Arlo Video Doorbell and HomeKit integration

[marko988]

Hi, I found this thread from 1 year ago https://community.arlo.com/t5/Arlo-Video-Doorbell/Arlo-Video-Doorbell-and-HomeKit-integration/m-p/18... where I found out that the wired doorbell was updated and become compatible with homekit.

I was wondering if there's a timeline for the wire-free model AVD2001. Are you planning to release a firmware that'll add homekit integration?

[JamesC]

The Base Station/SmartHub firmware to allow for AVD2001 and Pro 5S2K HomeKit integration is still in slow rollout. They delays have been due to issues that were discovered early in the slow rollout phase that are currently being resolved by the development team. We expect the firmware to be available to all users soon but I do not have a date available at this time. I will provide another update here on the community once I have more information available to share.

JamesC

[JamesC]

Homekit integration is currently in the slow rollout phase. This means a small percentage of users may have the firmware available that supports HomeKit for AVD2001 and Pro 5S 2K cameras when connected to a compatible base station or SmartHub.

Once this firmware is available to all users, we will post an announcement here on the community.

JamesC

[JamesC]

We understand HomeKit integration for AVD2001(Wire-free video doorbell) and Pro 5S 2K is a highly anticipated post-release feature for many Arlo customers. We expect HomeKit integration for both AVD2001 and Pro 5S 2K cameras to be available before the end of 2023. I will provide an update here on the community as we receive more information.

Thanks,

JamesC

[Wgwifi]

Nope, nothing for me

Doorbell

Device Hardware: AVD2001Aer1.2

Firmware : 1.7.0.0_7114_ 

Does not have HomeKit yet. 

Where is @JamesC ? 

[BossSnapper5]

Good news if true. Mine isn't appearing on HomeKit as yet, but surely you have to add it like any other accessory? But how do you do that without the HomeKit code to scan?

Hardware: AVD2001Aer1.4

Firmware: 1.8.0.0_4_4a

An official comment would be useful here. 

[Wgwifi]

I have the latest Arlo app, and have pay for the monthly Arlo secure multi camera package.                                                             For my doorbelll,  Upon clicking  "device info" on my doorbell, it still shows 

Device Hardware: AVD2001Aer1.2

Firmware : 1.7.0.0_7114_                               Upon clicking on the firmware, it says "no updates available".                                         Plus there is no option to add to HomeKit as this doorbell connects to WiFi directly not the base station that has the HomeKit option in its settings . An official statement from @JamesC would be much helpful.  

[Tjhastings]

[JamesC]

Homekit integration is currently in the slow rollout phase. This means a small percentage of users may have the firmware available that supports HomeKit for AVD2001 and Pro 5S 2K cameras when connected to a compatible base station or SmartHub.

Once this firmware is available to all users, we will post an announcement here on the community.

JamesC

[Slpresto]

Great news! Are they working on security system integration into HomeKit as well? 
thanks James 

[Aurorus2014]

Thank you @JamesC for the update.

Any indication on timing on the full roll out?

[BossSnapper5]

Thanks for the update. But I believe you are now saying the only way to make it HomeKit compatible is to make the additional purchase of a Smarthub, which is not cheap?!

[Wgwifi]

What do you mean By compatible base station or SmartHub.???

For Arlo I have the VMB4000r3 Base Station that is running Homekit for 3x of my Arlo Floodlight 3, and 2x of my Arlo Pro 2 Cameras. Not to metion have been a long time customer of the Arlo Secure Multi-Camera subscription for years now.  

By Smarthub do you mean like a Homepod or Apple TV 4k for HomeKit? I have an Apple TV 4k Homekit Hub that runs all my matter devices,  such as my TP-Link KASA Matter Smart Plugs and my Govee M1 Lightstrips.

But back on topic, and I have yet to get an update for my doorbell to work on homekit! Yes its wireless but its connected through the doorbell wires and that's how it charges! Also the doorbell is viewable and works on my Alexa show 3 and Alexa Show 8. However, No Homekit for this doorbell ......

Doorbell:

Hardware: AVD2001Aer1.2 

and still no new updates available, still shows I'm on 1.7..0.0_714_

How are we going to be able to add this? Will it have a new Homekit section in the doorbell settings or what? 

@JamesC 

Please be more specify what you mean and when should I expect it to work in my homekit?

[BossSnapper5]

Hi Wgwifi 

I'm on 1.8 firmware, which might be the HK one, and also have Apple TV and HomePods, but it doesn't connect. 

I think James is saying it needs a bridge, similar to the ones other manufacturers supply. The difference is the cost. The Arlo one is over twice the price of the similar Aqara one. 

[Wgwifi]

What all Arlo Devices do you have? are you on that upgraded version of the app for the security system ? or the standard version of the app? Howd you get the update?

Which bridge are you refering to? The only Arlo Bridge I'm aware of is the  arlo bridge that is a range extender for lights and cameras???

Why are they over complicating things when we already have base stations that can connect to Homekit such as the VMB4000 Base station.

