Arlo Wire Free - Firmware Update 1.3.319

[mgbnet]

Looks like JamesC posted on the big thread about the firmware issues, saying there was a new update and then locked the thread from further replies.

I have two questions:

1 - Why don't I see this update? I still only see 1.12.2.1_2798 from April as the available update for my base station. See attached image.

2 - The relase notes for the new firmware (1.3.319 - weird numbering, looks like a step backwards number-wise) say that it fixes the pixelation issue, but nothing that says it fixes the failure to update firmware issue that many of us are seeing with the 1.12.2.1_2798 firmware update.

[TomMac]

the new firmware (1.3.319) is for the Arlo HD ( original camera ) only...it is not a fw update for any base

[MikeBravo]

James & Shayne,

This firmware update has NOT resolved the issue, but has corrected it to a degree which is helpful but short of what we expect and deserve.

Please advise as to whether your engineers will continue to work to restore the video to its previous level.

[sfdfg]

I agree. I've now got the latest version of firmware installed on all of my Arlo cameras and while the pixelation has indeed stopped, the picture quality still isn't as good as it was and certainly not HD. I could just about live with the picture quality but what isn't acceptable is the fact that any motion detected is still so jerky it looks like it's been recorded using stop-motion animation. And we aren't talking Ray Harryhausen stop-motion animation either, we're talking primary school science lesson quality!

[mgbnet]

So the thread that had all the discussion about the issues with the base station firmware update has been closed because a camera firmware was updated... I'd say that thread should not be closed and marked as solved if the issue has not been addressed.....

[Justsurfin]

Agree, it's only slightly better quality, but definitely not HD, please can you fix asap as the point of buying these HD cameras at a huge expense was to have HD quality video, please can you confirm you will look to fix asap

[Minn12]

OK, I'm now starting to question my sanity.  I have run some tests on my standard Arlo camers switching back and forth from the battery life choices.  From what I am seeing on my system, changing from 'Optimized' to 'Best Battery Life' actually results in a BETTER picture. It's like the settings have been flipped or reversed now. 'Best Video' setting now gives me WORSE resolution than the other two settings. 

Can anyone else please test this and see if you are getting the same results?  I sure hope this 'fix' hasn't resulted in new  problems. I would really like to know if others are having these same issues! 

[dsiu2902]

James & Shayne,

Your solution is completely unacceptable. We find this resolution absolutely ridiculous. As you already know, we have a lot of intelligent people here. So, don't play games with us and think we don't know anything.

I understand that Arlo team has been working hard to resolve the video issue to some extent; however, their solution does not even come close to HD (720) resolution quality. 

By the terminology of High Definition (HD), HD must meet the following requirement/spec:

HD is a 24 frames per second with 720 lines (1280 x 720 - 921,600 pixels per image) or 1080 lines (1920 x 1080 - 2,073,600 pixels per image)

All Arlo camera comes with HD resolution as a standard. As stated per their data specification sheet and on their packagings as well. I have attached a photo for your reference just in case your company has forgetten their promise to their customers.

Your arlo camera is nowhere near HD quality. At best, the video resolution is only up to 480 with the latest firmware update. Please send this information straight to your engineering team to research and fix this problem. 

As of right now, your company is doing false advertising.

One important issue that Arlo keep refusing to implement is:

1) Adding an option for us to choose firmware updates.

We need this option, because all of us are having a horrible experience with your unexpected firmware updates. The only thing your unexpected updates continue to do is lowering our resolution to unacceptable standards. 

[Pcm_smeets]

Here also no improvement. On my cam the newest firmware is installed but the quality didn't change at all. It is still blurry and pixels are all over the place.

I gonna call the ship tomorrow to see if I might return them. I only have them for 3 weeks now.

[mamarcac]

@JamesC Closing the other thread when you announced a new firmware that clearly didn't solve the issues? Come on man.  Look at this new thread, give it a few days and it'll blow up just like the other one.

[Charmanation]

Got the camera today. I removed all devices and started fresh. The new camera seems to b working but now the one that was sorta working is still not recording to the parameters and the picture is gobbled. Now what do I do? Thank u

[ShayneS]

Hello everyone, 

I understand this is redundant, but having as much data from each user will help isolate the reports on this issue.

