I recently purchased the Arlo Pro 4 XL bundle. I’ve been reading up on a ton of surveillance cameras including consumer level and commercial level. What I’m learning is that anything above 2k is not worth the cost unless you increase the lens size above 2.8mm which is paramount to high quality video surveillance. The other thing I read is that the wider the field of view, the lower the resolution for things like reading a license plate, etc.
probably one of the best tech reviews i have seen in a very long time! super clear, super detailed and addresses all the key features one needs to know to make a decision. well done mate.
We purchased a 3 pack Arlo essential spotlight, had to charge them all 6 times within the first week we had them and by the second week every camera started to fail entirely. A foggy evening left mist in the LED notification window as well. I would recommend paying more (cry once buy once) for the better cameras with removable batteries.
@@damiion666 because those absolutely work without issue . My father has 2 of 4 Arlo Essential units with solar panels that are currently offline with 0% charge. This happens every few weeks. I'll help him take them down, factory reset each unit and charge it over night. Then they'll be good for another few weeks (with the solar panels)
Hey Kaylee, i have long term plans to compare all these big companies together and see which one is the best outdoor camera. So keep an eye out for that one.
I actually thought the essential had the best pic surprisingly. What I am really trying to find out though is how quick they pick up and then notify of motion. A few reviews I have seen is the live feed is extremely delayed, it doesn’t start recording until well after the motion has started. I am most interested in instant recording, quick notifications and low live feed lag
I have a couple of questions. How long does it take to fully charge the battery? Also, if you buy an extra battery can it be charged with supplied charging cord or do you have to buy a separate charger? Thanks
Steve: Just added the (4) Pro 4 Cameras, Spotlight Camera, Chimes 2 and Wireless Doorbell. Installed all yesterday and observing the data from a distant location (my office 2 miles away). I have been watching Arlo Videos all day trying to see what else I can learn and yours has been by far the best. Thank you so much for the effort you've extended to educate us on this system. I purchased my system from Arlo direct and was provided a 3 month subscription trial. After hearing the criticisms of the subscription from so many that think this service should be free I was not deterred. I will be getting the Premier Service when my free trial ends in January. I think I might add the local Smart Hub just as an additional backup but I'm deferring that decision until later. What are your thoughts on having both the Smart Hub and the Premier Subscription? Thanks again for your posted work. I'll be subscribing to your site and looking for updates when they are posted.
Hi Mark, I'm happy to hear that you like the system. I'm still using my Arlo Ultras, 3 years later, and still love them. I don't have a subscription but i do use the smart hub with local recording. It's a pain that they don't display thumbnails like you would get with a subscription but at least i have the option of recording locally. I plan on reviewing any new Arlo cameras when they come out. Thanks for subbing.
@@SteveDOES I've created Activity Zones for each of the 5 cameras (very slick) but in doing so I've accidentally created 2 extra zones on one of the cameras that I'd like to delete. I have seen a delete option provided below these zones previously but for some reason I don't see them now. What did I do wrong?
I owned and still use arlo pro 2 camera system for a while. I wanted to upgrade last year but the subscription cost just annoys me. I ended up getting a wired system by Lorex. Dealing with the wires and setup are not fun but once the cameras are in place, the experience is far superior to the wireless cameras. far better resolution and checking out a live feed on the cameras doesn’t take 20 seconds to load. The best part is that I got an 8 camera system for around $400. I still use my Arlos indoors since I already had the system. Great for keeping an eye on my dog while I’m working.
Arlo has turned out to be garbage. Arlo recently notified me that my Pro will no longer be supported and I must buy their subscription 😮. The reason I bought an Arlo in the first place was their free support and storage. I even considered upgrading to a newer version for better video quality but with this new notice I feel like they stole my money 😂. Enjoy my money because never again Arlo 😂.
Found this in looking around. Its important to know who you are giving your money to. I was looking into Lorex as a possible option just to enterain the idea of maybe just going wired. Not no more lol. Why did Best Buy stop selling Lorex cameras? Best Buy, Home Depot, and Lowe's dropped Lorex (Dahua) products after IPVM and TechCrunch reached out to the retailers about them selling products from a manufacturer deemed a threat to US national security as well as being sanctioned for human rights abuses.Oct 25, 2021
I presently have Eufy S40 cameras covering my home and to date I'm quite happy with these cameras. I'm in the midst of starting a new home build and thinking what cameras I should install that don't require cloud service and would like wired to power so I'm not worrying about charging these cameras when I'm away for an extended period. I've looked but cannot find any reviews on your youtube channel comparing non battery type cameras. Any thoughts?
Great review! Wow, talk about complicated! I own an Arlo system and just bought two extra cameras and just learned I do not get any free storage for these new cameras. A total waste of money! I was just about to buy a new system for my kids for Christmas and now realize it would be a huge mistake. Saved me $900! Thanks again!
Thank you! I have been trying to decide which brand cameras to get, knew I wanted wireless as my husband and I are in our 70’s and need help with installation, and long term care of the cameras. I think I am going to go with Arlo pro 4, magnetic mount. Our Best Buy right now has on sale at $299. I will be sharing your video with my son who will be installing for us. One thing can you talk to someone on the outside from inside did I understand this to be the case? If so with proper placement would not need to get video doorbell? Again thank you!
Thanks for the info, I got the essential 3 camera on prime day $147.00 and was worried about what I was getting. Your video made me feel good about my purchase thanks you
Hi there, I just purchased 3 of these camers. I love the idea of not using the hub. My question is...how will i be able to record 🤔 recordings without the hub? I'm already subscribed to one their plans.
