Forced Subscription

[nothanksarlo]

Purchased 1 doorbell camera and 1 wireless camera about 4 months ago. 

All of the sudden I can’t view any recordings and am being forced to sign up for a subscription! The whole reason we chose this system over Ring (which we used at our last home) was because of the lack of subscription. Also thought it had a live feed similar to Ring? Nope. Also, our doorbell has a massive delay and barely picks up someone approaching unless they stand at the door for over a minute. Wifi is not the issue and we’ve tried different video settings - still doesn’t pick up anything. 

Regretting picking this system and strongly suggest that others avoid it. 

[ShayneS]

HI @nothanksarlo

Thanks for the feedback. The newer devices require an Arlo Secure plan after the trial period expires to retain additional feature, This is labeled on the device packaging.  You can find more info regarding the available plans and features here: https://kb.arlo.com/88/What-are-the-available-Arlo-subscription-plans-and-how-much-cloud-recording-i...

Regarding the motion detection, May I ask which troubleshooting steps you have performed so far? I don't want to suggest anything you have previously performed.

Thank you 

[nothanksarlo]

Just checked the box after your reply. Turns out you are correct, in much smaller print at the bottom of the box it does say after the trial period. However, all other information on the box doesn’t specify a trial or the length of that period. Cloud recording isn’t specified to mean anything, it’s very easy to assume that recent clips would be available were long term wouldn’t be. Seems disingenuous. 

It’s hard to consider paying  for a subscription when the ‘basic’ service doesn’t even work properly. It takes 15-30seconds for our live cam to load on our wi-fi. Again, no issues with our wifi. When we are away from our home on cell service it takes well over a minute.

In addition, it doesn’t pick up movement most of the time and if it does it’s usually the back of the person already several feet back down our sidewalk.. at which point any delivery or theft of said delivery would be unrecorded. What is the point in having a video doorbell when it doesn’t pick up movement a majority of the time and when you need the video it doesn’t work? Our camera is directly aligned to face out onto the sidewalk entry of our home. 

We will not be requiring troubleshooting of our device. Its coming down. 

[DeJager89]

I agree! This just happened to me. I have an arlo go, arlo pros and 2 essential cameras that have all worked flawlessly in the past without a subscription. The a forced firmware update is now forcing my to subrcribe to a plan. 

I purchased these camera on the terms on not needing a subscription to have my recordings for at leat 30 days 

[StephenB]

---

@DeJager89 wrote:

I agree! This just happened to me. I have an arlo go, arlo pros and 2 essential cameras that have all worked flawlessly in the past without a subscription. The a forced firmware update is now forcing my to subrcribe to a plan. 

---

The Go and Pros came with free 7-day cloud recording (not 30).  Arlo still provides that for the older cameras - and you should still be getting that.

Essentials (like all newer camera models - starting with the Ultra in 2018) require a subcription to get any cloud storage.  If you have a smarthub (VMB4540 or VMB5000 only) you can substitute direct access to local storage - though the experience is limited (and IMO rather poor).

If you were getting 30 days of cloud storage with no subscription (not even a trial), then you were getting a feature that you weren't actually entitled to.

[RedwolfTX]

"newer devices"?   Netgear has done this to ALL devices.  I've got much older Arlo's I used to be able to download multi-minute clips from the local devices - Now it's just a 10 second clip.

[StephenB]

---

@RedwolfTX wrote:

Netgear has done this to ALL devices.  

---

Netgear has nothing to do with it.  They divested Arlo back in 2018.

---

@RedwolfTX wrote:

 I used to be able to download multi-minute clips from the local devices - Now it's just a 10 second clip.

---

Look in the mode settings for the cameras - the recording length is set there. 

• https://kb.arlo.com/42/What-are-modes-and-rules-and-how-does-Arlo-use-them