I have few questions for you

1. What Model base station are you using?

2. What Camera(s) are you experiencing the degraded video with?

3. What Device Model/OS are you using when the issue occurs?

4. What version of the Arlo Mobile App are you running (is this occurring on web portal as well)?

5. What troubleshooting steps have you performed so far?

[dsiu2902]

JamesC, Shayne and everyone,

I just discovered something;

Just download a file today and you will notice that the video has a view size of 640 x 352,

and compare to a video file before May 22, 2019, that video has view size of 1280 x 720.

Arlo, what are you doing? reduce the size of the video?

In manual recording and live streaming, Jerky motion still occur.

I believe that they are not 24 frame per seond, that's why you see jerky motion. 

Arlo, come on, what are you doing to us, making our life suffering. 

Please investigate and solve your problem.

We are not stupid.

[Drod317]

How do you start the firmware update? What’s the process?

[dsiu2902]

Shayne, I have a feeling these questions will not provide any solution, since you ask, here are the answers:

1Q. What Model base station are you using?

1A: I have Pro Base station (VMB4000)-Firmware 1.12.2.1_2798 and all 4 wireless cameras-firmware 1.3.319

2Q. What Camera(s) are you experiencing the degraded video with?

2A: The view size of all 4 camera video is 640 x 352, which should be HD, at least 24 frames per second , 720 lines (1280 x 720 - 921,600 pixels per image) and also Jerky motion during Live streaming and manual recording.

3Q. What Device Model/OS are you using when the issue occurs?

3A: Web portal with Windows 10 (Firefox Quantum) and Arlo mobile app with Apple IPhone 6.

4Q. What version of the Arlo Mobile App are you running (is this occurring on web portal as well)?

4A: Web portal with Windows 10 (Firefox Quantum) and Arlo mobile app with Apple IPhone 6.

5Q. What troubleshooting steps have you performed so far?

5A: Everything that you can name it, delete the base and all the camera, hard reset the base, re-sync. and new batteries.

[MikeBravo]

---

@MikeBravo wrote:

James & Shayne,

This firmware update has NOT resolved the issue, but has corrected it to a degree which is helpful but short of what we expect and deserve.

Please advise as to whether your engineers will continue to work to restore the video to its previous level.

---

In addition to the original message, we have now determined that the IR view has not improved as much as the daytime view. At night as it is now in IR view the picture is still quite grainy with a swirling of pixels that gives the view a herky-jerky image.

Guys, there is still a good deal of work to be done here.

[Tjbvp2117]

Arlo.....video picture is better but you cannot consider this a a “fix”.  We all expect and deserve a permanent resolution to the problem.  Something must be done, maybe hiring some real problem solvers to save your reputation and customers!

[dsiu2902]

JamesC and Shayne,

@MikeBravo is right, IR view still has a herky-jerky image. We still having video quality issue with live streaming and manual recording. The reason why is because the compression software is programmed to decode 640 x 352 resolution, 23 frames per second, data rate 511 kbps and total bitrate 511 kbps. 

Simply forward this information to your engineering team and ask them to change the program to decode to 1280 x 720 resolution, 24 frame per second, data rate 724 kbps and total bitrate 724 kbps and everything will return back to normal and everyone will be satified. At least this will satify the video quality issue.  

[sfdfg]

---

@ShayneS wrote:

Hello everyone, 

I understand this is redundant, but having as much data from each user will help isolate the reports on this issue.

I have few questions for you

1. What Model base station are you using?

2. What Camera(s) are you experiencing the degraded video with?

3. What Device Model/OS are you using when the issue occurs?

4. What version of the Arlo Mobile App are you running (is this occurring on web portal as well)?

5. What troubleshooting steps have you performed so far?

---

Hi @ShayneS ,

I don't know if this is of use in helping to debug, but I have two cameras in my back garden, one above the patio doors as a deterrent to burglars and one that shows the house itself and shows both the patio door and back door. This essentially means both cameras often get triggered by the same motion and effectively give two different angles of the same motion. Both cameras are the basic Arlo model and both are now running firmware version 1.3.319 and both are set to "optimize" for video quality. The only difference is the one above the patio door is slightly newer (HW Version H16) while the other one is on HW version H11. 

The firmware release has drastically improved the picture quality of the H16 camera (although not back to where it used to be) and the motion is quite smooth. However....