My house is about 4000sqft and i have 6 arlo cameras connected thru one base station. Some of my cameras have a very low signal. Is there anyway for me to boost the signal on the base station?
Get TP-Link Deco system, this gives you most reliable WiFi signal, depending on construction of your home, you need at least X55 system, which has AI integration and you can connect up to 150 devices Watch some videos about TP link Deco System to decide what’s best for you, but you need at least a packet of 3 units (sorry, I just saw this post just now, I know it’s 2 years later)
Thank you for your videos! They helped me in my decision. I purchased the Arlo Pro 4 and installed it on 07/14/2022. The battery is already down to 20%. I was not expecting this.
Thanks for making this video. After watching it I made my purchase of an essential camera package and it's the best fit for out home. The features of the other two cameras are great, but for my low traffic area it is more than enough camera to fit our means. 👍🏼
Hello, thanks for your work, i am a big fan. Right now i am trying to decide which security cameras to buy and your videos are really helpful. What i like to ask is if there is a internet outage, do arlo ultra 2 keep recording footage and save it locally to SD card in base? Thank you very much for answer 😊
I Love your review and the logical way it was laid out. Thank you so much. The only other thing I might like to have seen is the night time image quality withOUT the spotlight turned on. Great job!
Thanks Steve, very helpful. I have a follow-on request: in comparing the 3 cameras, it was really hard, to my untrained eye, to see a big difference (other than the lighting). But I suspect the situation might be different if I had to zoom in on something, whether day or night. The use case I’m thinking is if I have to identify a potential intruder, but they’re far away from the camera and you have to zoom in to get a proper ID. Can you maybe go back to the 6 cases (3 cameras each, day and night) and show how well they picked you up when you’re furthest away from the camera and had to zoom in to see your face? I’m betting the results would diverge markedly. If you have already done this in another video, would appreciate if you could point me towards it. Thanks! -Greg
I have a 4 cam Arlo 3 with floodlight and doorbell. So I have the arlo 3 base station. If I add in the 4 can it be used with that base or only on its own? I want to keep the canes I have but Add one more to mount on front of my house. Maybe 2 for back yard and front of house. Since I have 3 I’m we’d to the station and am wanting to keep the station I have with my external hard drive.
Great video. I have a couple of questions that I hope you can answer. I am on the board of an hoa and we are considering mounting these around our common pool area. On the notification feature, does the app allow for multiple persons to be notified? For example, we have a pool and security committee made of of several persons. Can an event that triggers notification be sent to all of them at once? Also, the Arlo plans says 30 days of video. Does that mean it limits storage to a maximum of 30 days or 30 days worth of footage? Almost seems better to buy storage space if available as a choice. With respect to the bay stations, just want to make sure that the stations can be connected to a wifi router and captured video on the usb drive or micro sd cards can be accessed wirelessly (cellphone, laptop, etc...). Finally, the bay station will work with various Arlo cameras. In other words, we are not limited to one camera model. Sorry for the basic questions. I will look at the Arlo playlist to see if some if not all of these questions can be answered.
Thanks, Great reviews. 2 questions. 1. How long to expect recharging the batteries. 2. Which base Stn allows for local storage? Is it only the Vmb4540? Unfortunately the boxes dont say which station model included. Price wise I am thinking either the essential or pro 4.
I’d like to see video quality in a darker setting. You have bright street lights and garden lighting. How good is the video in a dense tree area with no street lights and low or no moonlight? Especially if spotlight feature is turned off
Could you do a test between when they are plugged in with the outdoor cord and when they are not and let us know what the performance differences are? Ty
Watching from New Zealand Steve. You are my go to for everything electronic and purchased the Arlo Ultra 4K purely from your recommendation. Love the unit. Keep the posts coming 👍
Are the things able to function in different locations, for example, at another property a mile away? And the station with the card. Is the data on the card deletable then is the card reusable? Also, with the light feature, does the light make the fact that the camera is there noticeable? Thanks. Good demo video, very helpful.
quick question. With the base that comes with expandable storage....how often did you find yourself having to delete videos to free up room? Does the 256gb drive hold quite a few videos? I understand I can get the usb one and buy TB storage but just wondering.
Awesome video. I know it took you time and effort to do it all. You make it look easy once the recording starts. It's the work behind it that I recognize. Ty. I am looking into the Pro 4 XL.
Another great video thank you Steve, couldn't have made up my mind without this. I was confused with the Ultra 2 video being so poor, I'm almost changed my mind on which one to buy, but then you realized there interference from the other cameras, and re-recorded, thanks for taking the time. See you on your next video. I'm Subscribed.
NO not buy if you want to use local storage. Arlo is terrible in forcing cloud subscriptions... I would not recommend.. they limit who can see the local recordings.. Customer service is terrible, try them out.. you decide... Buyer beware!! I regret this purchase. !!
I have Arlo Pro and Arlo Pro 3 currently as well as a doorbell I came looking at this video trying to figure out what to purchase next and maybe it's just me but the essential looked better in my opinion
I have been using cheaper cameras like Blink and Wyze. I tried Eufy but found it wasn’t as good as the cheaper and the door bell camera only lasted about a week. Retuned them. I just bought the Arlo Pro 4 Spotlight 3 camera bundle. I had high hopes but after an afternoon of changing settings it isn’t any better then the other two and Wyze outdoor cam works better. None of them sees a person most of the time but loves vehicles even when you set it not to see the road. I’ll be sending this bundle back to the store. I’ll stick with the Wyze over all I’ve tested. The cheaper Wyze doorbell works better for me then the others including a Ring. I’m not into saving videos but want to keep it until I’m ready. I enjoy your videos. Thanks.
