VMB3010r2 Base Station Adding Local Storage

[TheRealJGreene]

As I'm sure a lot of people will be doing, I want to enable local storage on my base station.  I've inserted the USB stick...went to the app and online...there is no setting for local storage as described.  Where is this at?  Don't say follow the instructions online...because that's what I am doing and there is NO setting for this.  I am not paying $20 a month for cloud storage when I can provide my own.

[StephenB]

The VMB3010 base doesn't have any storage features.  (No idea why it has USB ports).  Note this article does NOT list the VMB3xxx bases:

• https://kb.arlo.com/1146857/How-do-I-set-up-local-storage-backups-using-my-Arlo-SmartHub-or-Base-Sta...

If you want local recordings for backup, and are ok with moving the storage to a PC for viewing, then you can use either a VMB4000 or a VMB4500.

If you are wanting to see recordings in the app, then you need either a VMB4540 or a VMB5000 smarthub

• https://kb.arlo.com/000062337/What-is-Direct-Storage-Access-and-how-do-I-use-it

[TheRealJGreene]

After further digging, although some web results give the allusion that local storage is possible...I found quite a few arlo discussions about the two usb ports and not being activated even though they were touted as a future enhancement as a selling feature.  That's rather crappy.  And not very eco conscious as that means all this stuff is basically trash unless you pay hundreds to upgrade...when they still function adequately.  Anyways....thanks for the "info".  I figured out how to cancel the subscription.

[StephenB]

---

@TheRealJGreene wrote:

I found quite a few arlo discussions about the two usb ports and not being activated even though they were touted as a future enhancement as a selling feature.  

---

I don't recall Arlo saying that, but I think there must have been some thinking along those lines - otherwise, why include the USB ports.

They took a different course by switching to the VMB4000 base a long time ago now.  I think that was back in 2017.

[TheRealJGreene]

So.  I guess my question then would be this.  Instead of replacing all 7 cameras, I could just replace the base to accommodate the ability of having local storage.  Say, a VMB4540 or VMB5000.  Does local storage save all cameras?  Does local storage require a subscription? Without a subscription, what limitations are there with the app and having 7 cameras?  I've tried finding out by searching online, but I either get conflicting info or not enough. 

[TheRealJGreene]

Also...I've read somewhere that the new app update doesn't allow seeing local storage recordings unless you pay for a subscription.  So, is this true?  If I replaced the base with one that has local storage capability I'd still need a subscription to view the local storage?

[Edinburgh_lad1]

Local storage is (still) free (though you never know with Arlo what they'll start charging for next). The limitation of 7 cameras (Arlo HD, Pro, Pro 2 and a couple of others) is that you won't be able to access the cloud with free 7 day recordings. So, to do that, you'd need to reduce the number of cameras to 5. 

If you use two smarthubs, you'll be able to access local storage, but this will be for each hub separately, depending on which cameras connect to which. I don't know, though, if within the app, they'll now show as all in Feed/Library so someone with two hubs can confirm that.

[jguerdat]

---

@StephenB wrote:

---

@TheRealJGreene wrote:

I found quite a few arlo discussions about the two usb ports and not being activated even though they were touted as a future enhancement as a selling feature.  

---

I don't recall Arlo saying that, but I think there must have been some thinking along those lines - otherwise, why include the USB ports.

---

That was stated many years ago in these forums. Us old-timers had many a conversation about them and the lack of utility. I seem to recall that some folks managed to use them for power but that's about it.

[StephenB]

---

@TheRealJGreene wrote:

So.  I guess my question then would be this.  Instead of replacing all 7 cameras, I could just replace the base to accommodate the ability of having local storage.  Say, a VMB4540 or VMB5000.  Does local storage save all cameras?  

---

To start with, Arlo still provides 7-day free storage for your cameras - with an account limit of 5 unsubscribed cameras per account.

So you could purchase a second base, and shift some cameras to it (at least two).  Set that up in a separate account, and then share the cameras to the main account using the friend feature.  If you do this, then you'd get the free cloud storage for your cameras without needing to worry about local storage.  (You could of course set up local storage as well).

The downside here is that you would need to migrate your existing account to "Feed", since new accounts are all set up for "Feed".  You'd see two locations in the app - one for each base.  You wouldn't be able to see all the cameras on one screen.  Note (as stated below), local recordings from the cameras in the new account would only be accessible from that account.  But with 7-day free cloud storage, those recordings would only be backup.

Local storage does not require a subscription.  The base stores the recordings from all the cameras paired to that base.

---

@TheRealJGreene wrote:

Without a subscription, what limitations are there with the app and having 7 cameras?  I've tried finding out by searching online, but I either get conflicting info or not enough. 

---

Likely you didn't look here, as I've posted these limitations many times.

