Currently prior testing this model I have been using the previous model since last year the Arlo Pro 2 and it has served me well still to this date with no problems at all bar the app but them issues have been fixed with updates and works well.
Given this is a new model there is a new base station so the previous one would not allow me add the new 4K model so I had to install the whole new kit on the current base station, they are not backward compatible but they are working on a fix to correct this at the time of press and from reading on their forums so it was just a simple process to unlist the camera on the old station and set up fresh the bell,chime and two cameras on the new on which took a few minutes to complete and after that all was good and still is today and the new features in the app are also good too which enhance the user experience which I will go through in the video below.
Installation again is as easy and no wires which is important and if you have a good internet connection it will benefit you most as to where and how far you can place it this will vary per household and internet connection. I have one in the front and rear of house and mixed these about during the test period to see how they got on as the light situation is different between front and rear.
One thing for sure here is your camera will not miss a thing and you can set activity zones to precision which is great for stopping false negative notifications and and I suggest you make use of them. Once mounted the camera is very flexible as to where you can point it so you can get the exact area covered you want. One example of what I mean is I had a neighbours washing setting off my camera which pissed me off but I had not activated zones which stops this, It is all well and good just to point the camera where you want it to shoot but it will come back to bite you not using the activity zones where you can remove the notifications coming to your phone which are just worthless and will drain your battery.
The doorbell and chime are a great addition to have here and for me the bell is a gift as I do be in and out during the day and often miss the postman or courier as I have many couriers call and I can just speak to them through the bell whilst I have them on camera to verify who they are and it also great for cold calling sales men which is mostly ISP providers these days or just con artists selling carpets and stuff which you can tell them to take a hike even when you are in the house you dont need to get up and look its a guilty pleasure it must be said.
The bell has to be wired to your initial wiring it is simple and you can then change the tone or bell type with the small switch in the back of the camera. The chime just plugs into any socket and be placed wheres most convenient for you. See sample below of how bell works with mobile, As mentioned you can sync any camera to bell for the visual.
Whats new with this model is the 4K which offers rich viewing which you will see below and it really is enhanced over the PRO 2 model but I have found your internet connection can interfere with this as it has with mine but the footage is great and the integrated spotlight really ads to it too giving you instant light and it is powerful but you cant record in 4K with Auto Zoom and tracking on this is not a caveat anyway the footage is crystal clear. There is also package detection which has worked fine for me given it is in beta stage it has worked a treat.
Overall I can recommend this or any Arlo camera as it our third one in for review and they have worked fine and still work today with no issues but check the video below for more..
Top Features
- Wire-free and weather-resistant design, works with Alexa and includes 1-year of Arlo smart premier service with rolling 30 day cloud recordings (up to 10 cameras)
- 4K and HDR zoom in to see sharp details with Arlo ultra’s 4K and HDR advanced image quality technology
- Enhanced night vision: See what’s lurking with colour night vision allowing you to see video in colour rather than traditional black and white(only live streaming)
- Integrated spotlight: Light up the night and ward off unwelcome guests using Arlo ultra’s integrated spotlight
- 180 Degree diagonal field of view: See more with a wider angle lens that has auto image correction reducing the fish eye effect
- Noise canceling technology: Listen and speak to visitors with crystal clear, full 2-way audio that reduces wind and noise
- Auto zoom and tracking: Auto-focus on moving objects with clarity and detail; works with apple watch, google home hub, amazon alexa