Thanks for this comparison, really appreciating your reviews compared to others! Would have liked to see black/white night shot comparison as well as that seems to have higher quality usually.
The biggest drawback to the Arlo cameras that use the XL batteries is that you can’t buy a separate charger. They can only be charged in the camera housing with Arlo’s (very) proprietary charging cable. My batteries run out in about a week, and I’ve had to use one of the cameras exclusively for charging batteries.
If you think that’s the biggest drawback you ain’t seeing nothing yet. Wait a few years when they send you a notice that it will no long be supported 😂.
Mine out front run out in about 2 weeks, because of the motion it is constantly picking up. We have kids, cars, neighborhood kids, and a ton of motion comes from the garden flag out front. Cameras out back last a lot longer. But yes when they’re no longer supported it does suck. I’m looking at upgrading, not sure if I want ultra or pro 4
the arlo pro 4 transmits the image through the app to where the wifi signal it is connected takes or does it have a limit of meters it takes? Note: I'm from Brazil on youtube there are no Brazilian videos with her because she's 14 thousand reais so I'm asking for your video
If you think about the price difference... is the Essential then a "good" buy compared to the others?? Not that big difference in picture quality in my opinion..... Great Video!!
Hi. Steve. I just purchased the Arlo Essential. I have 3 Arlo Pro cameras My question is: one of my camera pro is far from the home hub and always has a very weak wi-fi signal. I setup the essential and the signal is still weak but I added it to my home hub station. If I setup the essential alone without connecting to the home hub give me a better connection. Can you recommend something to extent the signal?
I managed to access the recordings on my Arlo Hub VM5000. Arlo weren’t much help during 4 weeks of sending emails. Only started to get any kind of response when I messaged them on Twitter but even then any email from me took anywhere between 48 & 72 hours
Great video for my house. Could you tell me if there are cameras with motion sensors that could be used in a forest preferably at 30 height ( all trees trimmed) to detect intruders?
Hi Steve just stumbled across your great video! I am grateful you did comparisons. I had just bought a Arlo package they had on sale at Visions for $329.00 Canadian lol The package came with 3 Essentials Cameras and the Arlo wire or wireless doorbell camera. I have only used one camera just to see how it looks and works. I gotta tell you It looked great at night in B&W and Color. I love the features! Next up is the doorbell and I'll see how that is. I didn't think the 2k or 4k Arlos were worth the money for a little extra pixels. I have owned the older Arlos that came with 4 cameras and the base station. The killer on those were the 4 batteries per camera was killing me $50.00 every 3 months if I was lucky. I'm going to see if the new cameras will work with the old base station. I hope so then mb I'll get a little more signal from my already lightning speed fiber package I got. In my opinion for the money you can't beat the Essentials! Let's not forget the cameras are really for your peace of mind. Even with footage of someone breaking when your not home. The police won't be able to figure out who the burglar was/is so really any camera is useless for the average home owner. I've experienced it first hand. I told the police I had video I even burned a disk for them of the guy; and it didn't even matter. He came right out and told me the odds of them catching the guy were slim to none ;but he thanked me for the video. He also said that the video is more for your insurance people Arrrg!
Nice comparisons. As an FYI, your night views clearly show that your 4PRO camera has major issues. In the comparison, look at the black cover over the table or the darkened upstairs windows. There is a major noise/grain issue with that camera. Could be a one-off problem or a design defect. Take a look.
I use my Arlo cameras as wildlife cameras on my property. One problem is that if objects or animals are too close to them, they're not in focus. I looked at specs for three different Arlo models but still couldn't figure out the minimum distance from the camera that the subject has to be before it's in focus. How can I find out which Arlo cameras will allow me to get very close to my subjects and stay in focus? Thank you!
Good video thanks, so basically, even if you go the base station, you won't get the notification's or choice of vehicle detection etc... Unless you go with a subscription?
Nice video... Local recording is not accessible through the app though, right? So you always have to unplug the drive, plug it into a computer and check the footage that way, right!? Thanks.
Maybe it is something lost in translation somewhere but the essentials camera was much better at picking up your features. I am not terribly concerned about the color which did seem slightly off on the essentials.
Hi, I have a small business that currently has 4 hardwired cameras, which Arlo camera system would you recommend for a small business? I can probably get away with only 3 cameras.
I have a few questions for you. I have the ultra 2 with base station. What’s the largest micro SD card that I can use, can I put a 1 tb into the base station ? How far away can the base station be from the cameras, also if you have Fios , does that make a difference as well. I have some other questions but would like to have a chat with you personally. Seems you know quite a bit about the Arlo system
Hey mate are allowed to put these cameras in own property?? not out door to check Neighbourhoods goes and comes can give som information in regarding plz ??
Steve - I am considering an Arlo system, either Essential or Pro 4 (I don't need 4K). Couple of questions. I have read multiple horror stories of if the camera loses it's connection to either the router or the hub, it does not reconnect - you have to physically remove power from the camera and restart it - this is a non started for me if it's true - since some of my cameras will be very high mounted. I did read one post on the Arlo forum saying a firmware update fixed it, but there was a user that said they had three identical cameras, and after the update - one would automatically reconnect, but the other 2 did not. Also - it seems to be true that in order to do Activity Zones or the 3 second skip back, the unit must have AC power. Where I'm mounting mine won't have AC - I plan to add Solar. And posts say it has to be AC.
