MANY SHADES OF GREY...ON TWO ARLO SYSTEMS!

[Needhelpplz]

I have two VMB3030 ARLO systems...one at my home, one at my parents' home. My system has 8 cameras, my parents' system has 5.

Both systems are having "Shades of Grey" issues...both are displaying grey screens with the Play icon...on different cameras at different times in the Devices screen!  None of these grey screens appear in the Libraries.

BOTH systems :

1. have current ARLO SECURE subscriptions, updated hardware and firmware, and are accessed via my personal HP computer with Windows 10, which has also been recently updated.

2. have ALL CAMERAS ARMED, no schedules

3. are PAIRED with their respective Base Stations

4. show ONLY ZONE 1 in the Video Settings

5. have BATTERIES GREATER THAN 50%

6. have BASE STATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN REBOOTED numerous times, both remotely and on-site ... with grey screens appearing on some cameras on the Devices screen... BUT not always the same camera(s)

7. have "If motion detected..."  "Record video for 30 seconds" and no push notifications

8. will show a picture on the Devices menu when a "Manual Picture" is taken...which appears in "Library"

9. will show a picture on the Devices menu when the PLAY button is pressed, followed by the second button on the bottom of the screen (to the right of the magnifying glass icon)...but no recording seems to be taking place...and nothing shows up in "Library"

10. were working well up until about a week ago.

How do you fix this?

Needhelpplz

[StephenB]

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@Needhelpplz wrote:

9. will show a picture on the Devices menu when the PLAY button is pressed, followed by the second button on the bottom of the screen (to the right of the magnifying glass icon)...but no recording seems to be taking place...and nothing shows up in "Library"

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Pressing the PLAY button will live stream the camera.  You should then see a record icon in the bottom center of the image (looke like a bullseye target).  Press on that, and you should be making a manual recording.  The dot in the middle of the target should turn red.  Press the target again to end the recording.

Let us know if that works (and shows up in "Library").

[Needhelpplz]

Several weeks ago, I wrote about the grey screens appearing on two separate ARLO systems.

While that problem resolved on it's own (apparently), SHADES OF GREY have returned on one of the systems.  (5 VMC 3030 cameras, updated hardware & software, accessed via an HP computer using updated Windows 10). This re-occurrence started yesterday  morning.

Interestingly, I had just taken "Manual Pics" on each of the four cameras that, after logging-off and logging back in a short time later, have now turned grey. (The 5th camera in the system did not have a "Manual Pic", and is displaying a camera view). Is there an issue with the "Manual Pics"?

To try to troubleshoot this returning SHADES OF GREY issue:

1.  I restarted the Base Station numerous times...it did not bring back the 4 greyed-out cameras. 

2. I checked...all cameras are paired with the Base.

3. I checked...all cameras are ARMED,  with no special schedules.

4. I checked...all cameras have "when motion is detected at 95%...record for 30 seconds". No push                    notifications.

In spite of my efforts, the 4 cameras, previously all "Manual Pics", are still GREY!

How do you fix the 4 greyed-out cameras so they work correctly, again?

Thanks,

Needhelpplz

[Needhelpplz]

Yes, both systems can make a manual recording as per your instructions.  But that does not address the grey screens issue.  

Thanks.

[jguerdat]

Can you move a camera into a different, well-lit area and test again?

[Needhelpplz]

Hi... I did that...still getting grey screens. 

THIS SEEMS TO BE RELATED TO TAKING A MANUAL SINGLE SHOT PICTURE (NOT A MANUAL VIDEO) ...THEN LEAVING THE DEVICES SCREEN (EITHER BY VISITING THE LIBRARY, MODE, SETTINGS OR LOGGING OFF).

WHEN I RETURN TO THE DEVICES SCREEN, THE CAMERA THAT I TOOK THE MANUAL SINGLE SHOT PICTURE  IS GREY with a Play icon in the center.

DOES THIS GIVE YOU ANY IDEAS ON WHAT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE MANUAL SINGLE SHOT PICTURE AND A GREY SCREEN MAY BE?

I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR HELP!

NEEDHELPPLZ

[jguerdat]

My guess would be that initially the camera thought there was low light so used night vision to capture the snapshot. That's why the thumbnail in Devices was also gray. Do videos start out with a gray screen and then switch to color where it remains until the end of the video?

[Needhelpplz]

Thanks for replying so quickly, jguerdat!

There were NO RECORDINGS since 4:16 pm EST on July 31,2023.

When I click on the Play icon triangle in the center of the grey screen, it prompts me to "please wait" and then a color camera view appears, with a mini toolbar on the bottom that has (from left to right) the zoom button to enlarge a portion of the playback screen, a single circle button, a target-like icon used for manual videos, a camera icon used for the single manual pictures and the diagonal arrows to enlarge the screen.

If you can give me an private mail address, I CAN email SCREEN PRINTS OF THIS.

Needhelpplz

[jguerdat]

It seems like the camera is operating properly. However, have you checked your active mode to ensure it's not somehow disarmed?

[Needhelpplz]

All of my devices are ARMED...can you tell me how to check for "Active" mode?

[jguerdat]

That depends - I'd think you would use the Mode tab, click on your base and see what mode is selected. There's also a different, new user interface that uses Feed to view videos instead of Library. In that case, use Dashboard to check.

[Needhelpplz]

Update:  I left Devices , clicked on Mode, then ARM ALL DEVICES...green banner across screen says "All Devices are armed"...

Interestingly, when I left the Mode screen and returned to the Devices screen, two other cameras, with previously color thumbnails, are now grayed out, with a play icon in the center.

