Fun fact: Even if you have a SmartHub connected to your Arlo for local storage, if you don't pay for a Smart plan, they lower your bitrate in recordings
One question, when you uses your local storage on the Smarthub, the notifications comes even quick (then when you are using the Cloud) and can you see your movies immediately when you click on them on your GSM ? Do you have a preview-shot of the motion ? Thx.
Which is ridiculous since local storage should be able to support faster bitrates. Plus you lose smart notifications without the cloud. They are doing that to force you into a subscription.
Thanks for posting this. Due to Arlo's new EOL policy, I reached out to them to get some info on the different options and they would only direct me to India chat personnel. I told the chat guy to tell his superiors that after 10 years of a trouble free Arlo expereince, I am leaving them behind. Because of stories like yours and poor customer service. Think I'll go back to wired as well.
I just received an email from Arlo saying they will no longer be supporting/updating the model I have as of April 2023. I just purchased them in 2018 and now they are going to have limited functionality!!! There was no offer to turn them in for a credit, or get discounted price to upgrade to the newer models. I've subscribed to their annual plan for several years now, and I have a lot of their products. Looking at alternatives now since they clearly have zero value for their loyal customers.
OMG man this is almost EXACTLY 100% what we have been and are going through!!! Not trying to start a bunch of stuff here, but I would NEVER tell anyone to give Arlo a penny. I can t wait until we can afford to get away from that company. Just got our "Ultra" base station for another $99 bucks!!! Yay! I really can not express my frustration enough with this company, these cameras, and the YEARS of issues we have had. Pay us a arm and leg for a product that dose not work, you can not get help with, and were gonna box you into a monthly plan for all that expensive equipment you have bought (THAT NEVER WORKS) and keep putting the nails to ya. THAT is my experience with Arlo.
Hello there.. I'm shopping for cameras now I was looking at Best buy with Arlos new ones. But from what you are saying about them. You think getting a hardwired sets are best?
I have 10 Arlos and they are constantly failing, I have to press play on each one of them every freaking day otherwise they will stop recording, one of them was presenting a green image at all times and I had to returned. I think that I will need to replace this for a wire system and keep the Arlos. For Interior if they are still working by that time. Not happy with the freaking Arlo
Arlo is not good you can get a wireless no cords from the company ADT their new cameras set up is called the ADT command that is totally wireless that is what I have and I'm only paying $20 per month however I did have to do a three-year contract
I have one Arlo camera which I bought for evaluation purposes, and have been considering purchasing a number of the Arlo Pro 5, which looks like a great camera and meets my particular functional requirements. However, I am still dithering, because of the business model, including subscriptions, customer support accessibility etc. Alternatively, I like the look of eufy's local storage philosophy, but am put off because of security concerns and (during my testing) less impressive video quality. At this rate, I'm going to end up buying cameras that I isolate on their own network so that they cannot send stuff to the cloud (or to China), set up my own local storage, use a third-party tool for visual recognition of people, animals etc., and wrap it all up in Home Assistant which I use for automation. That's a lot of effort on my part, for something that a trustworthy company should be able to provide without customers getting dragged into the consequences of customer-unfriendly business models
Thanks for posting this. I have been buying(upgrading) Arlo cameras for years. Didn't read the fine print on these Arlo 4s about the subscription. It pisses me off that I have to purchase a subscription to use the more than $1000 worth of cameras that I purchased from Arlo!! If they were still under warranty, I would take them back and go old school on them with a dedicated camera system. I say we boycott those itches until they come up with a solution that could use local storage again!!!
I've bought an Arlo doorbell camera and have been relatively pleased with it. I don't subscribe to their plan and have also noticed the lag in connecting when motion is detected. Seeing that they are using this so called End of Life tactic to force users to upgrade has made me and probably many others drop Arlo products for future considerations. This is a bad business move on their part.
I went to a lot of trouble to install 5 Arlo cameras. I did a lot of custom work in the installations. Now I am forced to rip all that custom work out and start over due to Arlo’s bait and switch subscription model. I am shopping around for a different brand of security Cameras that use an NVR, no cloud, ability to access from the internet, and internet notifications. I operate web servers from my basement, so it seems like such a thing could be possible. I don’t want to stay with a company like a Arlo, that uses a bait and switch business model. Who knows what scam they will pull next. They may not be done with implementation of predatory practices.
I have Arlo Pros all around my property. The driveway camera was aimed where it could see my daughter's car on the street. One morning, an hour after she parked out front, her car was stolen. There was a skip in the video. We could see her park the car in her usual spot out front. Approximately 20 min of tape is missing. The next video shows her car just gone. We kept rewinding thinking we missed something. Somehow the camera did not pick up who took the car nor them leaving with the car. I'm looking to get new cameras now.
Thieves that are serious use electronic frequency jammers. They can be across the street or even down the block when they turn it on. It will jam wireless systems and even key fobs. Your system was rendered useless for the time it took to steal the car. So just be aware that any wireless system will fail when a jammer is used. I will also be switching to a wired multi camera system with local storage. Be safe.
@@Explore-Gobal I purchased an Arlo Ultra 2 system but amd returning it unoponed because of its system limitation, specially when using local storage. WifI jamming is not unique to theirs but just another reason to go wired. Of course a CAT5 cable can be snipped in three seconds. Sigh!
I think this just happened to us. Our neighbors truck was stolen. My cameras were definitely in position to record information. Checked my Arlo App, nothing. No recordings. How could that be? Now I know. I think they used a jammer. Goodbye Arlo.
@@JohnSmith-zi9or It's the same for ALL wireless cameras not just Arlo. No matter which brand the jammer will not be able to record if jammer is used.
I just returned a Eufy doorbell because it would not detect people walking up to the door. Oddly it did alert every time a car passed by our house on the road 30 feet away. Dealing with customer service was awful. All the email responses seemed to be from bad AI. So I’m now back in the doorbell cam market.
I was a victim, er, customer of Arlo. I purchased a 6-cam system (4 wireless with a hub, 2 indoor plug-ins) that promised certain features and certain cloud access. I set the system up the way I wanted and enjoyed it for the less-than-perfect compromise that it is. They served their function adequately... until they did not. Over the years, Arlo changed, then reduced functionality. Technically, I still have a functioning security cam setup. However, it is hobbled by the reduced feature set that came when I chose NOT to pay them for a "subscription" to the services I had ALREADY paid for through the outrageously expensive initial purchase price. "End of life?" The cams still work fine. Can you imagine automobile manufacturers EOL-ing your car that is already paid off? You'll get a notice that reads: "While all aspects of your car will still continue to function, in order to drive at speeds in excess of 45 MPH, you will be required to subscribe to one of our Speed Limit plans:..." LESSON LEARNED: I will never again pay for a "cloud" based security system. I will replace this system with a system I actually own and can control, with LOCAL video storage.
I'm having the exact same experience as you. When they worked it was great but that was so long ago. I put so much money into their system I was hesitant to switch to something else. I have solar power on 4 cameras and 3 have died after a year. The system is useless if you want to check the camera immediately after getting a notification. I wish I would have went with a wired connection from the beginning. The appeal of wireless with arlo pushed me in that direction but the frustration over the years was not worth it. I'm switching to POE cameras with local storage and phone notification.
Bro! THIS IS MY STORY. I'm so pissed at Arlo and am currently looking for a new system as I type this. Gonna' take a serious look at Simply Safe and hopefully soon throw my three Arlo cameras, base station and doorbell in the closest river. Thanks so much for this video. I now hate Arlo with the fire, fury and passion of a thousand suns.
What did you end up doing? I looked at Simpli Safe, but just for one outdoor camera and one indoor camera system was 429 bucks not counting .99 a day starting plans. 30 a month. Not sure I would want to do that.
I have had the arlo cameras back when they used disposable batteries. Customer service has always been very poor. The cameras are expensive...the plans are expensive...I have 13 Arlo cameras. I am always looking for something better. It is just to this point, I haven't found anything.
I just got to see this video in 2023. I totally agree with your views on this matter. My quick summarization is they Suck!! Now they are charging us for a lot of Suck. It's just so hard to find a company that provides the good quality video ARLO has for equal to less of a price point. As for EUFY, that is what my neighbor has, and he's constantly swearing at them. Has anyone reviewed anything better out there? Signed, "Seriously looking to dump my 6 camera 4k Arlo setup".
Dude! I have arlo cameras and I'm now looking to replace them. All my cameras started to glitch and cannot keep focus! Their customer support is such a freaking joke and that's why I'm replacing these cameras! Agree with you 100%
If you don't mind my asking what are you replacing them with? I have six of their cameras a s a hub and would love to smash them with a hammer and throw them in the garbage
Thanks for the insight S&SHIQ. We're looking to replace our 1990's wired security system that had been supplemented with a few Arlo cameras several years ago. The Arlo cloud storage was great (and free). Without that we'll just scrap everything and start over with a bundled system that has better features and overall value. Unfortunately the Arlo package is not a strong candidate.