Arlo Essential 4 Spotlight Camera with a 25 foot charging cable to the XL Battery. on my I-phone app says not taking a charge. I'm always taking the battery out to be recharge
Great video!!! Thank you very much! I just wish someone was available to come look at our new house and make recommendations about placement, doorbell and coverage the cameras will best provide.
I have a question. How many cameras can I have together. I now have the blink camera and I can do up to 10. Does the arlo work better because it doesn’t need a hub? And because it doesn’t need a hub how fast does my internet need to be? Thanks 🙏
dude so where is the hub at 16:14? is it inside your house? can it really connect wifi to the camera all the way from there without interferences or blocked by walls and doors?. pls reply
A well done video. Thank you for doing that. Was sold on the Ultra 2 until I went on Amazon to check out prices and started reading some of the 1 star reviews. People were stating that the battery life is days, doesn't work in cold temperatures - get a message stating needs to be warmed up (I live in New England so I'm concerned about that). They also stated that 4K quality is poor, more like 2K and bad Arlo customer service. Any comments from anyone, please and thank you!
Debating on the Arlo Pro 4. Any issues with camera/video delays from it having to wake up from standby mode etc? Like someone walking by or car driving by and by the time the camera recurds/recognizes movement its to late or just catching the rear of the car or back of someone walking?
Great video, even greater comparisons of the cameras. I really needed that thanks. Subed. Got to ask: Why cant I add either the pro 4 or the ultra 1 to my existing 4000 base station? Since I won't be going over the 5 cameras per base station, why would I be paying for any subscription? I'm just replacing a Pro 2 with an Ultra 1. Thanks
Hey Steve, I just bought an arlo essential..how dow I do a mass delete of vids as opposed to one at a time on my history..also, I've checked off the vehicle other an an animal to not get notes on those but kept people..I still get notifications on them..how do I fix this...
Thank you for your video, professional and informative. I'm in the process of having our Arlo Pro4 XL set up installed at our rental in Michigan, I'm out of state. I will not be there to have it connected to my phone. I have the Michigan internet information along with the numbers off of the Arlo Smart Hub. Is it possible for me to connect this to my phone while I'm out of state or do I need to be physically there or should I say my phone needs to be there which would be one in the same.
I recently purchased the Arlo Pro 4 XL bundle. I’ve been reading up on a ton of surveillance cameras including consumer level and commercial level. What I’m learning is that anything above 2k is not worth the cost unless you increase the lens size above 2.8mm which is paramount to high quality video surveillance. The other thing I read is that the wider the field of view, the lower the resolution for things like reading a license plate, etc.
...really good to know this Al, thanks.
True. I got Arlo Ultra and the 4K quality is not good. You won’t be able to read any license plate etc. it’s almost false advertising.
After being burglarized, all I can say is license plates are everything…
@@hekterr6677 Unfortunately, most thieves use stolen plates
Does the Arlo Pro 4 xl record 24/7 ?
probably one of the best tech reviews i have seen in a very long time! super clear, super detailed and addresses all the key features one needs to know to make a decision. well done mate.
We purchased a 3 pack Arlo essential spotlight, had to charge them all 6 times within the first week we had them and by the second week every camera started to fail entirely. A foggy evening left mist in the LED notification window as well. I would recommend paying more (cry once buy once) for the better cameras with removable batteries.
Or…get the solar panels for them??
@@damiion666 because those absolutely work without issue . My father has 2 of 4 Arlo Essential units with solar panels that are currently offline with 0% charge. This happens every few weeks. I'll help him take them down, factory reset each unit and charge it over night. Then they'll be good for another few weeks (with the solar panels)
I work for geek squad and it's one of my favorite cameras to install, I have had arlos for years for my own place and love them.
I need outdoor cameras and I'm getting confused as to what to buy. So do you suggest this one?
Help!
Yea, they're really easy to setup and install.
Hey Kaylee, i have long term plans to compare all these big companies together and see which one is the best outdoor camera. So keep an eye out for that one.
How long is the lag time when video is supposed to begin recording?
@@jimwilson6007 Any lag is unacceptable
I actually thought the essential had the best pic surprisingly. What I am really trying to find out though is how quick they pick up and then notify of motion. A few reviews I have seen is the live feed is extremely delayed, it doesn’t start recording until well after the motion has started. I am most interested in instant recording, quick notifications and low live feed lag
What have u found out on the quick recording ?
I have a couple of questions. How long does it take to fully charge the battery? Also, if you buy an extra battery can it be charged with supplied charging cord or do you have to buy a separate charger? Thanks
thank you Steve , tried to get in touch with Arlo to find out what the difference was between the cameras , and no live person to talk to .
Steve:
Just added the (4) Pro 4 Cameras, Spotlight Camera, Chimes 2 and Wireless Doorbell. Installed all yesterday and observing the data from a distant location (my office 2 miles away). I have been watching Arlo Videos all day trying to see what else I can learn and yours has been by far the best. Thank you so much for the effort you've extended to educate us on this system. I purchased my system from Arlo direct and was provided a 3 month subscription trial. After hearing the criticisms of the subscription from so many that think this service should be free I was not deterred. I will be getting the Premier Service when my free trial ends in January. I think I might add the local Smart Hub just as an additional backup but I'm deferring that decision until later. What are your thoughts on having both the Smart Hub and the Premier Subscription? Thanks again for your posted work. I'll be subscribing to your site and looking for updates when they are posted.