While the H11 camera no longer has the pixellation issue, it is still VERY jerky. Downloading a video clip from each camera, taken at the same time this morning I can see:

H16 camera - size: 640x352, Data rate/bitrate: 428kbps , frame rate: 24 frames/sec.

H11 camera - size: 640x352, Data rate/bitrate: 280kbps , frame rate: 18 frames/sec.

As you can see, for what I'd expect to be the same between the two cameras there's quite a variation. I'm sure this accounts for the jerkiness of the video on the older camera, but it doesn't answer why there should be such a discrepancy.

Over to Arlo....

[dsiu2902]

Pixelation has been resolved since the morning of June 5, 2019, but since may 22, 2019, all resolution have been reduced from (HD) 1280 x 720 to (480P) 640 x 352, and there was a slight jerky motion during the live streaming and manual recording.

I understand that Arlo team has been working hard to resolve the video issue to some extent; however, their solution does not even come close to HD (720) resolution quality. HD (720) as stated per their data specification sheet and on their packagings as well. 

By the terminology of High Definition (HD), HD must meet the following requirement/spec:

HD is a 24 frames per second with 720 lines (1280 x 720 - 921,600 pixels per image)

Your arlo camera is nowhere near HD quality. At best, the video resolution is only up to 480 with the latest firmware update. Please send this information straight to your engineering team to research and fix this problem. 

As of right now, your company is doing false advertising.

Firmware comparison between the time frames:

Before May 22, 2019: Size: 1280 x 720, Data rate/bitrate: 724 kbps , frame rate: 24 frames/sec.

Between May 22-June 4, 2019: Size: 640x352, Data rate/bitrate: 51-84 kbps , frame rate: 5-8 frames/sec.

After June 5, 2019: Size: 640x352, Data rate/bitrate: 511 kbps , frame rate: 23 frames/sec.

One important issue that Arlo keep refusing to implement is:

1) Adding an option for us to choose firmware updates.

We need this option, because all of us are having a horrible experience with your unexpected firmware updates. The only thing your unexpected updates continue to do is lowering our resolution to unacceptable standards. 

[MikeBravo]

---

@sfdfg wrote:

---

@ShayneS wrote:

Hello everyone, 

I understand this is redundant, but having as much data from each user will help isolate the reports on this issue.

I have few questions for you

1. What Model base station are you using?

2. What Camera(s) are you experiencing the degraded video with?

3. What Device Model/OS are you using when the issue occurs?

4. What version of the Arlo Mobile App are you running (is this occurring on web portal as well)?

5. What troubleshooting steps have you performed so far?

---

 Shayne,

Ok, one last time: 

1. Our base station is:  VMB4000r3

2. Problem cameras: All seven (7) of our Arlo Basic cameras which are a mix of hardware version H7 & H11.

3. The issue is occuring on Dell laptops running Windows OS 10 Build 1809, Mac Powerbook running MacOS High Sierra, Google Pixel 2 running the lastest update of Android 9, Samsung Galaxy S6 running Android 8, and Apple iPad 2 running iOS 9+. 

4. Mobile app (Android) version: 2.7.9_25600 (This app worked very well until this update).

5. All the steps as reported by all the other users. 

Another note: A friend of mine just moved to another state and after many months just reinstalled his arlo system running off a new and different ISP.

It worked as well as always until after an hour the firmware update and it went sour like all of ours. 

---

[madkiwi]

I hate to be the one to tell you this but all the downloaded recordings I have from as far back as November 2017 are only 640 x 352, and that one was 23 fps.

Good news is nothing is worse. Bad news is, they have been conning us from the beginning.

[MikeBravo]

After a full day of observation is now apparent that the live video feed from our Basic Arlo cameras is actually still stuttering and not nearly as smooth as it once was. 

Oddly, the several recordings that have occured since the latest update display somewhat less stuttering.

[dsiu2902]

I would check your video settings, maybe you always set it to "Optimized".

Because "Optimized" is 640 x 352, "Best video" is 1280 x 720,
and battery life is also affected by the size of compression ratio. 

I am currently doing some testing to see what is the difference between the "best video", "Optimized" and "best battery life" options.

Will post later. 

[mamarcac]

@ShayneS @JamesC It's really not hard to see that the videos are not at 720p, can you please stop asking us for system information and tell the developers to check the **** video resolution before pushing another firmware "fix"? @dsiu2902 has provided all the info you could need on how to check it.