You not wrong. I am in exactly the same frame of mind. The arlo product was fantastic and worked so well. Yes they were pricey but ease of use and thr seamless internet connection made it worth my time. Now it is a problem. Was it greed that made thr change? Was it because the product was not making money, or was it just the knee jerk business strategy to squeeze more out of the customer? Who knows but it is backfiring as far as I can see the customer like you is merely going to shop elsewhere. 😢
I had Arlo cameras that worked without paying for a subscription. I bought a new camera. Only after I installed it did I find out that to use the new camera I had to pay $2.99/month. That took me by surprise. I’m now looking to replace the Arlos. I’m now looking for cameras that have local storage and don’t require a paid subscription.
same thing happened to me as I added one cam to my Arlo 2 setup. New camera made me need to update Arlo app on phone and voila...Need subscription after 30 days. Now I'm wondering if I can just trash this new cam and download the old app I had with my Arlo 2 setup and keep the free 7 day cloud storage that came with those cams.
@@DanielE-ww5uiwhat ended up happening with this for you? Were you able to recover your previous subscription? I added cameras and yes - it made me update on one device - and then automatically updated the app on my second device without asking. Did you have luck removing the camera and restoring your previous subscription?
I have the Arlo Pro 3 cameras with Smarthub, and the app SUCKS. Like you mention, the issue of a notification popping up and then waiting forever for it to load up is extremely frustrating. Someone could be on your property and gone by the time you see what happened. The cameras are decent, though you have to make a lot of adjustments in settings in order for the batteries to last more than a month, but the app is the biggest issue. It needs serious performance improvements. Arlo, worry less about changing your logo and more about the customer experience.
I recently bought a BW6, and I feel that the wide angle is not bad, and I can see more space. One day when I was watching a video, even in a very dark place, I found that I could see a mosquito flying past very clearly. This is something I didn't expect！！
I bought the arlo wireless doorbell. Aside from having to charge it every 2 weeks and slight lag on the 2way audio communication, I was satisfied. I went ahead and bought 4 arlo essential wireless cams and got boxed into a monthly plan after the trial period. Batteries would die after a few days 😊n random cameras so I bought the solar panel acc😂ssories for each cam. Total garbage, they charge when they want to, sometimes don’t charge at all. I now have to charge a camera every other day after going completely dead. Not sure if it’s the panels that are messing them up or this Vegas heat. Today had to charge 3 of the 4 cams that went dead or almost dead. And if you leave them dead for more than a few hours, you have to uninstall/reset/reinstall the dang cameras. Total garbage, I’m going to look into a PoE NVR wired system with no monthly fees Don’t let me get started on what a pain it is to mount them after every charge. The retention screw sucks and cams are always slipping.
I had a similar experience with Arlo. I added a couple of new cameras, not knowing Arlo wouldn't add them to my other three. I set the entire thing up and then found the new ones won't work without spending a lot of money each month. (Their suggested plan was like $30/mo.) I returned the two new cameras and reset my old three. Now, the apps and website constantly insist I buy a plan - their ads take up most of the screen! I have to think they will cease supporting their original agreement, soon, at which time, Arlo will no longer be my security system.
I have the original Arlo. I was considering getting a few new updated cameras. My Nephew have new set and I motioned my wanting new cameras, see his, and wanting those updates. He told me not to do it because he had to pay a subscription. He said that a subscription also adds cost to different features to use. I was glad I talked to him (him talk to me, set me straight) The best thing about Arlo or any camera was the fact that you get one weeks time of alerts for each camera footage. I don't need all the hoopla that comes with the cameras because after you get use to having surveillance you aren't that into checking on them or the footage. I'll leave the house and think did I shut the garage door. That's when I look at that camera aimed at the front of the house and see I did shut the garage door. Then I don't have to deive back to the house to make sure. I use it when I go on vacation just to make sure all is shut down and buttoned up. Like no back door or window has been broken into. SO point is once you have a surveillance your paranoia settles down. Especially if you have questionable results neighbors. Blink camera system will be a concideration moving forward.
Great Video to allow me to galvanise my thoughts and position. I have been looking at Arlo as being the "The Standard" and the leader in Home security cameras - I was about to purchase a few years ago (with the base station and local storage) but delayed for some reason - then when i next looked to purchas noticed that the Local storage had been replaced with the cloud based system on subscription - but is difficult for me as i am not in the US. Ok so i began my hunt again and checked out Eufy - man - they have the perfect system for me....suits all my needs - no subscription, plent of expandable local storage - great door bell cam - and can add camera up to 16 of them onto the one locat storage base....so after seening your review - Im in Team Eufy. Not to say that Arlo is not for someone else - its just not for me. Great video. Honest and factual. Thank you.
a few years ago, I had a bad ultra 2 camera. I went through all of the trouble shooting a dozen times before I came to the conclusion that it was a bad camera. I stayed on the phone with customer service for a few hours, doing the same trouble shooting time after time. They finally came to the conclusion that the camera was bad. Also, alro alerted me to someone trying to break in my car and it was so delayed that they were gone before I even made it out the door. Arlo saved their life that night
I have had the Arlo system for 5 years. I was satisfied with the product even with its minor issues. Due to Arlo’s latest money grab I am looking for a replacement that has no fee and I can review activity on a base unit without a monthly fee. DO YOU HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FOR A REPLACEMENT SECURITY SYSTEM W/O MONTHLY FEES?
People talk about wired systems with local storage. Anyone go this route? Were you able to install yourself? Do you get notifications when you are away from home? What did you get? Thanks!
I've got 4 cameras and a doorbell. Honestly haven't had many issues that I can say were any fault of Arlo. Don't mind paying the subscription. I have the safe and secure plan which covers all our home security (plus replacement if any of the cameras are stolen) and on the go and personal protection. It's $25/month. I could do similar features from let's say OnStar for more money than I'm paying for everything combined through Arlo. They still meet my needs (just bought 2 new cams today) better than anything else out there.
I understand there's not a lot of love for Arlo, but as I'm looking through the comments there are a lot of people asking "so who would you recommend?" and no one responds with a viable alternative. Is there an alternative?
So in case anyone is interested, I bought a floodlight, it worked great for a week, died, can’t connect, can’t even reset. Battery is a very tight fit in the compartment now, while it was a lot easier to remove initially, so it might be a faulty battery issue with this swelling/expansion highlighting a problem. These cameras are pieces of crap, but as I mentioned in my earlier message, there don’t seem to be any real alternatives. Sad. Nothing to lose so I might try and pull the thing apart and test, see if there is actually any voltage getting to the battery when it’s installed. Expansion might have caused the terminals in the compartment to misalign. No UA-cam videos out there on how to troubleshoot these cameras.
i just bought a roku camera that requires a subscription. it was not stated anywhere about that. i refuse to pay any fee for a security camera. now i just use an old laptop dedicated to my camera system. software is even free if you look at slightly older software. even in a few places i even have older wired cameras just using a usb video capture card. believe it or not i am still using 2 wired rca jack cmos cameras i installed 17 years ago. they have been on 24/7 for 17 years. i know that sounds crazy but its true.take care 6and thanks for the info.
So which wireless cameras do you recommend now. Ive had the arlo essential spotlight for about 2 weeks, but when I zoom in on a picture, it blurs a lot, so i can't see the detail, and the monthly subscription cost isn't really worth it.
this is so true I have the Arlo and I am getting so much problem I end up getting ADT command which gave me one doorbell camera one indoor outdoor camera one motion detector and 10 window door sensors total amount is $20 per month I did have to do a three-year contract but it is so much better than the Arlo
I am very tired of Arlo. I’ve had them for 7 years and replaced my Pros with Ultra and it rarely catches what we need and only provides about 15 seconds of recording. It actually missed my truck being broken in to.
Ransomware After having the product for several years with free cloud storage for 7 days on 4 cameras, now I am told it will cost me $10.00 per month per camera+$40.00) to have the free service again. Working, Arlo will remove bundled included features with purchase, in order to change you extra in the future.
Have had arlo pro 2 cameras for years and have really liked them,but with the eol coming as of jan.2024 they will be useless. I would be ok upgrading after they quit working on their own but for arlo to just put an end to their operation tells me that they dont care about their loyal customers
Ive had arlo since they were with netgear(free to use) and its always been a nightmare tying to keep the cameras online. Then I really gave up on the cameras when they started to try to charge to use this dysfunctional product. Ive been wanting to upgrade my system but its still not much options for a completely wireless setup. Good luck to us all in the struggle😅
So here's my situation. I work nights and my wife is home alone. I need to be alerted to anyone walking up to our rural cabin and I need to see what's going on in real time. I"ve no need of storage at all, it's all about being able to see what's happening in the moment and monitor our outdoor space at will. Any suggestions? Thanks! Oh, and I don't want a wired system, or subscription. internet would be preferable. And being able to speak via a radio to the intruder would be a plus.
Same story here looking for the doorbell with a free plan, except I did not get it after googling subscription info. When I loose the free plan I am never coming back. My guess is they are moving to sell through security firms and dumping private customers.
I purchased mine early I had a few cameras and with the new changes I can only use 3 at a time even with the plan. Now I'm having issues with the wifi I try to use the app and says incorrect password but its correct I can login on the website. When I went to see about support I have to pay for it or ask in “comunity” paid all this money and can't get help what a joke
So I was an original Arlo customer with VMB3000 system and Arlo was almost annoying about their plan changes and how the 7 day free cloud storage was going away. At least you had a free account for all of those years.