If they made the doorbell just connect to the base station and not to wifi directly it would solve this in a matter of a few mins. CHATGPT could even check the code for them

[StephenB]

---

@BossSnapper5 wrote:

I believe you are now saying the only way to make it HomeKit compatible is to make the additional purchase of a Smarthub...

James is saying it will work with any compatible base (e.g. VMB4000, VMB4500, VMB4540 or VMB5000), not specifically the two smarthubs (VMB4540 or VMB5000).  I'm tagging @JamesC to confirm.

Though I believe Arlo is only selling smarthubs (VMB4540 and VMB5000) - so VMB4000 or VMB4500 bases would need to be purchased used.

[BossSnapper5]

 

There seems to be some confusion here. The Arlo website says you can't connect it to a smarthub or base station. 

James, please can you provide some accurate facts?

[StephenB]

---

@BossSnapper5 wrote:

The Arlo website says you can't connect it to a smarthub or base station. 

---

That depends on what you think "it" is.  Note the question your response is answering:

Does the Arlo Video Doorbell (2nd Generation) require an Arlo SmartHub or Base Station?

The 2nd Generation video doorbells are not yet compatible with the Arlo SmartHub/base stations.

But this thread goes back to January 2022 before the 2nd Gen doorbells were released.  The older AVD1001 and AVD2001 are compatible with SmartHubs and VMB4xxx bases.  The AVD1001 already supports homekit, the AVD2001 hopefully will in a couple of weeks.

The 2nd Generation doorbells are another matter - Arlo is planning to add support for base stations and homekit. Hopefully soon...  But if this is a must-have feature for you, then I'd delay purchase of the 2nd Gen doorbells until the feature is actually rolled out.

@JamesC: it would be good if the response on the web page included "2nd Generation", just to eliminate any chance of confusion.  Maybe also add a sentence saying that the 1st generation doorbells can either be connected to home wifi or a compatible base.

[BossSnapper5]

So I bought a VMB4000 base station for use with my AVD2001 and successfully linked the two after both required firmware updates. Prior to the required firmware updates my doorbell was on the 1.8 release, which presumably is the HomeKit compatible version.. 

The base station said it successfully added itself to HomeKit. But it and the doorbell do not appear in Apple Home. (I wouldn't expect the base station to appear necessarily as it's just a bridge.) 

Checking the firmware version on the doorbell, during this onboarding process, it has downgraded to 1.7 and if I manually check for an update it says no updates are available. 

So how do I force it to update to v1.8 which it previously on?

[YSR50]

Well, if the doorbell connects and works with the base station then it shouldn't matter since the base station is what will connect to the Home app, not the doorbell itself. 

In the upper right corner of the Home app, click the circle with 3 dots > Home Settings > Home Hubs & Bridges > Arlo Basestation and if it's working it should show up under Accessories 

[BossSnapper5]

Yes the base station appears in HomeKit. The doorbell doesn't, but given it had been downgraded to v1.7 I wasn't expecting it to be.

But, (exciting news!), I had a notification of an available firmware update back to 1.8, to which I tried numerous times to upgrade. But constantly got the Error 4206 message. I followed all the methods James shared in another thread as a solution to this problem. (Article ID: 000062679).
I followed the final suggestion of removing the doorbell from the app to go through the onboarding process again which 'the firmware will update during the reinstallation process'. Which it did. But only to v1.7. 🙄 

Now when I check for an update it says 'no updates available' again. 

This is beyond a joke. 

[StephenB]

---

@BossSnapper5 wrote:

So how do I force it to update to v1.8 which it previously on?

---

You can't.  You'll just need to wait a bit longer.

[RyanNixon]

@JamesC - Any updates on the public release yet?, I have been going on to the firmware section on my doorbell 3 times a day since the 13th of December.... 

[Arlouseruser]

facts. 

[ctgail]

So as of today, my AVD2001 still won't update past 1.7.  says there is none available.  I ask again. JamesC - how do I get a refund for this product?  Going through the support tells me that I don't have an active subscription, so no live support.

Catch-22....

I'm not paying more money to get my money back!

[RyanNixon]

It’s still not released. It has been really frustrating that James said there was a slow rollout of 1.8v (with HomeKit support) and that it was planned to be released by the end of 2023. It’s now the 17th of Jan and still no update - either software or communication from the team.

I honestly can wait for software updates but just keep us up to date with timescales - that’s all! @JamesC 

[Stormbreaker]

It seems like Arlo is a corrupt company that lies to its customers.

[YSR50]

As the saying goes: Never buy hardware today with the promise of software tomorrow. Or something like that.

I purchased a wired Arlo doorbell years ago assuming our transformer was new enough, and if not that I would be able to locate and update it. Unfortunately I was wrong about both, which is why I found this thread. 

The thing I found strange about “James” from Arlo saying the software was rolling out before years end, is that just weeks earlier Arlo announced their new doorbells which were not mentioned. Also it just so happens that they were running discounts on this older wireless model which now appears to be sold out and is no longer available on their site. Good intensions only go so far

[ctgail]

RyanNixon,

Supposedly it's been out over a month now.

https://community.arlo.com/t5/Firmware-Release-Notes/Arlo-Firmware-Release-Table/m-p/1920885#M791