Hi Mark, I'm happy to hear that you like the system. I'm still using my Arlo Ultras, 3 years later, and still love them. I don't have a subscription but i do use the smart hub with local recording. It's a pain that they don't display thumbnails like you would get with a subscription but at least i have the option of recording locally. I plan on reviewing any new Arlo cameras when they come out. Thanks for subbing.
@@SteveDOES Thx for responding. Can you tell what advantages are provided by adding Smart hub despite my having a monthly subscription?
@@dmarque The only benefits you would have is it will free up WiFi bandwidth and that you can also have a local backup.
@@SteveDOES I've created Activity Zones for each of the 5 cameras (very slick) but in doing so I've accidentally created 2 extra zones on one of the cameras that I'd like to delete. I have seen a delete option provided below these zones previously but for some reason I don't see them now. What did I do wrong?
Hi, anyone tell me which basisstation should I buy for Arlo pro5 2k
I owned and still use arlo pro 2 camera system for a while. I wanted to upgrade last year but the subscription cost just annoys me. I ended up getting a wired system by Lorex. Dealing with the wires and setup are not fun but once the cameras are in place, the experience is far superior to the wireless cameras. far better resolution and checking out a live feed on the cameras doesn’t take 20 seconds to load. The best part is that I got an 8 camera system for around $400. I still use my Arlos indoors since I already had the system. Great for keeping an eye on my dog while I’m working.
Mike, what Lorex system and cameras did u get?
@@BrijLamba don’t remember off hand but I bought it at Costco. Had it a little while now. More than 1 year. Has 8 5mp cameras with a 2Tb hard drive.
Arlo has turned out to be garbage. Arlo recently notified me that my Pro will no longer be supported and I must buy their subscription 😮. The reason I bought an Arlo in the first place was their free support and storage. I even considered upgrading to a newer version for better video quality but with this new notice I feel like they stole my money 😂. Enjoy my money because never again Arlo 😂.
@@viperguyz I got the same notification. Very frustrating.
Found this in looking around. Its important to know who you are giving your money to. I was looking into Lorex as a possible option just to enterain the idea of maybe just going wired.
Not no more lol. Why did Best Buy stop selling Lorex cameras?
Best Buy, Home Depot, and Lowe's dropped Lorex (Dahua) products after IPVM and TechCrunch reached out to the retailers about them selling products from a manufacturer deemed a threat to US national security as well as being sanctioned for human rights abuses.Oct 25, 2021
I presently have Eufy S40 cameras covering my home and to date I'm quite happy with these cameras. I'm in the midst of starting a new home build and thinking what cameras I should install that don't require cloud service and would like wired to power so I'm not worrying about charging these cameras when I'm away for an extended period. I've looked but cannot find any reviews on your youtube channel comparing non battery type cameras. Any thoughts?
Great review! Wow, talk about complicated! I own an Arlo system and just bought two extra cameras and just learned I do not get any free storage for these new cameras. A total waste of money! I was just about to buy a new system for my kids for Christmas and now realize it would be a huge mistake. Saved me $900! Thanks again!
Thank you! I have been trying to decide which brand cameras to get, knew I wanted wireless as my husband and I are in our 70’s and need help with installation, and long term care of the cameras. I think I am going to go with Arlo pro 4, magnetic mount. Our Best Buy right now has on sale at $299. I will be sharing your video with my son who will be installing for us. One thing can you talk to someone on the outside from inside did I understand this to be the case? If so with proper placement would not need to get video doorbell? Again thank you!
Thank you for the great review. What is the difference between the arlo pro 4 and the pro 4 xl?
Thanks for the info, I got the essential 3 camera on prime day $147.00 and was worried about what I was getting. Your video made me feel good about my purchase thanks you
did it require wifi
Hi there,
I just purchased 3 of these camers. I love the idea of not using the hub. My question is...how will i be able to record 🤔 recordings without the hub? I'm already subscribed to one their plans.
My house is about 4000sqft and i have 6 arlo cameras connected thru one base station. Some of my cameras have a very low signal. Is there anyway for me to boost the signal on the base station?
Get TP-Link Deco system, this gives you most reliable WiFi signal, depending on construction of your home, you need at least X55 system, which has AI integration and you can connect up to 150 devices
Watch some videos about TP link Deco System to decide what’s best for you, but you need at least a packet of 3 units (sorry, I just saw this post just now, I know it’s 2 years later)
Thank you for your videos! They helped me in my decision. I purchased the Arlo Pro 4 and installed it on 07/14/2022. The battery is already down to 20%. I was not expecting this.
how much is the battery life of arlo pro 4, for example battery got charged, how much record can you get ?
Thanks for making this video. After watching it I made my purchase of an essential camera package and it's the best fit for out home. The features of the other two cameras are great, but for my low traffic area it is more than enough camera to fit our means. 👍🏼
I have not looked yet, but can you view at night time without the light coming on?
Hello, thanks for your work, i am a big fan. Right now i am trying to decide which security cameras to buy and your videos are really helpful. What i like to ask is if there is a internet outage, do arlo ultra 2 keep recording footage and save it locally to SD card in base? Thank you very much for answer 😊
Your video was high quality. Thank you. I am older and am having trouble getting my Arlo Pro 4 to see the QR code on my device. I will keep trying.