Seriously, with all the big tech companies overeach recently, I have 0 trust in cloud storage. What would be a good video solution system that record locally only (and maybe that you could setup to be accessed thru the internet)
Very Informative. I agree with you I don't like paying for storage. But even if internet storage is free , it will always require the internet for access. No internet.. No security. The simple approach is the old wired NVR systems. But those wires running to the NVR can be ugly and also leads the crooks to the NVR location. For me, the following approach works and is not expensive; does not require internet and offers redundancy of captured security footage: a) Set up dedicated Computer in a secure location that is attached to a router (which may or may not have internet access, internet access does not matter). b) Install Security Software on the computer which will received videos from the cameras . For example D-ViewCam from Dlink is free or Blue Iris c) Install a dedicated large hard drive in the computer on which weeks or months of recordings will be saved. d) Buy wireless cameras that can handle 64gb or 128gb SD Cards -and- that have built in servers to allow user access to configure and access as needed. With this setup you have the possibility of viewing over the internet but internet being down or not working does not adversely affect your security. With this setup you have redundancy because every recording is possibly saved in 2 places at the same time. Only a total loss of electricity will bring the system down. Note: From experience, I have found high quality SD Cards to be very reliable but the camera makes the difference
Worst costumer service, no chat, not phone number, not nothing... I did tried to set up my account multiple times until the last minute of my patience. Stay away of this product if you don want headaches and unpleasant moments and waste of time and money...
Seriously! I have four of them and they alleyways end up shutting off. I'll think that my cameras are recording and when I get home i notice the are off. I have to come press the small button on top and turn them off again smh!!!
Just set up my altos ultra camera came defective and floodlight defective wish I had done more home work on the cameras By far the worst customer service they I am not withing my return period calling my bank today to issue a chargeback found out they have a classsction lawsuit
you are not wrong, I like Arlo cameras but the delay from the time something happens to when I get notified is crap, not counting the many false notifications where it's just the wind blowing, lost count of how many times I get a person detected only to watch a video of a bush moving in the breeze and yeah in this case cloud storage sucks and am definitely looking for something better.
I have 10 cameras and 2 doorbells. My monthly subscription is $16.21 a month with unlimited cameras, $192.52 a year. I cannot access my account to upgrade my credit card or fix one doorbell that does not record in the library while the second one does. The account tab is greyed out. Customer service is unreachable. What happened? It was great at first, 5 years ago.
I wasted money buying 2 x Arlo cameras, the indoor Essential and outdoor Pro 4, and operating both from seperate routers, the lag is very frustrating and I was ready to pay for the subscription anyway until I found out they don't even want my money since I live in Thailand. Will Eufy be a better choice? Looking for as little lag over wifi as possible...not sure why zoom and teams etc have zero lag over wifi and these cameras have anywhere from 1 to 10 seconds lag!
Recently got stuck with a Vivint salesman after a 15 hour work day. Made a big mistake and instantly regret it. Hope I can cancel. I’m more worry about solicitors than thieves.
I got rid of these WiFi cameras and bought a Reolink NVR with 16 POE cameras that are smart AI . There was a learning curve to fine tune the settings but my false alerts are down 99%. Bugs, wind, birds, and whatever else doesn’t alert me. Only people or a vehicle that come into the alert zone.
Fully right. My issue with most brands is however wifi quality. I use wpa3 and except for dlink no camera bothers. Also getting a home base may make sense as the cameras are on their own routed closed network but it might also be nice to have just one set of 2.4/5 wifi antennas and not 4 because of those in the whatever brand homebase. Having 2 separate wifi networks at home that just creates interference and perhaps health issues.
just cancelled my arlo 24/7 cvr plan a incident happened and the police involved can I download the clip nope can only view it wtf so cant be used as evidence what is the point of the cameras then ? it worked out at nearly £200 a year for the ability to watch it but cant get it
Depending what phone you have, you can screen record and file will be saved on phone. Not ideal, but it is a way to save a clip if you have the ability to see it once.
I bought ARLO Pro 4's (set of 3) on Amazon during their July sale in 2023 and they are Sooo slow with a lag time and I have a eero mesh set up. They were NOT cheap and they are useless. I went on the ARLO site as I too had some Arlo cameras from way back that work great. The model number on my Pro 4 box doesn't seem to match anything on Arlo's search. Did I get a knock off? Looking for camera suggestions that I can research and you need not worry about endorsing a product - just camera suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
The online memory isn't something you bought. Its like renting a storage unit for your stuff. The Arlo base hub has 2 USB memory stick inputs for your own saved memory which you OWN & have complete control over. I got the Arlo pro 2 & am loving it. Just need to run hard power to them so I can utilize the activity zones feature which is great to avoid leaves moving in the wind.
Some of these people in here are talking about problems with the recordings. Is that just because they didn't want their to pay for a subscription? It seemed like they were saying they're quality of connection was bad and sometimes it didn't come on fast enough to catch people breaking into their truck and stuff like that. If I'm going to pay for higher quality cameras than Blink, they better be capturing everything. If not then I want to pay more for something that really does what it's supposed to do.
Good job on your presentation, editing, and commentary! However, I’ve had Arlo for about five years and have legacy and new hardware (from original “Pro” cameras to new ultra smart hub, doorbell, and flood) and I still like it. Updating and integrating was simple (albeit, not inexpensive), and I really like the way it synced with Alexa. Agree, fees for storage are a nuisance and a disappointment, but I challenge you to present something comparable that doesn’t charge (or won’t soon be charging) fees. There are pros and cons to every product out there, and as you inferred, it’s a matter of personal choices and preferences. I prefer Arlo, others may not. Again, great video and best of luck to you!
@@josephj6521 Thanks-I wasn’t aware of this and your reply prompted me to do some research. You are correct-Arlo’s EOL (End Of Life) policy will affect devices sold between 2014 and 2019. All of which will suffer from diminishing services or support after April 2023! My plan will be to replace with newer cameras as support falls off for the existing ones. Planned obsolescence should be accounted for in most things we purchase in a capitalistic business environment-nothing lasts forever, and now I have an excuse my wife will accept for purchasing new toys! 🤣. Seriously, if there’s another product out there (in this niche) that doesn’t have complaints I’d really like to hear about it. Thanks again for the heads-up!
@@kennethriley1638 which arlos will they stop supporting or is it all of them? And does that mean tech support, updates or cloud storage? (or all of the above??).
If I lived and worked in India, and was paid $5,000 a year -full time, to post positive comments about my US employer's product on social media, I'd pick a very American name and say something like this too. Nice job.. "Kenneth". :D
I get it, but arlos best option for me. Get the vmb4540 base station. Wont need a subscription. I DO have a question - I bought a used Essential and it came wrapped, but the lower section (front end of camera) has film that I can’t till is part of the camera or a removable cellophane. Thoughts? Thx.
I liked Arlo for about 7 days. Once I really started adding hardware, i noticed more and more issues with connectivity, app glitches etc. And dont get me started on the god aweful doorbell and its phonecalls. It is totally no longer worth the cost and I have a huge case of buyers remorse. I will not be renewing my subscription snd transitioning to something, anything else. On a related note, I know where you can get a smoking deal on a lightly used arlo system with smarthub, doorbell, slotlight pro 4 snd 5 cameras...
Switching to eufy currently from Arlo. I will miss Arlo but just can’t do the subscription just to be able to see clips. So far Eufy is doing nicely but still needs a few enhancements. Arlo needs to stop being so subscription focused on every little feature.
You're telling my story! Thanks! I, too, am moving away from all my Arlo gear. I currently have 3 base stations with a total of 11 cameras and I still have them actively deployed. I use the local storage feature in the Arlo base in case I need to try to retrieve some additional footage, but retrieving video from Arlo's is cumbersome, at best. It's also nice having these additional cameras out to make it more obvious to 'visitors' that they are being watched. My new replacement cameras have local storage, as you suggest. They also have the option to purchase cloud backup, which I will likely do on some of them. Arlo sure soured me on their product line and I won't be going back. Thanks for this video. It's important for people looking to purchase a camera to know what they are getting for their money.
Today I am shopping for a Floodlight Camera for my driveway and my top consideration is the Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight because I already have the Arlo Pro 2 system and wanted to stay in the ecosystem. Your video has me thinking, and reading some of these comments about Arlo end-of-service has gotten me more concerned about revamping everything. Looking for a better future proof solution, recommendations appreciated. In 2000 I installed a hardwired camera system into my parents home, and 15 years later it was still working until the new homeowner asked me to remove it. I’m thinking of going hardwired closed system to eliminate the battery, WiFi, and data storage service fees issues altogether. The few hours of installation maybe worth elevating those future concerns.
I have pro3s and the floodlights and they work fine. I got the floodlights to replace sensor lights (to add the obvious camera benefit). It's the older cameras they are going to stop supporting.
Arlo has great cameras. But bad everything else. I wish they could be connected to some type of local storage with full capabilities. I'd save my videos to HHD that I can access over a wireless network.
