Essential on basic plan with doorbell 2K

[Browndk]

Hi

I've been running with essential cameras on basic plan (7 days free storage). When trying to add a video doorbell 2K the app wants to update before being able to add the doorbell. Does this update means that im loosing the 7 days free storage for my essential cameras? Or will they still work together with the doorbell? Not planning to use secure plan for the doorbell.

Thanks,

Kim

[StephenB]

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@Browndk wrote:

I've been running with essential cameras on basic plan (7 days free storage).

 No.  Legacy cameras like the Pro and Pro 2 were sold with 7 day free cloud storage.  But the Essential cameras were not sold with that feature.

Can you double-check your camera models?  If the housing opens, then open it and remove the battery.  You'll see a label inside.

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@Browndk wrote:

I've been running with essential cameras on basic plan (7 days free storage). When trying to add a video doorbell 2K the app wants to update before being able to add the doorbell. Does this update means that im loosing the 7 days free storage for my essential cameras? Or will they still work together with the doorbell? Not planning to use secure plan for the doorbell.

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Cameras sold with 7-day free storage still have that feature.  There is one limitation - it is only available if you have 5 or fewer unsubscribed cameras in the account.  So if you have 5 cameras now, adding the doorbell will result in losing your storage.

The update makes significant changes to the user interface, and there are some drawbacks.  Some of the limitations:

• the new interface only has three modes (Arm Away, Arm Home, and Standby).  While you can modify these, you cannot add any more modes.  So there are no custom modes at present.
• the combination of geofencing+scheduling doesn't work properly.  In particular, "Arrive" will not immediately resume the schedule.  You have to wait until the time of the next schedule change for that to happen.

[Browndk]

Thanks for the reply.

My cameras are model VMC3030. I have 3 in account and they have free 7 days cloud storage. 

So the doorbell 2K could be added as well?

 I would be sad to loose the geofencing+scheduling functionality.

[StephenB · Accepted solution]

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@Browndk wrote:

My cameras are model VMC3030. I have 3 in account and they have free 7 days cloud storage. 

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So not Essentials - these are the original Arlo cameras.

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@Browndk wrote:

So the doorbell 2K could be added as well?

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Yes.  If you have a VMB3xxx hub, then it would need to be connected to your home wifi.  (If you have a VMB4xxx hub, then you can connect it either to the base or to your home wifi).

No free storage for the doorbell though, so the only ways to get recordings would be to

1. get a single camera subscription for the doorbell or
2. purchase a VMB4540 or VMB5000 smarthub, and use direct access to local storage.

The second option isn't great, but some people do use it instead of paying for the subscription.  I can give more details if you need them.

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@Browndk wrote:

 I would be sad to loose the geofencing+scheduling functionality.

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You don't completely lose it.  You'd have to choose what mode to use when you arrive, and the schedule would kick in later.

For instance, if your cameras are disarmed during the day, and armed at night, you could set up "arrive" to arm them when you return.  You'd have to manually disarm them if you return during the day.  If you forget, they will still disarm the next day.

But there are no custom modes, so if you use them to arm only some of your cameras, then you won't be able to do that when the account is "upgraded".  Arlo realizes that custom modes are needed, so they will be putting them (or something similar) back.  However, they haven't said when.