Local USB Storage on Arlo (NOT Pro)

[sparkysk]

Is it possilbe to connect a USB storage device to the Regular Arlo base station?  I dont want to have to upgrade just for that if that is the only benefit.  It shows how to do this for the Arlo Pro but no the basic Arlo.

thank you

[jguerdat]

Notnatb this time. It's unknown if that capability will ever come out.

[donttrustthem]

You were SOLD a system with written information that the two USB ports were for future feature additions/upgrades.  That has never happened... yet.  It's a bit like being sold a motor vehicle purporting a certain level of emissions only to discover later that the written marketing material supplied to you before you purchased and also came with the product is not correct or is misleading.

Thiis should give all Arlo original base station users rights under consumer laws in their nations.

Whether Netgear will do anything probably depends on an official government department making enquiries on behalf of disgruntled consumers who feel cheated OR a good understanding by the company of what customer service really means and what the true lifetime value of a satisified customer is versus one who is angry and feels deceived.

Could go either way... but the production of the Pro line and equivocal answers (or no official answers) on this user forum would seem to indicate the wait for those USB features could be long indeed.  Corporate reputations are a tenuous thing, often forgotten until consumers bite back or karma catches up.

And yes, I'm still waiting for those USB features.

[TomMac]

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donttrustthem wrote:

And yes, I'm still waiting for those USB features.

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I also have a couple of Arlo bases.... But I don't believe you will see a SW update to make the older bases have local storage.

There were also more hardware changes on the new base ( like processor ) that allows the PRO Base to do so.

[captmullet]

I think if Netgear won't unlock the USB ports on the old Arlo base. Especially since it's unlocked on the new pro system. Netgear should issue current Arlo customers that are on the old platform free base upgrades. Between my initial investment of 4 cameras plus 3 add on cameras, yearly service fee, out door mounts and all of the batteries I have burned up (much sooner than specified) by Netgear. I have seriously invested a lot of time and money into Arlo. And actually fee as a customer I am I tilted to a upgrade.

[captmullet]

Well more news. Not sure if it is good. Your call. After waiting on hold for 10 min to talk to tech support. I ask if the base will be upgraded so we can use the USB ports. I was told they do not know and engeneering was asked to look into it. They later said that their is a lot of current cutomers asking about it so its a priorty. I was then told USB support on the base will not escuse  you from the yearly fee if you have 5 or more cameras. It enables the Arlo system to record multiple cameras at once and reduces lag time. I also asked about my battery life. I was told they are working on a battery pack like the one that is avaliable on the PRO cameras. Looks like you will have to wait. Long story short, is wait and hope they will do the right thing. Enable USB support on the classic Arlo system. Come on Netgear lets release this update. We have sunk a lot of mone into your camer system. I am some what pissed as it is, with the amount of money I have spent on batteries alone. 

[ez5iron]

Still wanting to upgrade to UPS back-up. Understanding cloud still saves 7 days of video. problem my location losses Internet connection and I need to back up to some kind of device. When I bought the unit I was told that U would be available. The standard answer is always we don't know (BS).

You now provide it in the Arlo Pro, all it takes is a firm ware update to allow this function. The base model VMB3000,unit is VMB3010 r2 frimware 1.8.1.1_10234.

[danfernandez]

I was told when I bought my system that having two usb ports it will be able to record on an external drive. If the software is not updated to allow this I'll have o return them. Any news?

ez5iron wrote:

Still wanting to upgrade to UPS back-up. Understanding cloud still saves 7 days of video. problem my location losses Internet connection and I need to back up to some kind of device. When I bought the unit I was told that U would be available. The standard answer is always we don't know (BS).

You now provide it in the Arlo Pro, all it takes is a firm ware update to allow this function. The base model VMB3000,unit is VMB3010 r2 frimware 1.8.1.1_10234.

[jguerdat]

The only Arlo base that supports USB devices for local recording is the Pro base. The original apparently will never have that capability.

[captmullet]

Totally not cool.... But....

As much as I hated doing it. I broke down and purchased Arlo Pro base with one Pro camera a few months ago. I feel like Netgear got it right this time. Battery life is still at 90+ percent on the pro camera. The base station seems to support simultanius recordings from diffrent cameras (I am asuming the local storrage is the sure). I do like the extras the Pro system offers. Just sucks I had to spend another 250.00 to get it. When I already have so much tied up in this regular system. 7 regular cameras and counless battries.... Just hope when the face recognition rolls out for Pro I wont have to upgrade again....