You are SO right. Once Arlo left Netgear, the security cameras and their service have gone steadily down hill. Arlo is GREEDY and they must have young people who get perks or salary increases for reinventing the wheel and they invent square wheels and the like. The new cameras, the service, everything is pure sh!t. Avoil Arlo like the plague because it's getting worse and worse. The original simple cameras and Pro 2 cameras were brilliant, really great but the new ones are dreadful, primarily because of the spotlights which alert and annoy everyone around it and you cannot turn the spotlights off - even thought you say you can; you can't. Arlo used to be the best when they were with Netgear, now they are really bad.
Bought the Eufy and returned it due to mist on the lens so I was planning for go for Arlo but after this review I now might skip Arlo. This feels almost like a scam, not get the feature you have paid for feels wrong!
i can't even view some videos from the USB drive on my mac they either say "metadrive" or don't show up at all even though the folder is there. don't know how to fix this
I received an end-of-service notification from Arlo, and after evaluating the cost of operating my five cameras on their cloud storage plan, I have decided to look elsewhere.
You can still have the free 7 day storage, which I use. Their cust svc has ALWAYS sucked for the non-paying people. I'm wanting a better camera w/o fees so I'm going to get more Arlo Pro 2s to go with my older 2. All because my neighbor's kid decided to jump my fence in the back where there are no cameras and he lies about it. I caught him on camera going through the front of my yard with cameras, and even knowing he was on video, he still bold faced lied. For some reason, his parents are believing him this time, but not me. I need cameras just for this kid and his friends! Sucks! Good luck! I hope we all find better solar cameras with self-storage soon!
Great insight! I didn't realize the 7 day free cloud package option is gone until I made few research into the newer Arlo Ultra that lead me to the down turn of the Arlo products in general (at least for me). What you have noted here is an excellent points especially from your own personal experiences and you have made a lot of senses. What do you think of an outdoor BLINK that comes with local storage option?
Ditched Arlo after 5 years. Wyze is less expensive. I know the cameras are “cheaper” but I would rather replace a $20 camera every two years than $300 camera every two years. Better subscription options and so far good customer service. If anyone wants to by my 8 cameras and various other accessories, get in touch.
Cameras are pretty good, no doubt. That said, you need a subscription plan for most of the best AI features to function. And sadly, the plans are outrageously over priced. Also, no ability for local storage. Cannot disable the doorbell without removing it. A million false notifications without the AI features, again only in the subscription plans. They try to sucker you in with the trial period where everything works, but after...only good as a live camera without subscription. It's a shame, the hardware is decent.
Linda, for what I need they are fair but not likely anywhere in the ball park with Arlo. In the day they are good. At night there is night imagery and I'm trying to capture wildlife tearing up the yard but while I'm at it I will capture anybody else that's prowling. I'm interested in learning about higher quality cameras that zoom like Arlo claims to have but if they're not connecting well then maybe I need a higher quality system then what they offer and they are supposed to be higher quality than blink.
problem is still the same with these cameras, if somebody stole the cam you will have no video at all. They are not providing any automatic download option because they want to sell you the cloud service
Seeking a home security camera system that offers 4k cameras with no latency, reliable detection in all light/weather conditions, hard wired 1Gb POE connected back to a purpose-built 'home base' with 1Tb+ HDD local storage with capability to connect to WWW and mobile device with app. Any takers?
Had a nice run with the Arlo Pro 2 cameras and they will supposedly stop working with local storage in early 2025. I have zero interest in purchasing their products again due to their reneging of the original deal of “free” cloud storage. Just like any other cut throat business they dangle the carrot before going for the kill. Once my still working cameras are eliminated I will have to throw them in the trash and search for the next future screwing in the butt deal. Too bad because they were the best cameras/system I’ve owned so far.
Arlo... More hate than love these days! False detections, forced subscription, latency, customer service... Errrr! I started with Arlo pro 2 and have been with the product for many years. I'm about done.
I would like to have wireless cameras (powered), that interface with an NVR, that I can access remotely through webserver. I don't want some company's cloud in the middle. I tried that with Arlo, and later they started charging for what had been free features. Bait and switch. Great business model for them. Not so good for me. I don't want to risk that again. I went to all the trouble to install cameras, and then a couple years later they changed the terms, and I had to start paying them a subscription fee monthly. I don't want to risk that happening again. I would like a system where all the software is associated with the NVR. I would like to use cameras and NVR from a company that doesn't even have a cloud so they don't have the temptation to implement a cloud subscription fee and cripple my system if I don't use their cloud. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. I run webservers and I have a static IP, so what I describe above would seem to be feasible. I want a turn key system. I do not want to build a system around Linux, or something like that. I have other stuff to do. I do need wireless. My camera locations do have 120v power, but not Cat5. It is not feasible to run Cat5 to some of my camera locations. I want a system where everything runs through an NVR that is under my control. I want the cameras to have batteries, to serve as battery backup. I can put the NVR and webserver and wireless system on external battery backup. I realize there is limited incentive for a company to create such a system, since the webserver requirement would limit demand in the private homeowner market. I have looked for commercial systems, but those seem to require Cat5 wired cameras, and I need wireless. Does anyone have any recommendations? Thx.
look into Ubiquiti security cameras if you haven't already done so. They offer some nice NVR options that I might have to break down and go for in the end.
@@seabee9135 I’ll look at the Uniquiti security cameras. I’ve had good and bad experiences with Ubiquiti. My Ubiquity access points have been great. However, I had a Ubiquiti router that was not good. The firmware on the router got corrupted. It turned out the firmware in the Ubiquiti router was on a thumb drive that plugged into a receptacle on the board. It looked problematic to reflash the firmware. Ubiquiti evidently doesn’t supply a replacement thumb drive. Evidently these expensive Ubiquiti routers are failure prone due to the thumb drive issue. I went back to an updated TP-Link router, at a fraction of the cost. I have never had a piece of TP-Link hardware fail.
I’ve had arlo since they came out and the lag the new fees are a pain in the ass yet I like that I still hav the original cameras and they are still running just fine with no issues as far as durability . I’ve had the solar panels since those where released and I haven’t had to charge batteries since then . But still the lag and the alerts alone are so so cringy . I have ring on a rental home I own on the outside when son body is renting and the lag is almost non existent even though they have an equally ridiculous subscription plan . I’ve never tried eufy cameras but I have the fingerprint door lock .
So much good food for thought. The only problem is a big one...eufy is made in China and sends data back to China. They have been caught in big lies about their security and data, plus the security threat of any tech made in China should be strongly considered. Personally, I'll likely gamble with Arlo because as an American company with products made in Vietnam, they are at least honest about the data and privacy policy and i trust that there isn't a backdoor. Do you recommend any other security cameras not made in China?
Fun fact: Even if you have a SmartHub connected to your Arlo for local storage, if you don't pay for a Smart plan, they lower your bitrate in recordings
One question, when you uses your local storage on the Smarthub, the notifications comes even quick (then when you are using the Cloud) and can you see your movies immediately when you click on them on your GSM ? Do you have a preview-shot of the motion ? Thx.
Which is ridiculous since local storage should be able to support faster bitrates. Plus you lose smart notifications without the cloud. They are doing that to force you into a subscription.
Yup. This ticked me off so much when I noticed that my 4K cameras were no longer recording in 4k
@@Suzukii-DIY That's consumer fraud. If the cameras I posted about were only my cameras...
They are nasty and greedy and the new cameras are all shite.
Thanks for posting this. Due to Arlo's new EOL policy, I reached out to them to get some info on the different options and they would only direct me to India chat personnel. I told the chat guy to tell his superiors that after 10 years of a trouble free Arlo expereince, I am leaving them behind. Because of stories like yours and poor customer service. Think I'll go back to wired as well.
I just received an email from Arlo saying they will no longer be supporting/updating the model I have as of April 2023. I just purchased them in 2018 and now they are going to have limited functionality!!!
There was no offer to turn them in for a credit, or get discounted price to upgrade to the newer models. I've subscribed to their annual plan for several years now, and I have a lot of their products. Looking at alternatives now since they clearly have zero value for their loyal customers.
OMG man this is almost EXACTLY 100% what we have been and are going through!!! Not trying to start a bunch of stuff here, but I would NEVER tell anyone to give Arlo a penny. I can
t wait until we can afford to get away from that company. Just got our "Ultra" base station for another $99 bucks!!! Yay! I really can not express my frustration enough with this company, these cameras, and the YEARS of issues we have had. Pay us a arm and leg for a product that dose not work, you can not get help with, and were gonna box you into a monthly plan for all that expensive equipment you have bought (THAT NEVER WORKS) and keep putting the nails to ya. THAT is my experience with Arlo.
Hello there.. I'm shopping for cameras now I was looking at Best buy with Arlos new ones. But from what you are saying about them. You think getting a hardwired sets are best?
Or what brand would you recommend them ?
I have 10 Arlos and they are constantly failing, I have to press play on each one of them every freaking day otherwise they will stop recording, one of them was presenting a green image at all times and I had to returned. I think that I will need to replace this for a wire system and keep the Arlos. For Interior if they are still working by that time. Not happy with the freaking Arlo
@@7motion985 say man I was thinking about getting the last type came out.. so really should I not ?
