Ultra 2 Spotlight Camera 4K HDR (Camera only, SmartHub Sold Separately & is Required to Operate | Wireless Home Security Camera | Color Night Vision, Motion Sensor, 180º View, 2-Way Audio, Black

For the second time I buy an Arlo product that does not meet the spec. It was supposed to to record locally and I checked that the Hub I have (VMB5000) is supported and I have a Storage card installed in it that exceeds the minimum specs required. I tried to reach Arlo support but the phone number they publish on the Web site for the UAE does not support the UAE!!!! They (the European support) gave me a North American number that is no longer in service! I followed a chat session recommendations and the ticket is still opened but no solution, I still can not record locally. This has been going on a few weeks and still unresolved. I had the same problem with the Arlo Video Door bell and I ended up throwing it away.

Cameras work great until the temperatures go down. They start having issues at -10 C, which isn't all that cold. We will see what happens for the rest of the winter as it's only just started.

I checked Arlo's website to ensure this Arlo Ultra 2 camera is compatible with my previously purhased Arlo VMB4000 Base Station. They say it is. My prior generation Arlo cameras I purchased with it several years ago still record fine, but I want more advanced features. Even after being enrolled in the free trial of Arlo Secure cloud service, removing and reinserting the camera battery, using the reset button on my Base Station, and turning the base station off and on, the camera floodlight comes on when motion triggered, but no recording shows up in the app from Ultra 2 when armed and motion is detected. Other Amazon reviewers are indicating similar results. Recordings still show up for my older Arlo cameras. I was hesitant to buy this camera in the first place, as I tend to agree with popular YouTube consumer tech advocate Louis Rossman in his 29 Nov., 2023 video, "Cloud Connected Cameras are a SCAM". But the color night vision, spotlight, 4K, and battery is a phenomenal combination I could find nowhere else. Arlo says these work with Apple HomeKit. However, unlike some other home security camera manufacturers, Arlo refuses to enable Apple HomeKit Secure Video, which stores home security video in Apple iCloud+ *IF* you pay for (not the free version) iCloud+ storage. Apple stores security camera cloud video for only 10 days, and limits the number of cameras it will store video for based on your storage tier. But there is no extra charge for it on iCloud+, you can view it on just about any internet connected Apple device with a video screen (including Apple TV), and it does not count against your storage limit. 50GB plan = 1 camera video storage. 200GB = 5 cameras. 2TB & above = unlimited number of cameras. Arlo claims they do not enable Apple HomeKit Secure Video for privacy. But Apple encrypts this video, so Arlo's claim seems invalid, and seems merely to entice you to pay Arlo every month or year for their video cloud storage. Also, I have to respond to ad popups to subscribe or not to their paid video camera storage when arming my older Arlo cameras on their app. Too often, even though I've clicked NO dozens and dozens of times. When I filled out a form on their website a few minutes ago listing these concerns, then pressed send or similarly titled radio button, I got an error message instead. Sounds about right. I plan on upgrading to some other brand that enables Apple HomeKit Secure Video. Perhaps I will wait until newer, more advanced models come out.

Camera stopped detecting motion after several months. I contacted Arlo to troubleshoot and they said it was actually a refurbished camera. Not mentioned in the item description as it suggested new. Refurbished cameras only have 90 day warranty and now it needs replacement. Full description does not say refurbished anywhere,

I swapped a Pro2 for a new Ultra2. It was easy to setup the new camera in the Arlo app. The camera position tool in the app made it easy to position the cameras view. The video quality is very good with some slight chromatic aberrations at high zoom levels at 20+ feet. The detection algorithm is also very good. It recorded a squirrel and correctly flagged it as an animal. Distance to the hub is probably 30-40 feet with one exterior wall in between.

The picture and motion detection are good on this camera, but the battery barely lasted a week. I believe it advertised 6 months of battery life, but this is only if you keep it turned off all the time. After a full initial charge, it barely lasted more than a week. After that I recharged it just in case and have used it less than 24 hours total over the course of a month or so and it's already down to 66%. The return window has already closed or I would send it back. What a waste and an inconvenience having to either keep it off or climb a giant ladder to change the battery every couple weeks.