New User - HELP! I don't know what I need to purchase!

[mrslady]

I like the features of the Arlo products and it seems like the right things for me. I just don't really understand the differences between the products and I would like someone to tell me what exactly I need to buy. Money is not an issue with this, I need to be secure in my home.

I need 3 indoor cameras. One room power plug is not an issue but the other two may be an issue. If I use two different types of Arlo cameras (ie: one indoor/wired camera and two wireless cameras) will they both be available to be viewed from the same app/cloud?

I need to view all the cameras from my phone with cloud storage. I have no problem subscribing for this.

I need to also locally record all video. It seems like some of the cameras come with a hub and some don't. Does the hub connect to all cameras? Does it then have the ability to be locally saving all video, or does each camera need its own hub/local drive to save? How much time do you think a 1tb card would save?

I would like to be able to disarm cameras once I am home. Do all cameras have the ability to be disarmed?

How long are clips? Is the recording only triggered by movement?

Thank you in advance for any help you can give me! I would have loved to have called someone from the company to discuss options so that I am sure to purchase the most appropriate items for my situation so I hope that this is the correct place.

[StephenB]

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@mrslady wrote:

If I use two different types of Arlo cameras (ie: one indoor/wired camera and two wireless cameras) will they both be available to be viewed from the same app/cloud?

Yes.

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@mrslady wrote:

Does the hub connect to all cameras? Does it then have the ability to be locally saving all video, or does each camera need its own hub/local drive to save?

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Likely you'd want one of the smarthubs (VMB4540 or VMB5000).  One uses USB storage, the other users microSD.  The VMB4540 is somewhat cheaper.

The compatibility list for cameras is here:

• https://kb.arlo.com/000062284/Arlo-SmartHub-and-Base-Station-Compatibility 

You can connect all your cameras to a single smarthub.  That does assume that the closed wifi from the smarthub can reach all three cameras.

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@mrslady wrote:

How much time do you think a 1tb card would save?

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A lot.  I use 128 GB, and see no need for more than that.  Most Arlo cameras generate about 2 megabits per second of recording.  128 GB should hold about 140 hours with of footage at that data rate.

There have been compatibility issues reported here with 1 TB microSD cards, so I wouldn't go over 512 GB if you get the VMB5000.  I'd also pair the VMB4540 with a thumb drive, which is more convenient than an SSD or mechanical disk.

Also get a mainstream brand.  Some of the off-brand cards and USB sticks are scams, and don't hold the storage they claim.

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@mrslady wrote:

Do all cameras have the ability to be disarmed?

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Yes.  That can be done manually, or on a schedule.  There is a geofencing feature that can arm them automatically when you leave home - though reports here suggest that is not as reliable as it should be.

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@mrslady wrote:

How long are clips?

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The default is 10 seconds.  You can adjust that to a longer fixed recording time, or also "until motion stops".  That last option will time out after 5 minutes (even if motion is continuing).

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@mrslady wrote:

Is the recording only triggered by movement?

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The outdoor models use passive infrared (PIR) sensors to detect motion.  The Essential Indoor adds image processing in addition to the PIR sensor (which it can do because it is always powered).

Some models (not all) can also trigger recordings on sound.  If you need that, check out the camera datasheet before purchase, to make sure it offers sound detection.

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@mrslady wrote:

I need to be secure in my home.

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You might also want to look into the new home security system.  That includes sensors you can put on doors or windows to detect when they are opened/closed.