Arlo is not good you can get a wireless no cords from the company ADT their new cameras set up is called the ADT command that is totally wireless that is what I have and I'm only paying $20 per month however I did have to do a three-year contract
I have one Arlo camera which I bought for evaluation purposes, and have been considering purchasing a number of the Arlo Pro 5, which looks like a great camera and meets my particular functional requirements. However, I am still dithering, because of the business model, including subscriptions, customer support accessibility etc. Alternatively, I like the look of eufy's local storage philosophy, but am put off because of security concerns and (during my testing) less impressive video quality. At this rate, I'm going to end up buying cameras that I isolate on their own network so that they cannot send stuff to the cloud (or to China), set up my own local storage, use a third-party tool for visual recognition of people, animals etc., and wrap it all up in Home Assistant which I use for automation. That's a lot of effort on my part, for something that a trustworthy company should be able to provide without customers getting dragged into the consequences of customer-unfriendly business models
Thanks for posting this. I have been buying(upgrading) Arlo cameras for years. Didn't read the fine print on these Arlo 4s about the subscription. It pisses me off that I have to purchase a subscription to use the more than $1000 worth of cameras that I purchased from Arlo!! If they were still under warranty, I would take them back and go old school on them with a dedicated camera system. I say we boycott those itches until they come up with a solution that could use local storage again!!!
I've bought an Arlo doorbell camera and have been relatively pleased with it. I don't subscribe to their plan and have also noticed the lag in connecting when motion is detected. Seeing that they are using this so called End of Life tactic to force users to upgrade has made me and probably many others drop Arlo products for future considerations. This is a bad business move on their part.
worst backup service.
I went to a lot of trouble to install 5 Arlo cameras. I did a lot of custom work in the installations. Now I am forced to rip all that custom work out and start over due to Arlo’s bait and switch subscription model. I am shopping around for a different brand of security
Cameras that use an NVR, no cloud, ability to access from the internet, and internet notifications. I operate web servers from my basement, so it seems like such a thing could be possible.
I don’t want to stay with a company like a Arlo, that uses a bait and switch business model. Who knows what scam they will pull next. They may not be done with implementation of predatory practices.
I have Arlo Pros all around my property. The driveway camera was aimed where it could see my daughter's car on the street. One morning, an hour after she parked out front, her car was stolen. There was a skip in the video. We could see her park the car in her usual spot out front. Approximately 20 min of tape is missing. The next video shows her car just gone. We kept rewinding thinking we missed something. Somehow the camera did not pick up who took the car nor them leaving with the car. I'm looking to get new cameras now.
Thieves that are serious use electronic frequency jammers. They can be across the street or even down the block when they turn it on. It will jam wireless systems and even key fobs. Your system was rendered useless for the time it took to steal the car. So just be aware that any wireless system will fail when a jammer is used. I will also be switching to a wired multi camera system with local storage. Be safe.
@@Explore-Gobal I purchased an Arlo Ultra 2 system but amd returning it unoponed because of its system limitation, specially when using local storage. WifI jamming is not unique to theirs but just another reason to go wired. Of course a CAT5 cable can be snipped in three seconds. Sigh!
This is a huge problem. Cameras suck ass.
I think this just happened to us. Our neighbors truck was stolen. My cameras were definitely in position to record information. Checked my Arlo App, nothing. No recordings. How could that be? Now I know. I think they used a jammer. Goodbye Arlo.
@@JohnSmith-zi9or It's the same for ALL wireless cameras not just Arlo. No matter which brand the jammer will not be able to record if jammer is used.
I just returned a Eufy doorbell because it would not detect people walking up to the door. Oddly it did alert every time a car passed by our house on the road 30 feet away. Dealing with customer service was awful. All the email responses seemed to be from bad AI. So I’m now back in the doorbell cam market.
I was a victim, er, customer of Arlo. I purchased a 6-cam system (4 wireless with a hub, 2 indoor plug-ins) that promised certain features and certain cloud access. I set the system up the way I wanted and enjoyed it for the less-than-perfect compromise that it is. They served their function adequately... until they did not. Over the years, Arlo changed, then reduced functionality. Technically, I still have a functioning security cam setup. However, it is hobbled by the reduced feature set that came when I chose NOT to pay them for a "subscription" to the services I had ALREADY paid for through the outrageously expensive initial purchase price.
"End of life?" The cams still work fine. Can you imagine automobile manufacturers EOL-ing your car that is already paid off? You'll get a notice that reads: "While all aspects of your car will still continue to function, in order to drive at speeds in excess of 45 MPH, you will be required to subscribe to one of our Speed Limit plans:..."
LESSON LEARNED: I will never again pay for a "cloud" based security system. I will replace this system with a system I actually own and can control, with LOCAL video storage.
I'm having the exact same experience as you. When they worked it was great but that was so long ago. I put so much money into their system I was hesitant to switch to something else. I have solar power on 4 cameras and 3 have died after a year. The system is useless if you want to check the camera immediately after getting a notification. I wish I would have went with a wired connection from the beginning. The appeal of wireless with arlo pushed me in that direction but the frustration over the years was not worth it. I'm switching to POE cameras with local storage and phone notification.
Bro! THIS IS MY STORY. I'm so pissed at Arlo and am currently looking for a new system as I type this. Gonna' take a serious look at Simply Safe and hopefully soon throw my three Arlo cameras, base station and doorbell in the closest river. Thanks so much for this video. I now hate Arlo with the fire, fury and passion of a thousand suns.
What did you end up doing? I looked at Simpli Safe, but just for one outdoor camera and one indoor camera system was 429 bucks not counting .99 a day starting plans. 30 a month. Not sure I would want to do that.
Arlo support hung up on me when I told them I didn't want monthly cloud subscription. All I wanted to do was access my storage in my base hub
I have had the arlo cameras back when they used disposable batteries. Customer service has always been very poor. The cameras are expensive...the plans are expensive...I have 13 Arlo cameras. I am always looking for something better. It is just to this point, I haven't found anything.
I just got to see this video in 2023. I totally agree with your views on this matter. My quick summarization is they Suck!! Now they are charging us for a lot of Suck. It's just so hard to find a company that provides the good quality video ARLO has for equal to less of a price point. As for EUFY, that is what my neighbor has, and he's constantly swearing at them. Has anyone reviewed anything better out there? Signed, "Seriously looking to dump my 6 camera 4k Arlo setup".
Dude! I have arlo cameras and I'm now looking to replace them. All my cameras started to glitch and cannot keep focus! Their customer support is such a freaking joke and that's why I'm replacing these cameras! Agree with you 100%
If you don't mind my asking what are you replacing them with? I have six of their cameras a s a hub and would love to smash them with a hammer and throw them in the garbage
Thanks for the insight S&SHIQ. We're looking to replace our 1990's wired security system that had been supplemented with a few Arlo cameras several years ago. The Arlo cloud storage was great (and free). Without that we'll just scrap everything and start over with a bundled system that has better features and overall value. Unfortunately the Arlo package is not a strong candidate.
You not wrong. I am in exactly the same frame of mind. The arlo product was fantastic and worked so well. Yes they were pricey but ease of use and thr seamless internet connection made it worth my time. Now it is a problem. Was it greed that made thr change? Was it because the product was not making money, or was it just the knee jerk business strategy to squeeze more out of the customer? Who knows but it is backfiring as far as I can see the customer like you is merely going to shop elsewhere. 😢
I had Arlo cameras that worked without paying for a subscription. I bought a new camera. Only after I installed it did I find out that to use the new camera I had to pay $2.99/month. That took me by surprise. I’m now looking to replace the Arlos. I’m now looking for cameras that have local storage and don’t require a paid subscription.
here in Aus there's subscription fee.
Did you find one yet? Im looking for something similar to you.
same thing happened to me as I added one cam to my Arlo 2 setup. New camera made me need to update Arlo app on phone and voila...Need subscription after 30 days. Now I'm wondering if I can just trash this new cam and download the old app I had with my Arlo 2 setup and keep the free 7 day cloud storage that came with those cams.
Exactly what has happened to me - hell will freeze over before I pay a monthly subscription fee!
@@DanielE-ww5uiwhat ended up happening with this for you? Were you able to recover your previous subscription?
I added cameras and yes - it made me update on one device - and then automatically updated the app on my second device without asking.
Did you have luck removing the camera and restoring your previous subscription?
I have the Arlo Pro 3 cameras with Smarthub, and the app SUCKS. Like you mention, the issue of a notification popping up and then waiting forever for it to load up is extremely frustrating. Someone could be on your property and gone by the time you see what happened. The cameras are decent, though you have to make a lot of adjustments in settings in order for the batteries to last more than a month, but the app is the biggest issue. It needs serious performance improvements. Arlo, worry less about changing your logo and more about the customer experience.
