SmartHub VMB5000 & Ultra VMC5040 - Performance after latest firmware update

[v_v]

Since the SmartHub’s and Ultra’s most recent firmware updates, my Arlo security camera system has been missing in action.

Under the previous 1.12.0.8_31002 and 1.060.20.14.0_31101 firmware, my sole Ultra was averaging around 1,100 video recordings every day. However, once the hardware updated to the latest 1.12.1.6_32471 and 1.060.33.5_32510 firmware around 9:15 PM yesterday, recording basically ceased.

Surprised that not a single video recording occurred from 9:15 PM yesterday until 6:00 AM today, I figured that the SmartHub and Ultra required restarts to trigger the firmware updates. That didn’t solve the issue. So, I performed a reset of the hardware to start over fresh. And that didn’t solve the issue either.

It has been 11 hours since I performed the reset. My Ultra has recorded a total of 6 videos. All 6 of those videos took place when the object was 10 to 15 feet away from the Ultra. (Previously, the exact same Ultra was recording activity across the street, an estimated distance of 65 feet.) Historically, I should be well over 800 videos at this time in the day.

To be clear, under the previous and latest firmware, I've set Motion Sensitivity is set at 100, the highest that it can go. My Ultra is plugged into an electrical outlet for constant power.

Additionally, the Local 4K Live Streaming is broken. While the graying image issues have been fixed, the video and the audio stutters terribly. It’ll eventually even out, but go right back to it moments later. Turning the Local 4K Live Streaming off, everything is perfect—for 1080, that is. 😉 

Is anyone else experiencing a severe drop in performance from their SmartHub and Ultra after the latest firmware update?

[v_v]

I can only report the factual behavior of my Ultra.

639 videos recorded from March 21st to March 22nd in what is now the shaded region of the Camera Positioning utility.

0 videos recorded from March 23rd to March 24th in what is now the shaded region of the Camera Positioning utility.

My Ultra's position did not change. My Ultra's sensor did not change. My Ultra's FOV did not change. Nothing about my Ultra changed.

Except the firmware and the software.

[st_shaw]

@v_v  You wrote that you repositioned the camera so that activity was in the non-shaded region and motion detection resumed.  I simply stated that this makes perfect sense, because the shaded area is not sensitive to motion, according to Arlo.

This is what you wrote:

"I repositioned my Ultra around 5:29 PM on March 24th.

From 9:15 PM on March 22nd to 4:02 PM on March 24th, my Ultra recorded 14 videos.

From 5:29 PM on March 24th to now, my Ultra has recorded 434 videos (and counting).

And all that I did was reposition my Ultra to point higher to move the active areas of my neighborhood—driveway, sidewalk, and street—below of the shaded region in the Camera Positioning utility."

I guess the point you were trying to make is that the shaded region was sensitive prior to the firmware update.  If that was your point, it wasn't clear to me from what you wrote.

[st_shaw]

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@chip0 wrote:

That is NOT expected behavior for *any* security camera on the market.

I have several excellent security cameras from Reconyx with PIR sensors that are active only in the lower half of the frame. It's not an issue as long as one understands the behavior.  That's why Arlo added the new descriptive information in the positioning menu. Arlo also provides the motion detection test to verify your Arlo installation is picking up motion in areas you want.

The below description from Reconyx shows their PIR sensors' area of sensitivity (red zones in bottom half of frame) and is a useful read to generally understand what type of motion is necessary to trigger PIR sensors.

[LandJS]

has anyone else been getting short random clips of no motion at all since the update. All my cameras are set for a set period of time yet I've been getting little 6 to12 sec clips of no motion at all since the update

[DamianR]

Is this occuring in the day or night?
Is the camera ac or battery powered ?

I ask because ofnyou are getting these at night, from an ac powered camera, it may be due to insects illuminated by IR & picked up by pixel detection.

[jguerdat]

Have you rebooted the base and power cycled tha cameras? If you bring the cameras closert to the base, is there a difference?

[LandJS]

this is during the day on battery power and both the hub and cameras have been rebooted and power cycled.  So far has not happened today.