Limitations with local storage are

• recordings are only available in from the app (not the browser)
• recordings are only available from the primary account (not friend accounts).
• there are no thumbnails - a recording needs to be downloaded to your phone before you see anything.
• there is no way to make a local manual recording or snapshot. 
• remote access requires router setting changes that many find difficult, and which do not work with some internet service providers.

Of course there are other subscription features that you would lose. 

• Activity zones when running on battery or solar power
• Smart notifications

[TheRealJGreene]

Good points.  I bought the VMB4500 base station.  It says it has local storage capability and a siren.

I don't know what you mean by changing an account to a "Feed" account.  I don't see a setting for that.  But, I do have a question about setting up a second account.  It doesn't look like the app allows for signing on to different accounts.  The only thing I do see is the ability to add a second location.  Or are you talking about setting up a second account that I would access via the web and not through an app?

And for local storage.  Are saying that I would only be able to see those recordings by using the app?  I can't use the my.arlo.com web login to view them?

This is why I don't like subscription services.  Everything is limited and made impossible unless you pay a monthly fee.

[StephenB]

---

@TheRealJGreene  wrote:

Good points. I bought the VMB4500 base station. It says it has local storage capability and a siren.

---

As I said above

 If you are wanting to see recordings in the app, then you need either a VMB4540 or a VMB5000 smarthub

These are the only hubs that support playback of local recordings. The VMB4500 you purchased supports recording , but NOT playback . The ONLY way to see the recordings is to eject the storage using the app, and then move it to a PC. Browse for recordings with file explorer (or the Mac equivalent).

---

@TheRealJGreene  wrote:

And for local storage. Are you saying that I would only be able to see those recordings by using the app? I can't use the my.arlo.com web login to view them?

---

Correct. As I said above, the playback features in the VMB4540 and VMB5000 are only available in the app.

[jguerdat]

The VMB4500 base does have local storage capability but you can't use the app to actually see what was recorded. You'd have to eject the drive for viewing on a computer. Only the SmartHubs, VMB4540 and 5000, have support for directly viewing local recordings. The web client has no ability to view those recordings even if you had a SmartHub.

Do you use Library to see your recordings of Feed? I'm not clear as to which one you use but the app supports both versions. It appears you use Library. In either case, you can create a second account to set up another system and then share the cameras to your original account but both accounts have to show Feed (since the new account automatically gets the Feed interface) so you'd still need to migrate the original account to make things work. To do this, just choose to install a Pro 5, even though you don't have one. The first step is to migrate to Feed after which you can just back out of the bogus install. That presents its own challenges since you will need to not only get used to how things look and where anything is but you would lose any custom modes and would need to use the 3 default modes to do what you need. I'd also check all modes for proper rules as well as any schedules and/or geofencing.

[StephenB]

---

@TheRealJGreene wrote:

I don't know what you mean by changing an account to a "Feed" account.  I don't see a setting for that.  But, I do have a question about setting up a second account.  It doesn't look like the app allows for signing on to different accounts.  The only thing I do see is the ability to add a second location.  Or are you talking about setting up a second account that I would access via the web and not through an app?

The current app supports two very different interfaces.  The older one shows "Library" in the app menu, the new one instead shows "Feed" and "Dashboard".   Arlo is slowly migrating users from "Library" to "Feed".

Which one are you seeing? 

---

@TheRealJGreene wrote:

It doesn't look like the app allows for signing on to different accounts.  

---

There is a "friend" account feature that lets you share access to the cameras with another account.

[TheRealJGreene]

Sorry.  I did re-read what you wrote and you did say that.  I am finding a lot more where instances of where I do online searches for things (as when I did looking for the one to buy) that this Meta AI thing is giving me wrong information/mixed information and results.  So, I did get a little confused when I started looking to buy a different base by using search results.  Lesson learned (at least for now).  But, I think that I am still satisfied (at the moment) with the one that I ordered with the exception of having to eject the memory stick to view on the computer.

[TheRealJGreene]

Ok.  So the app updated recently.  So things are a little different than they had been.  The only thing I am currently seeing is a button for Feed.  I do not see a library option.  At the bottom of the app it has Dashboard, Feed, Emergency, Devices and Routines.  I've clicked through all of those and I don't see anything labeled Library.  I do have a subscription Arlo Secure Multi-Camera Plan (I think I saw where my plan has been labeled as a legacy plan)...but maybe it's not a premium subscription and possibly Library is only available to those?

The base station I ordered should be here within a week or so, maybe when I am able to start putting that together using what you guys are telling me I will have a better grasp of what I should be seeing.

[StephenB]

---

@TheRealJGreene wrote:

Ok.  So the app updated recently.  So things are a little different than they had been.  The only thing I am currently seeing is a button for Feed.  I do not see a library option.  At the bottom of the app it has Dashboard, Feed, Emergency, Devices and Routines.  I've clicked through all of those and I don't see anything labeled Library. 

---

"Feed" is the new "Library" - your recordings should all be in the Feed.