I recently bought a BW6, and I feel that the wide angle is not bad, and I can see more space. One day when I was watching a video, even in a very dark place, I found that I could see a mosquito flying past very clearly. This is something I didn't expect！！
I bought the arlo wireless doorbell. Aside from having to charge it every 2 weeks and slight lag on the 2way audio communication, I was satisfied. I went ahead and bought 4 arlo essential wireless cams and got boxed into a monthly plan after the trial period. Batteries would die after a few days 😊n random cameras so I bought the solar panel acc😂ssories for each cam. Total garbage, they charge when they want to, sometimes don’t charge at all. I now have to charge a camera every other day after going completely dead. Not sure if it’s the panels that are messing them up or this Vegas heat. Today had to charge 3 of the 4 cams that went dead or almost dead. And if you leave them dead for more than a few hours, you have to uninstall/reset/reinstall the dang cameras. Total garbage, I’m going to look into a PoE NVR wired system with no monthly fees
Don’t let me get started on what a pain it is to mount them after every charge. The retention screw sucks and cams are always slipping.
I had a similar experience with Arlo. I added a couple of new cameras, not knowing Arlo wouldn't add them to my other three. I set the entire thing up and then found the new ones won't work without spending a lot of money each month. (Their suggested plan was like $30/mo.) I returned the two new cameras and reset my old three. Now, the apps and website constantly insist I buy a plan - their ads take up most of the screen! I have to think they will cease supporting their original agreement, soon, at which time, Arlo will no longer be my security system.
I have the original Arlo. I was considering getting a few new updated cameras. My Nephew have new set and I motioned my wanting new cameras, see his, and wanting those updates. He told me not to do it because he had to pay a subscription. He said that a subscription also adds cost to different features to use. I was glad I talked to him (him talk to me, set me straight) The best thing about Arlo or any camera was the fact that you get one weeks time of alerts for each camera footage. I don't need all the hoopla that comes with the cameras because after you get use to having surveillance you aren't that into checking on them or the footage. I'll leave the house and think did I shut the garage door. That's when I look at that camera aimed at the front of the house and see I did shut the garage door. Then I don't have to deive back to the house to make sure. I use it when I go on vacation just to make sure all is shut down and buttoned up. Like no back door or window has been broken into. SO point is once you have a surveillance your paranoia settles down. Especially if you have questionable results neighbors. Blink camera system will be a concideration moving forward.
Great Video to allow me to galvanise my thoughts and position. I have been looking at Arlo as being the "The Standard" and the leader in Home security cameras - I was about to purchase a few years ago (with the base station and local storage) but delayed for some reason - then when i next looked to purchas noticed that the Local storage had been replaced with the cloud based system on subscription - but is difficult for me as i am not in the US.
Ok so i began my hunt again and checked out Eufy - man - they have the perfect system for me....suits all my needs - no subscription, plent of expandable local storage - great door bell cam - and can add camera up to 16 of them onto the one locat storage base....so after seening your review - Im in Team Eufy. Not to say that Arlo is not for someone else - its just not for me. Great video. Honest and factual. Thank you.
a few years ago, I had a bad ultra 2 camera. I went through all of the trouble shooting a dozen times before I came to the conclusion that it was a bad camera. I stayed on the phone with customer service for a few hours, doing the same trouble shooting time after time. They finally came to the conclusion that the camera was bad. Also, alro alerted me to someone trying to break in my car and it was so delayed that they were gone before I even made it out the door. Arlo saved their life that night
I have had the Arlo system for 5 years. I was satisfied with the product even with its minor issues. Due to Arlo’s latest money grab I am looking for a replacement that has no fee and I can review activity on a base unit without a monthly fee.
DO YOU HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FOR A REPLACEMENT SECURITY SYSTEM W/O MONTHLY FEES?
I agree, I have 3 cameras, and they don’t view the same as they did when they were new. I have 2 solar arrun camera coming this week.
People talk about wired systems with local storage. Anyone go this route? Were you able to install yourself? Do you get notifications when you are away from home? What did you get? Thanks!
Dude what do you suggest we get?
I've got 4 cameras and a doorbell. Honestly haven't had many issues that I can say were any fault of Arlo. Don't mind paying the subscription. I have the safe and secure plan which covers all our home security (plus replacement if any of the cameras are stolen) and on the go and personal protection. It's $25/month. I could do similar features from let's say OnStar for more money than I'm paying for everything combined through Arlo. They still meet my needs (just bought 2 new cams today) better than anything else out there.
I understand there's not a lot of love for Arlo, but as I'm looking through the comments there are a lot of people asking "so who would you recommend?" and no one responds with a viable alternative. Is there an alternative?
So in case anyone is interested, I bought a floodlight, it worked great for a week, died, can’t connect, can’t even reset. Battery is a very tight fit in the compartment now, while it was a lot easier to remove initially, so it might be a faulty battery issue with this swelling/expansion highlighting a problem. These cameras are pieces of crap, but as I mentioned in my earlier message, there don’t seem to be any real alternatives. Sad.
Nothing to lose so I might try and pull the thing apart and test, see if there is actually any voltage getting to the battery when it’s installed. Expansion might have caused the terminals in the compartment to misalign. No UA-cam videos out there on how to troubleshoot these cameras.
i just bought a roku camera that requires a subscription. it was not stated anywhere about that. i refuse to pay any fee for a security camera. now i just use an old laptop dedicated to my camera system. software is even free if you look at slightly older software. even in a few places i even have older wired cameras just using a usb video capture card. believe it or not i am still using 2 wired rca jack cmos cameras i installed 17 years ago. they have been on 24/7 for 17 years. i know that sounds crazy but its true.take care 6and thanks for the info.
Any referral for wireless, no subscription door, please?
Blink is a mess, I replaced the batteries frequently and it is not reliable.
So which wireless cameras do you recommend now. Ive had the arlo essential spotlight for about 2 weeks, but when I zoom in on a picture, it blurs a lot, so i can't see the detail, and the monthly subscription cost isn't really worth it.
this is so true I have the Arlo and I am getting so much problem I end up getting ADT command which gave me one doorbell camera one indoor outdoor camera one motion detector and 10 window door sensors total amount is $20 per month I did have to do a three-year contract but it is so much better than the Arlo
I am very tired of Arlo. I’ve had them for 7 years and replaced my Pros with Ultra and it rarely catches what we need and only provides about 15 seconds of recording. It actually missed my truck being broken in to.
Arlo Just removed 7 day free cloud for older Arlo Products
Ransomware!
Ransomware
After having the product for several years with free cloud storage for 7 days on 4 cameras, now I am told it will cost me $10.00 per month per camera+$40.00) to have the free service again.
Working, Arlo will remove bundled included features with purchase, in order to change you extra in the future.
@@Billllyubbda Did your account lapse in any way? I’ve had Arlo 2s for seven years at least and I can still download video captures for up to 7 days.
@@Billllyubbda Did your account lapse in any way? I’ve had Arlo 2s for seven years at least and I can still download video captures for up to 7 days.
Thank you for sharing this. I completely agree with you. I'm really frustrated with Arlo and will ditch them to a different service soon.
Have had arlo pro 2 cameras for years and have really liked them,but with the eol coming as of jan.2024 they will be useless. I would be ok upgrading after they quit working on their own but for arlo to just put an end to their operation tells me that they dont care about their loyal customers
They have now came back and said you will keep the 7 day free cloud recording but no updates and no service for them so you are good.
@@simplisafesecurityandcameras yeah, at least they gave us that back. Sheesh! Service always sucked for those using the free plan anyway. Thanks.
Ive had arlo since they were with netgear(free to use) and its always been a nightmare tying to keep the cameras online. Then I really gave up on the cameras when they started to try to charge to use this dysfunctional product. Ive been wanting to upgrade my system but its still not much options for a completely wireless setup. Good luck to us all in the struggle😅
We need more than luck. These $&**! cameras.
@@craigdedini9908 I just got an Eufy system. It's been off to a solid start.
So here's my situation. I work nights and my wife is home alone. I need to be alerted to anyone walking up to our rural cabin and I need to see what's going on in real time. I"ve no need of storage at all, it's all about being able to see what's happening in the moment and monitor our outdoor space at will. Any suggestions? Thanks! Oh, and I don't want a wired system, or subscription. internet would be preferable. And being able to speak via a radio to the intruder would be a plus.
Same story here looking for the doorbell with a free plan, except I did not get it after googling subscription info. When I loose the free plan I am never coming back. My guess is they are moving to sell through security firms and dumping private customers.
Thanks for this video. I was unsure about buying these Caneras but I won’t waste my money. 😁👍🏻
I purchased mine early I had a few cameras and with the new changes I can only use 3 at a time even with the plan. Now I'm having issues with the wifi I try to use the app and says incorrect password but its correct I can login on the website. When I went to see about support I have to pay for it or ask in “comunity” paid all this money and can't get help what a joke
So I was an original Arlo customer with VMB3000 system and Arlo was almost annoying about their plan changes and how the 7 day free cloud storage was going away. At least you had a free account for all of those years.
Seriously, with all the big tech companies overeach recently, I have 0 trust in cloud storage. What would be a good video solution system that record locally only (and maybe that you could setup to be accessed thru the internet)
Very Informative. I agree with you I don't like paying for storage. But even if internet storage is free , it will always require the internet for access.