It is 10:37 AM EST on a sunny day. These new grey screens are cameras at my side door and backyard...in daylight.  

Does that help?

Screen prints available.

Thanks,

Needhelpplz

[StephenB]

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@Needhelpplz wrote:

Interestingly, when I left the Mode screen and returned to the Devices screen, two other cameras, with previously color thumbnails, are now grayed out, with a play icon in the center.

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What happens if you press the play icon?

[Needhelpplz]

When I press the PLAY icon on the solid gray screen, the color thumbnail returns.  

[StephenB]

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@Needhelpplz wrote:

When I press the PLAY icon on the solid gray screen, the color thumbnail returns.  

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So basically the app is sometimes showing a solid gray thumbnail, but the cameras appear to be working fine.  Correct?

[Needhelpplz]

Just wondering...Is this "Shades of Grey" screen issue related to the " Camera Sensitivity/Record Time adjustments reverting back to original settings" issue I have also recently brought to ARLO's attention?

Thanks,

Needhelpplz

[Needhelpplz]

Yes

[StephenB]

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@Needhelpplz wrote:

Just wondering...Is this "Shades of Grey" screen issue related to the " Camera Sensitivity/Record Time adjustments reverting back to original settings" issue I have also recently brought to ARLO's attention?

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No idea.  

FWIW, there have been issues with the thumbnails before, but usually it's been the system showing an old thumbnail (instead of the most recent), not solid gray.

While it is annoying, personally I wouldn't find it to be a showstopper.  The thumbnail is normally taken from the most recent motion recording (or most recent livestream).  Which could be hours or even days ago.

It'd be useful to know if this is an app startup issue.  Now that you've worked around it (pressing play), stay logged into the app, and see if it recurs (or if it only happens when you log in again).

[Needhelpplz]

I appreciate your suggestions, but this is more than just an inconvenience... and more than just a log-in issue.

I have stayed logged in... as you suggested... for more than two hours. All cameras are on-line. 

1. In that time. I have had TWO cameras go from clear thumbnail images to grey when I toggled from DEVICES to MODE and back to DEVICES

2. I still can not change MODE camera sensitivity and/or record times without the settings reverting back to the settings I started with.

3. Although the cameras ARE online, over the past several weeks, I have not received recordings for 15+ hours...in high traffic areas..in cameras that are in daylight....or overnight.

I have been a loyal ARLO client since 2015...but this system is less and less reliable.

Can anyone solve these problems?

Thanks,

Needhelpplz

[StephenB]

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@Needhelpplz wrote:

I appreciate your suggestions, but this is more than just an inconvenience... and more than just a log-in issue.

2. I still can not change MODE camera sensitivity and/or record times without the settings reverting back to the settings I started with.

3. Although the cameras ARE online, over the past several weeks, I have not received recordings for 15+ hours...in high traffic areas..in cameras that are in daylight....or overnight.

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These two issues are of course are major.  I was only talking about the gray thumbnail component, which is cleared by simply livestreaming the camera for a second or two when it shows up.

Have you tried phone support?

[Needhelpplz]

I appreciate your suggestion...You GURU's have always been my "first line of defense" ! 

Please refer my case to a technical support person and have them reach out to me via the email address in my ARLO account.

I have composed a day's worth of screen prints and explanatory text, illustrating the issues we have touched upon. Sharing this written information with technical staff may be a more expeditious way to find the solutions to these problems.

As they say,  "SEEING IS BELIEVING"... and phone support will not have the benefit of doing so.

Thanks,

Needhelpplz... a lot of help!

[StephenB]

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@Needhelpplz wrote:

Please refer my case to a technical support person and have them reach out to me via the email address in my ARLO account.

We don't have any special access to Arlo Support.

I'm tagging the two mods ( @JamesC and @ShayneS ) , who do.

[Needhelpplz]

Hi StephenB:

Thanks for the tags to contact those who can refer me to Technical Support. I tried to use the first one...wrote an email to him...tried to send it...  got this message:

Correct the highlighted errors and try again.

• Your post has been changed because invalid HTML was found in the message body. The invalid HTML has been removed. Please review the message and send the message when you are satisfied.

I searched for highlighted errors...there are none.  I tried to re-send a number of times and can't...this same message keeps coming up.  What am I doing wrong?   Thanks,  Needhelpplz

[StephenB]

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@Needhelpplz wrote:

Thanks for the tags to contact those who can refer me to Technical Support. I tried to use the first one...wrote an email to him...tried to send it...  got this message:

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I am thinking you meant a private message (PM) - is that correct?

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@Needhelpplz wrote:

Correct the highlighted errors and try again.

• Your post has been changed because invalid HTML was found in the message body. The invalid HTML has been removed. Please review the message and send the message when you are satisfied.

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 Are you doing any unusual formatting?   Does the version with "invalid HTML" look any different than what you are trying to send?

[Needhelpplz]

Yes, I did mean Private Message.

Am not using any special formatting...the text did not look different.

WANT TO TOUCH BASE WITH SOMEONE SOON...

Have not had ARLO recordings on either of my two systems for two days...lots of grey screens, SOME seemingly caused by Manual Pics and/or Manual Videos...inability to edit Motion Sensitivity but CAN edit Recording time...etc.

Have documented "blow by blow" online sessions with screen prints and explanatory text for past 3 days.

Waiting to see if I get any recordings by the end of the day, at either location.

Will try to send PM  to James C/Shayne S. later.

Thanks again,

Needhelpplz