Hi Steve how many hours does it take to charge a Pro 4 camera? just by attaching the cable to the bottom of the cameras
I Love your review and the logical way it was laid out. Thank you so much. The only other thing I might like to have seen is the night time image quality withOUT the spotlight turned on. Great job!
Thanks Steve, very helpful. I have a follow-on request: in comparing the 3 cameras, it was really hard, to my untrained eye, to see a big difference (other than the lighting). But I suspect the situation might be different if I had to zoom in on something, whether day or night. The use case I’m thinking is if I have to identify a potential intruder, but they’re far away from the camera and you have to zoom in to get a proper ID. Can you maybe go back to the 6 cases (3 cameras each, day and night) and show how well they picked you up when you’re furthest away from the camera and had to zoom in to see your face? I’m betting the results would diverge markedly. If you have already done this in another video, would appreciate if you could point me towards it. Thanks! -Greg
I have a 4 cam Arlo 3 with floodlight and doorbell. So I have the arlo 3 base station. If I add in the 4 can it be used with that base or only on its own? I want to keep the canes I have but Add one more to mount on front of my house. Maybe 2 for back yard and front of house. Since I have 3 I’m we’d to the station and am wanting to keep the station I have with my external hard drive.
Excellent actual video and audio demonstrations.
Great video. I have a couple of questions that I hope you can answer.
I am on the board of an hoa and we are considering mounting these around our common pool area. On the notification feature, does the app allow for multiple persons to be notified? For example, we have a pool and security committee made of of several persons. Can an event that triggers notification be sent to all of them at once? Also, the Arlo plans says 30 days of video. Does that mean it limits storage to a maximum of 30 days or 30 days worth of footage? Almost seems better to buy storage space if available as a choice.
With respect to the bay stations, just want to make sure that the stations can be connected to a wifi router and captured video on the usb drive or micro sd cards can be accessed wirelessly (cellphone, laptop, etc...). Finally, the bay station will work with various Arlo cameras. In other words, we are not limited to one camera model.
Sorry for the basic questions. I will look at the Arlo playlist to see if some if not all of these questions can be answered.
Thanks, Great reviews. 2 questions. 1. How long to expect recharging the batteries. 2. Which base Stn allows for local storage? Is it only the Vmb4540? Unfortunately the boxes dont say which station model included. Price wise I am thinking either the essential or pro 4.
I’d like to see video quality in a darker setting. You have bright street lights and garden lighting. How good is the video in a dense tree area with no street lights and low or no moonlight? Especially if spotlight feature is turned off
Would these be good to watch over a elderly parent? Any thoughts on a good camera set-up for that?
Could you do a test between when they are plugged in with the outdoor cord and when they are not and let us know what the performance differences are? Ty
Best explanation I've seen, thank you!👍🏼👍🏼
Watching from New Zealand Steve. You are my go to for everything electronic and purchased the Arlo Ultra 4K purely from your recommendation. Love the unit. Keep the posts coming 👍
Wow, i'm honored. Thank you! :)
Hey neighbour 😊Watching from Australia.
Steve is the man when it comes to Arlo and Home security I think hes a genius
I actually thought the Arlo essential had the best pic! Thank u for sharing
Are the things able to function in different locations, for example, at another property a mile away? And the station with the card. Is the data on the card deletable then is the card reusable? Also, with the light feature, does the light make the fact that the camera is there noticeable?
Thanks. Good demo video, very helpful.
quick question. With the base that comes with expandable storage....how often did you find yourself having to delete videos to free up room? Does the 256gb drive hold quite a few videos? I understand I can get the usb one and buy TB storage but just wondering.
This was SO helpful and well made. Thank you, I feel empowered to purchase a reliable product that will bring much-needed peace of mind. God bless
Awesome video. I know it took you time and effort to do it all. You make it look easy once the recording starts. It's the work behind it that I recognize. Ty.
I am looking into the Pro 4 XL.
Happy you enjoyed it!
Te e that’s nice. Do you have any videos when your panels are malfunctioning and battery in the camera start loosing charge?🤩🇵🇷🇵🇷😊😊
When camera are up and installed is there an easy way of getting them down and putting them up without getting on ladder?
Another great video thank you Steve, couldn't have made up my mind without this. I was confused with the Ultra 2 video being so poor, I'm almost changed my mind on which one to buy, but then you realized there interference from the other cameras, and re-recorded, thanks for taking the time. See you on your next video. I'm Subscribed.
Hey Mikey, I'm happy to hear that this video helped you out.
NO not buy if you want to use local storage. Arlo is terrible in forcing cloud subscriptions... I would not recommend.. they limit who can see the local recordings.. Customer service is terrible, try them out.. you decide... Buyer beware!! I regret this purchase. !!
@@nickbaerg1207 I agree. There are better options out there. My son purchased Ring spotlight cam . It’s better.
how long do you charge the essential camera?
I have Arlo Pro and Arlo Pro 3 currently as well as a doorbell I came looking at this video trying to figure out what to purchase next and maybe it's just me but the essential looked better in my opinion
Great Arlo info. Trying to decide on Arlo cameras, Thanks .
