Integration of Arlo pro2 to Smarthings - Camera quit triggering to record when ST sends Capture

[RobMo150]

I had this working for a couple of years where I've integrated a driveway sensor to a open/close ST's sensor.   When someone came down the driveway, it triggered the open/close sensor which in turn fired off a custom rule in ST to start 2 cameras recording for 1 minute.    Worked great  UNTIL 2 weeks ago.   No changes were made by me.  I don't know of ST or Arlo updated anything.    I've restarted, rebuilt, deleted rules, added new rules, nothing.   I can see in the ST app for the camera that a "sent Capture Command to porch camera" was sent.   But the camera doesn't do anything.   I've had it in disabled mode, ST mode, armed (on arlo).    Was there an update from either company that might have screwed up this integration?   I can manually trigger the camera in ST to record, but not by a rule.    This really stinks because this was a great security feature.   If I can't find a solution I'll have to rethink my whole setup.     Thanks for any advice.    I did search and went thru this thread just to make sure I didn't miss anyting.

https://community.arlo.com/t5/Arlo/Record-without-motion-Smartthings-Arlo/m-p/1531162#M50207

[Vangroovysvt]

I just tried an Arlo online chat session. They were not much help. Gave me the standard "do this -- do that". 

The rep seemed to think Arlo is working as the base unit records its own camera's sensor triggers. Use of other trigger devices must be the device maker's problems.  For any integration issues they simply suggested I contact Smartthings or IFTTT. 

I also asked if the firmware can be manually downgraded to the previous firmware version. The answer was no.

It's a shame. Arlo worked really well for me until the current firmware. I guess the search for new cams begins as it has been a month with seemingly no fix in the works.

[rscott09]

Spent all morning looking at this problem again and found out that if you enable a CVR subscription on a camera then the Smartthings sensors trigger a Arlo Video Capture on that camera.  Moved the CVR subscription around using different Arlo Pro Cameras and each camera was triggered by Smartthings sensors as long as a CVR subscription was associated with the camera.  So I then used the Smartthings debug screen and could see that there was a successful exchange of camera capture commands going to Arlo with a verification from Arlo about 2 minutes later that the video clip was captured.  Removed the CVR subscription from the camera and there was not a return from Arlo to Smartthings that the video clip was captured.  I sent this info today to the Arlo rep that is working on my case file.  I told him I have a Smartthings debug printout that shows when the Smartthings triggers work and when they don't and how they are affected by the CVR subscription.  I certainly hope that Arlo will honor the Smartthings Arlo interface that has worked without any kind of subscription so we have to continue to ask them to fix this for us. 

[Mavrrick]

The more i think about it, I think this is related to the arlo pro 3 and the fact they made it compatible with our base station but it doesn't get the free week of recordings. By getting a paid service you may be enabling it because now are working like the pro 3 wants to.

This would also mean the problem isn't universal and only effects us that aren't subscribed.

Has anyone tested this with arlo smart?

[gabrielst]

Mate, you are a hero!

[Gron]

Wow that is some A Grade sleuthing! All making sense, hard to believe Arlo doesn't know about this issue

[Mavrrick]

My guess would be if i am right they do already know. They are just trying to decide how to fix it and not create a legal problem. Plus what incentive do they have to fix it for us non subscribed customers if it is related to the new camera that requires a subscription.

[Mistersandman]

Someone on the smartthings forum said to try deleting the smartthings mode on the Arlo base and set it to armed. Any chance someone has tried that?

[Gron]

apart from breaking promises to clients? I would go out of business if I did that. Yes I know they are looking after their money stream but this would be deal creep. 

[Gron]

yup it just works as normal, no integration from ST or IFTTT

[Vangroovysvt]

Tried but didn't work for me.

[Vangroovysvt]

For fun I looked at the product pages. I don't know if it had it on the webpage prior but there is no reference to "works with SmartThings or IFTTT." anymore.

[Gron]

Yes they have deleted that! 

Also no references to Arlo Pro 2 cameras any more

https://kb.arlo.com/1131587/What-is-Samsung-SmartThings-and-how-do-I-use-it-with-my-Arlo-cameras

[Charbo26]

Found this page. Still references ifttt and that Pro2 gets 7 days of rolling recordings.

https://kb.arlo.com/000062163/Where-is-the-Basic-Subscription-plan

[Charbo26]

Curious if the 5000 base supports the Pro/Pro2 camera. They just had a firmware update last week for Pro3 compatability and am wondering if they have the same pro/Pro2 recording issues. I had thought this issue was only on the 4000 base.

[ShayneS]

If you are still experiencing this issue, please reach out to the SmartThings support team for further assistance.

[Mistersandman]

So the blame game begins. I warned about this happening weeks ago. Each manufacturer is going to blame the other. In the end we (The customers) lose.

[Vangroovysvt]

41183067

We have been waiting a month. Still no fix. Simply fix what was botched with the update or give us the option to roll back the firmware. You have a number of very angry customers and this is a safety issue for many.

[Charbo26]

Maverick, for the record I just signed up for the free month trial of Arlo Smart Premier. I changed nothing else and still am not able to get recordings triggered as mentioned in previous post. Played around with some of the settings but still no recordings.

[Gron]

Hi ShaneS, I would say this is an Arlo issue. Unless both IFTTT and Smartthings broke on the same day as the app was updated. If that is the case then maybe I will buy a lotto ticket. Outlandish odds can happen right?

[fishwteeth]

@ShayneS that's not acceptable. I'm calling Arlo tomorrow. We know it was an Arlo update, not ST or IFTTT.

[Charbo26]

Can anyone confirm if they are using a VMB 3500 base and still having this issue? Thought about just buying one from Amazon just to see if it fixes our problem.

[rscott09]

Update to my earlier post.  This temporary fix by adding a CVR subscription to an Arlo Pro Camera so that SmartThings triggers a Arlo video capture using a Smart Home Monitor rule is still working nicely. I have noticed that after 5:00pm the Arlo videos have a date time that is one day ahead in the Arlo library, another bug. I just tried an IFTTT trigger to capture an Arlo clip using a SmartThings sensor and that now works.  So this is a temporary work around and not the final solution that we want. It also costs extra to get this CVR feature so I will only be using this until hopefully a software or firmware fix is provided by Arlo.

[rscott09]

Thanks Charbo26 for trying an alternate subscription.  I was hoping that might work. Did you try deleting the SmartThings Arlo Connect device driver and reinstall. A reinstall will reauthorize your SmartThings account with Arlo. BTW, the Arlo CVR subscription seems to be prorated so you could try that like I did for a couple of days and cancel when you don’t need the SmartThings sensor triggers.

[Charbo26]

thanks for the suggestions. I tried deleting and re-adding Arlo in smartthings and then reconnecting cameras, still no luck. How did you do the CVR subscription? When I go in to subscribtions I only have 3 options Arlo Smart, Arlo smart premier, and Arlo art elite. Not sure where I can even add CVR. Curious if it's different than just Arlo smart which is a $3 per camera per month subscription.

Edit: nevermind, realized CVR is not available for Arlo Pro cameras, only Pro2 and Pro3

[rscott09]

Sorry, forgot that the CVR subscription is only for Pro2 and Pro3 cameras.