app.

Does anyone else have the same issue within the arlo app?

I deinstalled the arlo app and reinstalled it, but the issue stayed the same...

Any suggestions?

Regards,

Cobra

[Johnh49]

In my case i don't any longer have the cloud subsciption. 

I also cannot access recordings on the SD Card via the app on my phone.

If i remove the SD card and use my pc the recordings are actually on the SD card.

I keep logging with ARLO that the app does not allow access. 

I also read that the app does not allow deleting from the sd card ( i can't see the recordings anyway), and if the SD card is inserted in PC  it seems its "delete all" as there is other info for recordings so cant just delete .mp4

(Ultra 2 Cameras and  Pro3 Floodlight)

Frustrating
Regards

[StephenB]

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@arlosucks1 wrote:
Arlo removed the ability to view videos on local storage. I was able to view videos on my smart hub previously and since the app was updated I can no longer toggle between cloud storage. I get notifications of recordings but can not access them.

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It's a bug that's already been posted here many times.  Arlo is working on it.

[StephenB]

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@Cobra99 wrote:

I lost the possibility to access the recordings stored on my SD card on the SmartHub via the app. Suddenly I don't have the option of switching between "cloud" or "SD card" anymore within the app.

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Arlo introduced a bug in the Android 3.5.1 release last week.  So if you are using Android, you'll need to wait for them to fix it (or fall back on moving the SD card to your PC and back).

[Cobra99]

Hi Stephen,

O.K. - this explains it all. Yes, I use Android (Pixel phone) and my phone gets updated every month automatically. So I always use the latest Android version.

I did as you said and connected the Micro SD card with my PC. Everything else works fine and all the recorded videos are on it.

So back to the roots until they fix the bug. 😉

Thanks again for your help & best regards,

Cobra

[Mr486]

This is not (only) a android problem - I have one VMB5000 and two ultra 2 and cannot acces any local files from any unit including Iphone and Windows PC - so this is a software issue on the ARLO server, or more probably an error in ARLO network configurations/security?

[ArloWatcher]

It seems that since the latest Arlo Android app release I can't access my local USB recordings anymore. The option to choose local vs cloud is gone. What happened?

[StephenB]

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@Mr486 wrote:

This is not (only) a android problem - I have one VMB5000 and two ultra 2 and cannot acces any local files from any unit including Iphone and Windows PC

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You can't access local files from the PC browser, the only way to do that is to remove the SD card from the base and connect it to the PC.  Are you sure you are talking about local files here, and not cloud storage?

Local access from the iOS app definitely is working for me, so there is no Arlo systems issue with.  Just the Android bug.

[StephenB]

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@ArloWatcher wrote:

It seems that since the latest Arlo Android app release I can't access my local USB recordings anymore. The option to choose local vs cloud is gone. What happened?

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A bug - they are working on it.

[ArloWatcher]

@JamesC 

Any idea on how long this will take to fix this bug? Kind of a big problem if you have an Android device and can't view your local recordings.

[dcfox1]

IOS is working fine for local for me also and I have not seen this issue with IOS elsewhere, just Android. 

[Mr486]

I was certain I have been able to watch my recorded local files via chrome on my PC but perhaps I'm mistaken! (Why would arlo not support that by the way?) When was this defunct Android app launched?

[dcfox1]

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@Mr486 wrote:

I was certain I have been able to watch my recorded local files via chrome on my PC but perhaps I'm mistaken! (Why would arlo not support that by the way?) When was this defunct Android app launched?

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You never could view local recordings on a PC only cloud recordings. That is one drawback of local storage so a subscription for me is worth it.  The app version update 3.5.1 for Android with the bug was July 20.

[ARLO1776]

I have seen some similar issues with my VMB4540.  The local library becomes inaccessible periodically.   I believe that they are degrading the service in order to transition a migration to the cloud subscription.  Dont buy ARLO the local storage can not be relied upon to work.

[ARLO1776]

local library inaccessible again. Another day of my life wasted. No call back from Arlo support.  This stuff is a heap of junk.  They should give you the cloud service !

[DavidJDol]

I am having the same problem. Been trying to figure it out for days now. Happened about the 20th. Smdh. These put out an update and screw everything up and don't even notify you. What crap service. I hope I don't screw more up trying to install the old version.