I have been using cheaper cameras like Blink and Wyze. I tried Eufy but found it wasn’t as good as the cheaper and the door bell camera only lasted about a week. Retuned them. I just bought the Arlo Pro 4 Spotlight 3 camera bundle. I had high hopes but after an afternoon of changing settings it isn’t any better then the other two and Wyze outdoor cam works better. None of them sees a person most of the time but loves vehicles even when you set it not to see the road. I’ll be sending this bundle back to the store. I’ll stick with the Wyze over all I’ve tested. The cheaper Wyze doorbell works better for me then the others including a Ring. I’m not into saving videos but want to keep it until I’m ready. I enjoy your videos. Thanks.
Thank you very much, you helped me decide how to protect my farm. 👍
Thanks for this comparison, really appreciating your reviews compared to others! Would have liked to see black/white night shot comparison as well as that seems to have higher quality usually.
We just purchased the Arlo pro 4. So I have to subscribed in order to turn off the animal notification. That setting doesn’t come free on the app??
The biggest drawback to the Arlo cameras that use the XL batteries is that you can’t buy a separate charger. They can only be charged in the camera housing with Arlo’s (very) proprietary charging cable. My batteries run out in about a week, and I’ve had to use one of the cameras exclusively for charging batteries.
You have to charge weekly on the XL battery? I’m about to put a Ultra 2 XL in a tree. How much motion do you get?
If you think that’s the biggest drawback you ain’t seeing nothing yet. Wait a few years when they send you a notice that it will no long be supported 😂.
Mine out front run out in about 2 weeks, because of the motion it is constantly picking up. We have kids, cars, neighborhood kids, and a ton of motion comes from the garden flag out front. Cameras out back last a lot longer. But yes when they’re no longer supported it does suck. I’m looking at upgrading, not sure if I want ultra or pro 4
In my experience it’s much easier to run em’ with solar power. They stay charged, indefinitely.
the arlo pro 4 transmits the image through the app to where the wifi signal it is connected takes or does it have a limit of meters it takes?
Note: I'm from Brazil on youtube there are no Brazilian videos with her because she's 14 thousand reais so I'm asking for your video
Isn’t the newest Arlo Essential called the Essential XL?
There are 2 Essential models. The XL has a much bigger battery.
If you think about the price difference... is the Essential then a "good" buy compared to the others?? Not that big difference in picture quality in my opinion..... Great Video!!
Hi. Steve. I just purchased the Arlo Essential. I have 3 Arlo Pro cameras
My question is: one of my camera pro is far from the home hub and always has a very weak wi-fi signal. I setup the essential and the signal is still weak but I added it to my home hub station. If I setup the essential alone without connecting to the home hub give me a better connection.
Can you recommend something to extent the signal?
I managed to access the recordings on my Arlo Hub VM5000. Arlo weren’t much help during 4 weeks of sending emails. Only started to get any kind of response when I messaged them on Twitter but even then any email from me took anywhere between 48 & 72 hours
You deserve a high five just for being to articulate each of the model numbers without a hiccup (06:56)!😃
Great video for my house. Could you tell me if there are cameras with motion sensors that could be used in a forest preferably at 30 height ( all trees trimmed) to detect intruders?
If I have a weak wifi connection and I connect the hub to it will it act as a wifi extender ?
Yes, but only for the Arlo cameras.
Hi Steve just stumbled across your great video! I am grateful you did comparisons.
I had just bought a Arlo package they had on sale at Visions for $329.00 Canadian lol
The package came with 3 Essentials Cameras and the Arlo wire or wireless doorbell camera. I have only used one camera just to see how it looks and works. I gotta tell you It looked great at night in B&W and Color. I love the features! Next up is the doorbell and I'll see how that is.
I didn't think the 2k or 4k Arlos were worth the money for a little extra pixels. I have owned the older Arlos that came with 4 cameras and the base station. The killer on those were the 4 batteries per camera was killing me $50.00 every 3 months if I was lucky. I'm going to see if the new cameras will work with the old base station. I hope so then mb I'll get a little more signal from my already lightning speed fiber package I got. In my opinion for the money you can't beat the Essentials! Let's not forget the cameras are really for your peace of mind. Even with footage of someone breaking when your not home. The police won't be able to figure out who the burglar was/is so really any camera is useless for the average home owner. I've experienced it first hand. I told the police I had video I even burned a disk for them of the guy; and it didn't even matter. He came right out and told me the odds of them catching the guy were slim to none ;but he thanked me for the video. He also said that the video is more for your insurance people Arrrg!
Steve do you have a video on port forwarding Arlo cams?
How long does it take to charge the Arlo battery pack for the first time and how do you tell it is charged?
Great review. So much info. With extensive testing. 🎉
How long the battery will last?
I imagine activating the spot light would drain the battery faster. Great video. How effective are the solar collectors in NW Oregon? Thanks!
Nice comparisons. As an FYI, your night views clearly show that your 4PRO camera has major issues. In the comparison, look at the black cover over the table or the darkened upstairs windows. There is a major noise/grain issue with that camera. Could be a one-off problem or a design defect. Take a look.
When in Arlo Library, what is FILTER at top left do and what is it used for?
I use my Arlo cameras as wildlife cameras on my property. One problem is that if objects or animals are too close to them, they're not in focus. I looked at specs for three different Arlo models but still couldn't figure out the minimum distance from the camera that the subject has to be before it's in focus. How can I find out which Arlo cameras will allow me to get very close to my subjects and stay in focus? Thank you!
I’m looking at this camera for my horse’s stall. Still confused. Do I need to buy a WiFi support or can I use a cloud subscription? Thanks!