No internet.. No security.
The simple approach is the old wired NVR systems. But those wires running to the NVR can be ugly and also leads the crooks to the NVR location.
For me, the following approach works and is not expensive; does not require internet and offers redundancy of captured security footage:
a) Set up dedicated Computer in a secure location that is attached to a router (which may or may not have internet access, internet access does not matter).
b) Install Security Software on the computer which will received videos from the cameras . For example D-ViewCam from Dlink is free or Blue Iris
c) Install a dedicated large hard drive in the computer on which weeks or months of recordings will be saved.
d) Buy wireless cameras that can handle 64gb or 128gb SD Cards -and- that have built in servers to allow user access to configure and access as needed.
With this setup you have the possibility of viewing over the internet but internet being down or not working does not adversely affect your security.
With this setup you have redundancy because every recording is possibly saved in 2 places at the same time.
Only a total loss of electricity will bring the system down.
Note:
From experience, I have found high quality SD Cards to be very reliable but the camera makes the difference
So you have a suggestion on what to buy. I to am going to give up my ARLO'S as we can't keep them monitoring. And I am only looking for local storage
I really LOVE this idea. I have some Arlo Pro 2 cameras. Would they work for this? Thanks for helping.
What brands of cameras did you find useful?
Any recommendations for the more professional equipment?
Worst costumer service, no chat, not phone number, not nothing... I did tried to set up my account multiple times until the last minute of my patience. Stay away of this product if you don want headaches and unpleasant moments and waste of time and money...
Seriously! I have four of them and they alleyways end up shutting off. I'll think that my cameras are recording and when I get home i notice the are off. I have to come press the small button on top and turn them off again smh!!!
Just set up my altos ultra camera came defective and floodlight defective wish I had done more home work on the cameras
By far the worst customer service they I am not withing my return period calling my bank today to issue a chargeback found out they have a classsction lawsuit
I had a similar experience with Blink subscription
Thank you for the heads up 😅
I was about to go buy one.
Which product are you talking about? Arlo or Eufy?
you are not wrong, I like Arlo cameras but the delay from the time something happens to when I get notified is crap, not counting the many false notifications where it's just the wind blowing, lost count of how many times I get a person detected only to watch a video of a bush moving in the breeze and yeah in this case cloud storage sucks and am definitely looking for something better.
I have 10 cameras and 2 doorbells. My monthly subscription is $16.21 a month with unlimited cameras, $192.52 a year. I cannot access my account to upgrade my credit card or fix one doorbell that does not record in the library while the second one does. The account tab is greyed out. Customer service is unreachable. What happened? It was great at first, 5 years ago.
I wasted money buying 2 x Arlo cameras, the indoor Essential and outdoor Pro 4, and operating both from seperate routers, the lag is very frustrating and I was ready to pay for the subscription anyway until I found out they don't even want my money since I live in Thailand. Will Eufy be a better choice? Looking for as little lag over wifi as possible...not sure why zoom and teams etc have zero lag over wifi and these cameras have anywhere from 1 to 10 seconds lag!
Eufy is from "Anker" china, the ccp will directly have access to your home systems and passwords.
Recently got stuck with a Vivint salesman after a 15 hour work day. Made a big mistake and instantly regret it. Hope I can cancel. I’m more worry about solicitors than thieves.
I got rid of these WiFi cameras and bought a Reolink NVR with 16 POE cameras that are smart AI . There was a learning curve to fine tune the settings but my false alerts are down 99%. Bugs, wind, birds, and whatever else doesn’t alert me. Only people or a vehicle that come into the alert zone.
Fully right. My issue with most brands is however wifi quality. I use wpa3 and except for dlink no camera bothers. Also getting a home base may make sense as the cameras are on their own routed closed network but it might also be nice to have just one set of 2.4/5 wifi antennas and not 4 because of those in the whatever brand homebase. Having 2 separate wifi networks at home that just creates interference and perhaps health issues.
just cancelled my arlo 24/7 cvr plan a incident happened and the police involved can I download the clip nope can only view it wtf so cant be used as evidence what is the point of the cameras then ? it worked out at nearly £200 a year for the ability to watch it but cant get it
Depending what phone you have, you can screen record and file will be saved on phone. Not ideal, but it is a way to save a clip if you have the ability to see it once.
I'd like the DVR option if it could send messages for alerts.
I bought ARLO Pro 4's (set of 3) on Amazon during their July sale in 2023 and they are Sooo slow with a lag time and I have a eero mesh set up. They were NOT cheap and they are useless. I went on the ARLO site as I too had some Arlo cameras from way back that work great. The model number on my Pro 4 box doesn't seem to match anything on Arlo's search. Did I get a knock off? Looking for camera suggestions that I can research and you need not worry about endorsing a product - just camera suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
The online memory isn't something you bought. Its like renting a storage unit for your stuff. The Arlo base hub has 2 USB memory stick inputs for your own saved memory which you OWN & have complete control over.
I got the Arlo pro 2 & am loving it. Just need to run hard power to them so I can utilize the activity zones feature which is great to avoid leaves moving in the wind.
Some of these people in here are talking about problems with the recordings. Is that just because they didn't want their to pay for a subscription? It seemed like they were saying they're quality of connection was bad and sometimes it didn't come on fast enough to catch people breaking into their truck and stuff like that. If I'm going to pay for higher quality cameras than Blink, they better be capturing everything. If not then I want to pay more for something that really does what it's supposed to do.
Good job on your presentation, editing, and commentary! However, I’ve had Arlo for about five years and have legacy and new hardware (from original “Pro” cameras to new ultra smart hub, doorbell, and flood) and I still like it. Updating and integrating was simple (albeit, not inexpensive), and I really like the way it synced with Alexa. Agree, fees for storage are a nuisance and a disappointment, but I challenge you to present something comparable that doesn’t charge (or won’t soon be charging) fees. There are pros and cons to every product out there, and as you inferred, it’s a matter of personal choices and preferences. I prefer Arlo, others may not. Again, great video and best of luck to you!
Arlo cameras from a few years ago and beck will be worthless as Arlo won’t support these anymore soon. Simply, they won’t work. Great eh?
@@josephj6521 Thanks-I wasn’t aware of this and your reply prompted me to do some research. You are correct-Arlo’s EOL (End Of Life) policy will affect devices sold between 2014 and 2019. All of which will suffer from diminishing services or support after April 2023! My plan will be to replace with newer cameras as support falls off for the existing ones. Planned obsolescence should be accounted for in most things we purchase in a capitalistic business environment-nothing lasts forever, and now I have an excuse my wife will accept for purchasing new toys! 🤣. Seriously, if there’s another product out there (in this niche) that doesn’t have complaints I’d really like to hear about it. Thanks again for the heads-up!
@@kennethriley1638 which arlos will they stop supporting or is it all of them? And does that mean tech support, updates or cloud storage? (or all of the above??).
If I lived and worked in India, and was paid $5,000 a year -full time, to post positive comments about my US employer's product on social media, I'd pick a very American name and say something like this too. Nice job.. "Kenneth". :D
@@darbyr2101 that’s pretty good deflection coming from a bot, “Darby”! Lol! You don’t know me dude! Kick rocks!
I've had my Carlo cameras for awhile and now they don't even record live feed...they freeze. I now have to look foe a better security camera
We are having similar issues with WYZE. Looking for better options.
I feel you 😮💨🤨...I'm very disappointed with Arlo😠
Can you remotely view the local storage when your not home?
I get it, but arlos best option for me. Get the vmb4540 base station. Wont need a subscription. I DO have a question - I bought a used Essential and it came wrapped, but the lower section (front end of camera) has film that I can’t till is part of the camera or a removable cellophane. Thoughts? Thx.
Thanks for the review. Subscriptions are fricken ridiculous
I liked Arlo for about 7 days. Once I really started adding hardware, i noticed more and more issues with connectivity, app glitches etc. And dont get me started on the god aweful doorbell and its phonecalls. It is totally no longer worth the cost and I have a huge case of buyers remorse. I will not be renewing my subscription snd transitioning to something, anything else. On a related note, I know where you can get a smoking deal on a lightly used arlo system with smarthub, doorbell, slotlight pro 4 snd 5 cameras...
Switching to eufy currently from Arlo. I will miss Arlo but just can’t do the subscription just to be able to see clips. So far Eufy is doing nicely but still needs a few enhancements. Arlo needs to stop being so subscription focused on every little feature.
How you finding the new cameras I need to change my Arlo too .
You're telling my story! Thanks!
I, too, am moving away from all my Arlo gear. I currently have 3 base stations with a total of 11 cameras and I still have them actively deployed. I use the local storage feature in the Arlo base in case I need to try to retrieve some additional footage, but retrieving video from Arlo's is cumbersome, at best. It's also nice having these additional cameras out to make it more obvious to 'visitors' that they are being watched.
My new replacement cameras have local storage, as you suggest. They also have the option to purchase cloud backup, which I will likely do on some of them.
Arlo sure soured me on their product line and I won't be going back.
Thanks for this video. It's important for people looking to purchase a camera to know what they are getting for their money.
What system are you going for now .