[steve_t]

I have an original base and have two cameras covering my driveway. Each triggers itself and the other camera to record. Both record at the same time, no problem

[captmullet]

good to know. I was having trouble with multiple cameras recording at the same time. Must have been fixed since then. Thank you

[Vz44]

Liked the wireless feature but what a stupid system that cannot record to usb when it is such a basic feature, cant rely on cloud everytime the lag is just not acceptable, this system is going back....

[manfredz]

the Arlo is not ideal for every application, but many of us (most?) users can live without local storage and find cloud storage is ok or even preferalbe since it can be remotely viewed whereas local storage can't/

If local storage is so important to you why did you not buy the Arlo Pro which has both local and cloud storage?

[Vz44]

I already paid $300+ for a 2 cameras and accessories,  If you do little  bit research cameras around $50 can do, usb, nas, and ftp recording but are wired and cloud addition is always an option for them(eg: amcrest etc) , so arlo is already at 6x premium,  what makes you think usb recording is a pro feature and deserves a 10x to 12x premium? pro features would be higher night quality recording, extreme weather endurance etc etc,  There are already other options coming up in market, its time for netgear to learn from various feedback that I have seen about usb recording, shame that they did nothing about it and matter of time for other players to win..

[manfredz]

netgear, like many like almost any producer (just think cars) brings new features in advanced products, but doesnt retrofit them into existing products.

It's a simple fact of life.  And yes others are/will be bringing out battery operated cams which may be better than the Arlo. And if that is the case then Arlo sales will drop.

But the Arlo and Arlo Pro are true and tried systems, not perfect, but its not hard to research a bit and find their strengths and weaknesses because they are widely used.  Be a while before you know as much about the newcomers as you do about the newcomers. 

Keep in mind, unless some makes a major breakthrough battery operated cams will have significant limitations over mains-powered cams by the fact that they are battery operated no matter who brings them out.

[steve_t]

Pro doesn't mean professional. It's just the name for the system that is the evolution of the original Arlo camera system. So whatever you think should and shouldn't be a "Pro feature" is irrelevant. If you did a 'little bit of resesarch' around other cameras eg Amcrest, why didn't you do the research for Arlo with it being fairly clear that USB recording functionality is only available on the Arlo Pro base station?

Wireless solutions are always going to be a compromise due to running off batteries. A wired system will always be better, except when people have specific needs like not drilling into their homes or wanting something that integrates easily with other smart home automation systems eg Smartthings

[Vz44]

when you move from one camera to other, you expect the basic features like usb or local recording to exist, in addition to what is the only thing printed on the box "7 days of free recording" , If that is the case, then just print on the box " No USB or Local recording" ,  Also if Pro doesn't mean professional then print it on the box clearly and explain clearly how the modeles compare to each other on the box.

Also do some research on how many users are surprised to find that usb recording doesn't exist in the Arlo forum or are still trying to figure out. 

What is more surprising is how many folks are trying to defend that they should have known or is not required or is some superior feature, It just takes 1 line to print on the box(No Local Recording of any form supported), folks who dont like it wont even take home.

[manfredz]

expecting a manufacturer to list things that their product wont do is kind of silly.

Consumer research is still the way to go.

[steve_t]

If every suggestion/demand of what should be written on the box was taken from the forum and written on the box, the entire instruction manual and website would be printed on it

[teachingit]

I am in full agreement with those who have expressed dissapointment with the lack of support for the original base station in regards to the exisitng USB ports. Those ports were placed there for a reason and as many have said, NETGEAR alledgedly advertised them as "furure enhancements". How are we, as consumers supposed to have the confidence to purchase NETGEAR next generation of ARLO system, after the company ignores the multitude of customers who ask for the basic enhancement which was taunted during when the original station was offered?

[steve_t]

But they never promised the 'future enhancements' would equal USB storage...

In saying that, I haven't seen any future enhancements at all either

[manfredz]

would make interesting complaint to BBB:   the product doesn't have a feature that was never promised.  duhhh.

[bhusband]

I would like usb storage on my Arlo basestation or be able to use Google drive or some other cloud storage. Does anyone know of any good workaround?

[manfredz]

unless you have an Arlo Pro base station you're not going to use local usb storage.

A while back, someone posted a script that will download all of a day's cloud storage to a local drive.  you can schedule to run hourly or at other intervals.