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Arlo Pro 2 + Video Doorbell

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SpaMG
Tutor
Tutor

Hi,

 

I have Arlo Pro 2 setup with 3 x Arlo Pro cams and 1 x Arlo Q and base station VMB4500. I also bought Arlo Video Doorbell and(still on 3-months trial period).

 

First I bought Arlo Q

- activity zones works fine. I have 7 days of free cloud recordings.

Then I had my Arlo Pro 2 set up.

- activity zones on all cameras works fine. I have 7 days of free cloud recordings. (they are all wireless)

Then I bought Arlo Video Doorbell.

- I added it to my base station. since its free trial of Smart Plan I have activity zones working with all the smart options.

Then I started to notice that video recorded by video doorbell is pixelated and scrumbled when there is dynamic movement.

Base station is 8 meters from the camera. Some of my Arlo Pro 2 are like 15 meters from my base station and everything is fine.

So I decided to remove Video Doorbell from base station.

I connected directly to my router which is standing next to Arlo base station.

Quality of recordings improved, no problems with pixels, etc.

I said great.

Then I noticed Orange WARNING sign shown next to all my Arlo 2 cameras saying that I have to connect my Arlo Pro 2 cameras to AC since I just lost possibility to use Activity Zones?

 

I checked this forum many times before I decided to buy Arlo gear. It was said that for older models everything remains as it was. I understood that only my Video Doorbell will be affected when Smart Plan trial will end.

 

@JamesC wrote :

 

 

 

Ashhong,

 

Without a subscription to Arlo Smart, you will still receive notifications and have access to live stream your Arlo Video Doorbell, but no snapshots or recordings will be saved to the cloud.

 

JamesC


When the doorbell button is pressed, a call will still arrive on your mobile device even without an Arlo Smart subscription.

 

JamesC

 

 

 

 

Now I feel cheated. Just because I added video doorbell I lost possibility to have free 7 days of cloud recordings and activity zones feature for my arlo 2 pro set up?

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StephenB
Guru Guru
Guru

@SpaMG wrote:

 

Now I feel cheated. Just because I added video doorbell I lost possibility to have free 7 days of cloud recordings and activity zones feature for my arlo 2 pro set up?


You should still have your cloud recording on the pro2 cameras - did you check for that?  

 

Cloud Activity Zones are another matter - they required a subscription before you installed the doorbell (they are not included with the 7-day storage).  So it's a puzzle why they were working for you before.

SpaMG
Tutor
Tutor

Thank you @StephenB


You are right. My recordings are still there. It just with Arlo Video Doorbell and Trial I got 30 days history instead of 7 showing in my app. I saw only Doorbell videos in first 7 days instead of looking at last 7 days to see both arlo pro and doorbell.

 

I also read trough the marketing materials and it seems that Activity Zones are available for free for Arlo Pro 2 only when you have local storage and they are plugged-in.

 

I also figured out how to get rid of this orange warning signs and messages saying that to be able to use Activity Zones I need to be connected to AC.

 

It seems that enabling Arlo Smart Trial subscription on my Arlo Video Doorbell does it for the rest of my cameras.

 

Enabling Smart Arlo Trial does for me following :

- Removing possibility to set up Activity Zone for Arlo Video Doorbell. Entry just disappear from the Device settings.

- Arlo Pro 2 cameras starts to show warnings and messages about Activity Zones and AC connection

 

After removing Arlo Video Doorbell from Arlo Smart plan I can:

- Set Acitivity Zone for my Arlo Video Doorbell

- Warning signs and messages are gone.

 

I dont know if this is intendent or not.

 

 

 

 

 

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