@@m.b2438 wyze . I currently have 6 cameras and will like expand to more after I get more time on these.
Today I am shopping for a Floodlight Camera for my driveway and my top consideration is the Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight because I already have the Arlo Pro 2 system and wanted to stay in the ecosystem. Your video has me thinking, and reading some of these comments about Arlo end-of-service has gotten me more concerned about revamping everything. Looking for a better future proof solution, recommendations appreciated. In 2000 I installed a hardwired camera system into my parents home, and 15 years later it was still working until the new homeowner asked me to remove it. I’m thinking of going hardwired closed system to eliminate the battery, WiFi, and data storage service fees issues altogether. The few hours of installation maybe worth elevating those future concerns.
Stay away from Arlo
I have pro3s and the floodlights and they work fine. I got the floodlights to replace sensor lights (to add the obvious camera benefit). It's the older cameras they are going to stop supporting.
You could have easily plug an external Hardrive to save all of the videos -.- with the Arlo base…
Arlo has great cameras. But bad everything else. I wish they could be connected to some type of local storage with full capabilities. I'd save my videos to HHD that I can access over a wireless network.
You are SO right. Once Arlo left Netgear, the security cameras and their service have gone steadily down hill. Arlo is GREEDY and they must have young people who get perks or salary increases for reinventing the wheel and they invent square wheels and the like. The new cameras, the service, everything is pure sh!t. Avoil Arlo like the plague because it's getting worse and worse. The original simple cameras and Pro 2 cameras were brilliant, really great but the new ones are dreadful, primarily because of the spotlights which alert and annoy everyone around it and you cannot turn the spotlights off - even thought you say you can; you can't. Arlo used to be the best when they were with Netgear, now they are really bad.
Does anyone know if adding the new Arlo Home Security System will made us lose the grandfathered Arlo Pro 2 free plan without a subscription? Thanks!
Bought the Eufy and returned it due to mist on the lens so I was planning for go for Arlo but after this review I now might skip Arlo. This feels almost like a scam, not get the feature you have paid for feels wrong!
I with you - really liked the cameras until I had to Update and the subscription turned me off! !
i can't even view some videos from the USB drive on my mac they either say "metadrive" or don't show up at all even though the folder is there. don't know how to fix this
I received an end-of-service notification from Arlo, and after evaluating the cost of operating my five cameras on their cloud storage plan, I have decided to look elsewhere.
You can still have the free 7 day storage, which I use. Their cust svc has ALWAYS sucked for the non-paying people. I'm wanting a better camera w/o fees so I'm going to get more Arlo Pro 2s to go with my older 2. All because my neighbor's kid decided to jump my fence in the back where there are no cameras and he lies about it. I caught him on camera going through the front of my yard with cameras, and even knowing he was on video, he still bold faced lied. For some reason, his parents are believing him this time, but not me. I need cameras just for this kid and his friends! Sucks! Good luck! I hope we all find better solar cameras with self-storage soon!
I'm starting (trying actually) an automation in my house and I just received a camera (wifi) that the battery and app sucks! Interesting coincidence
My arlo won't connect to the internet. Tried everything even put another base station ... what am I missing? Won't connect to the internet.
Great insight! I didn't realize the 7 day free cloud package option is gone until I made few research into the newer Arlo Ultra that lead me to the down turn of the Arlo products in general (at least for me). What you have noted here is an excellent points especially from your own personal experiences and you have made a lot of senses. What do you think of an outdoor BLINK that comes with local storage option?
Mine keep going off line, then won’t connect. Reset button won’t get the blue light flashing
Ditched Arlo after 5 years. Wyze is less expensive. I know the cameras are “cheaper” but I would rather replace a $20 camera every two years than $300 camera every two years. Better subscription options and so far good customer service. If anyone wants to by my 8 cameras and various other accessories, get in touch.
Just wanting to know if anyone uses star link to connect arlo security cameras to and how it seems to work out.
Cameras are pretty good, no doubt. That said, you need a subscription plan for most of the best AI features to function. And sadly, the plans are outrageously over priced. Also, no ability for local storage. Cannot disable the doorbell without removing it. A million false notifications without the AI features, again only in the subscription plans. They try to sucker you in with the trial period where everything works, but after...only good as a live camera without subscription. It's a shame, the hardware is decent.
this is why i went with blink and its local storage, simply as putting a usb drive in the side of the adapter
But how’s the quality of images?
Linda, for what I need they are fair but not likely anywhere in the ball park with Arlo. In the day they are good. At night there is night imagery and I'm trying to capture wildlife tearing up the yard but while I'm at it I will capture anybody else that's prowling. I'm interested in learning about higher quality cameras that zoom like Arlo claims to have but if they're not connecting well then maybe I need a higher quality system then what they offer and they are supposed to be higher quality than blink.
Doesn't Arlo's base station have local storage?? Trying to decide. Thanks for the video.
Don’t bother. Look for another brand.
You have to add a compatible storage device.
problem is still the same with these cameras, if somebody stole the cam you will have no video at all. They are not providing any automatic download option because they want to sell you the cloud service
Seeking a home security camera system that offers 4k cameras with no latency, reliable detection in all light/weather conditions, hard wired 1Gb POE connected back to a purpose-built 'home base' with 1Tb+ HDD local storage with capability to connect to WWW and mobile device with app. Any takers?
Which non-Arlo product or system are you recommending to meet the requirements you stated above?
Stopped recording after 2 years. I was told that you had to buy a plan to get any support
I just saw your auto video. I totally agree with you. All have become crap.
Not a fan of Arlo and the subscription cloud service. Also, I found customer service more of a dis-service. I have Eufy now and much more satisfied.
Had a nice run with the Arlo Pro 2 cameras and they will supposedly stop working with local storage in early 2025. I have zero interest in purchasing their products again due to their reneging of the original deal of “free” cloud storage. Just like any other cut throat business they dangle the carrot before going for the kill. Once my still working cameras are eliminated I will have to throw them in the trash and search for the next future screwing in the butt deal. Too bad because they were the best cameras/system I’ve owned so far.
what do you think now of arlo they are now crooks
Appreciate your take
Arlo... More hate than love these days! False detections, forced subscription, latency, customer service... Errrr! I started with Arlo pro 2 and have been with the product for many years. I'm about done.
I would like to have wireless cameras (powered), that interface with an NVR, that I can access remotely through webserver. I don't want some company's cloud in the middle. I tried that with Arlo, and later they started charging for what had been free features. Bait and switch. Great business model for them. Not so good for me. I don't want to risk that again. I went to all the trouble to install cameras, and then a couple years later they changed the terms, and I had to start paying them a subscription fee monthly. I don't want to risk that happening again. I would like a system where all the software is associated with the NVR. I would like to use cameras and NVR from a company that doesn't even have a cloud so they don't have the temptation to implement a cloud subscription fee and cripple my system if I don't use their cloud. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
I run webservers and I have a static IP, so what I describe above would seem to be feasible. I want a turn key system. I do not want to build a system around Linux, or something like that. I have other stuff to do. I do need wireless. My camera locations do have 120v power, but not Cat5. It is not feasible to run Cat5 to some of my camera locations. I want a system where everything runs through an NVR that is under my control. I want the cameras to have batteries, to serve as battery backup. I can put the NVR and webserver and wireless system on external battery backup. I realize there is limited incentive for a company to create such a system, since the webserver requirement would limit demand in the private homeowner market. I have looked for commercial systems, but those seem to require Cat5 wired cameras, and I need wireless.
Does anyone have any recommendations? Thx.
That's how all these companies operate.
look into Ubiquiti security cameras if you haven't already done so. They offer some nice NVR options that I might have to break down and go for in the end.
@@seabee9135 I’ll look at the Uniquiti security cameras. I’ve had good and bad experiences with Ubiquiti. My Ubiquity access points have been great. However, I had a Ubiquiti router that was not good. The firmware on the router got corrupted. It turned out the firmware in the Ubiquiti router was on a thumb drive that plugged into a receptacle on the board. It looked problematic to reflash the firmware. Ubiquiti evidently doesn’t supply a replacement thumb drive. Evidently these expensive Ubiquiti routers are failure prone due to the thumb drive issue. I went back to an updated TP-Link router, at a fraction of the cost. I have never had a piece of TP-Link hardware fail.
I’ve had arlo since they came out and the lag the new fees are a pain in the ass yet I like that I still hav the original cameras and they are still running just fine with no issues as far as durability . I’ve had the solar panels since those where released and I haven’t had to charge batteries since then . But still the lag and the alerts alone are so so cringy . I have ring on a rental home I own on the outside when son body is renting and the lag is almost non existent even though they have an equally ridiculous subscription plan . I’ve never tried eufy cameras but I have the fingerprint door lock .
Would you say the ring one is better ?
So much good food for thought. The only problem is a big one...eufy is made in China and sends data back to China. They have been caught in big lies about their security and data, plus the security threat of any tech made in China should be strongly considered. Personally, I'll likely gamble with Arlo because as an American company with products made in Vietnam, they are at least honest about the data and privacy policy and i trust that there isn't a backdoor. Do you recommend any other security cameras not made in China?