You know your stuff when it comes to surveillance equip. Thans😊🎊🎊🇵🇷🇵🇷
Good video thanks, so basically, even if you go the base station, you won't get the notification's or choice of vehicle detection etc... Unless you go with a subscription?
Thank you for putting so much work into your video.
Nice video... Local recording is not accessible through the app though, right? So you always have to unplug the drive, plug it into a computer and check the footage that way, right!? Thanks.
Maybe it is something lost in translation somewhere but the essentials camera was much better at picking up your features. I am not terribly concerned about the color which did seem slightly off on the essentials.
I bought the pro 4 & the solar panels for outside my house, but I thought the essential did the best imo
Press sync-Button at the Camera under the Case and the Sync Button at dent Basisstation ...
Hi, I have a small business that currently has 4 hardwired cameras, which Arlo camera system would you recommend for a small business? I can probably get away with only 3 cameras.
Is the essential weatherproof if you have it powered with hard wire?
How do you access the local recordings on the hub?
That allows essential was def better than the other 2 on all tests in my opinion. It was a lot brighter...
Thank you your video is very helpful with these arlo camera. I am wondering if I can have more than 6 camera using 1 base?
I have a few questions for you. I have the ultra 2 with base station. What’s the largest micro SD card that I can use, can I put a 1 tb into the base station ? How far away can the base station be from the cameras, also if you have Fios , does that make a difference as well. I have some other questions but would like to have a chat with you personally. Seems you know quite a bit about the Arlo system
Hey, do you mind sharing your experience so far and tips regarding the base station?
Thanks for all the info. My Arlo Essential camera is shooting everything upside down. How do I flip it?
Return it it maybe damaged
what is the cheapest option for a solar panel for this camera?
I never thought about a gutter mount for camera and solar panel. Is this something arlo sells or a 3rd party mount?
Hey mate are allowed to put these cameras in own property?? not out door to check Neighbourhoods goes and comes can give som information in regarding plz ??
Thanks for doing this and making a pretty fair comparison. Much appreciated!
Steve - I am considering an Arlo system, either Essential or Pro 4 (I don't need 4K). Couple of questions. I have read multiple horror stories of if the camera loses it's connection to either the router or the hub, it does not reconnect - you have to physically remove power from the camera and restart it - this is a non started for me if it's true - since some of my cameras will be very high mounted. I did read one post on the Arlo forum saying a firmware update fixed it, but there was a user that said they had three identical cameras, and after the update - one would automatically reconnect, but the other 2 did not. Also - it seems to be true that in order to do Activity Zones or the 3 second skip back, the unit must have AC power. Where I'm mounting mine won't have AC - I plan to add Solar. And posts say it has to be AC.
Can the new cameras that connect directly to WiFi be used for travel on any WiFi?
Arlo Essential 4 Spotlight Camera with a 25 foot charging cable to the XL Battery. on my I-phone app says not taking a charge. I'm always taking the battery out to be recharge
Great video!!! Thank you very much! I just wish someone was available to come look at our new house and make recommendations about placement, doorbell and coverage the cameras will best provide.
I have a question. How many cameras can I have together. I now have the blink camera and I can do up to 10. Does the arlo work better because it doesn’t need a hub? And because it doesn’t need a hub how fast does my internet need to be? Thanks 🙏
Will the activity zone work with the newer Arlos powered by battery. The older Arlos work only if the camera is hooked to a 110 power supply.
dude so where is the hub at 16:14? is it inside your house? can it really connect wifi to the camera all the way from there without interferences or blocked by walls and doors?. pls reply
A well done video. Thank you for doing that. Was sold on the Ultra 2 until I went on Amazon to check out prices and started reading some of the 1 star reviews. People were stating that the battery life is days, doesn't work in cold temperatures - get a message stating needs to be warmed up (I live in New England so I'm concerned about that). They also stated that 4K quality is poor, more like 2K and bad Arlo customer service. Any comments from anyone, please and thank you!
Debating on the Arlo Pro 4. Any issues with camera/video delays from it having to wake up from standby mode etc? Like someone walking by or car driving by and by the time the camera recurds/recognizes movement its to late or just catching the rear of the car or back of someone walking?
Great video, even greater comparisons of the cameras. I really needed that thanks. Subed.
Got to ask: Why cant I add either the pro 4 or the ultra 1 to my existing 4000 base station?
Since I won't be going over the 5 cameras per base station, why would I be paying for any subscription? I'm just replacing a Pro 2 with an Ultra 1. Thanks
Hey Steve, I just bought an arlo essential..how dow I do a mass delete of vids as opposed to one at a time on my history..also, I've checked off the vehicle other an an animal to not get notes on those but kept people..I still get notifications on them..how do I fix this...
Great video Steve could you do a comparison on Arlo Ultra 2 Vs New Eufy s3 Pro nad some of the other Eufy new cams?
I have my own in home server (96TB), is there a way to skirt paying them for Cloud being I have my own in-house Cloud?
Thank you for your video, professional and informative.
I'm in the process of having our Arlo Pro4 XL set up installed at our rental in Michigan, I'm out of state. I will not be there to have it connected to my phone. I have the Michigan internet information along with the numbers off of the Arlo Smart Hub. Is it possible for me to connect this to my phone while I'm out of state or do I need to be physically there or should I say my phone needs to be there which would be one in the same.
Does the Arlo pro 4 cameras work with the flood light and doorbell without a hub ?