Arlo home security cameras are all about making things visible. This is done using through live-streaming and recording the activities that happen around your place. In the event of a theft or some other untoward incident, video evidence can help you identify the culprit and take necessary action. However, if the live stream from your Arlo camera shows a purple/ gray or a green screen, doing that would be a distant dream. If you are facing similar issues with live streaming using your Arlo camera, this blog will walk you through the steps to resolve it in no time.
What causes the issue?
The status of the live stream on your Arlo camera depends on the WiFi connectivity at your end. This doesn’t affect the video recordings in the video library. Since 4K streaming requires more network bandwidth, you may notice green, purple, or grayish screens during multiple live streams. This will give you nothing except a blank colored screen.
What you can do?
For the best experience during the live streaming operations, you’ll need to ensure the following:
- Make sure your internet connection is fast and supports an average of 4Mbps data upload speeds. You can check your data speeds by visiting the speedtest.net website. Note that the speed test results might vary depending upon the traffic and the time of the day. You can try taking the test multiple times to get accurate readings.
- Try placing your Arlo camera in a location within 300ft of the main Arlo SmartHub or BaseStation. Also, if there are any objects within 2.5 inches of the sides or the front of the camera, they might cause glares or hazy video during the night hours. Furthermore, ensure that the camera itself is within a good signal range of the WiFi router.
Things your Arlo camera would need for better live streaming
In order for your Arlo camera to live-stream high-quality video, it would need a high-speed internet connection. The Arlo Ultra Series requires 3Mbps upload per camera, while the Arlo Pro Series and the Arlo Essential Video Doorbells need 2Mbps uploading speeds per camera. Other Arlo cameras can work with 1 Mbps upload per camera. In addition, your Arlo camera will also require a WiFi router to connect to using an ethernet cable connection if you intend to use a SmartHub or Base Station device.
Arlo can work with the minimum requirements, however, the functionality and the video quality you receive during live streaming will be negatively affected. With lower bandwidths available, video recordings can come out pixelated or unclear. Other times, you may also face delays starting the live stream function.
Resolving poor WiFi connectivity issues in your Arlo camera
If you are facing connectivity issues while your WiFi network, here are some points to keep in mind:
- If you are on a dual-band network, connect your smartphone to the 5GHz band while keeping the Arlo devices to the 2.4Ghz only.
- You can further adjust your WiFi network to minimize WiFi congestion and interference issues. You can try changing the Channel Settings for your router. Sign in to the router setup wizard and follow the instructions in the user manual to make the changes.
- If you have multiple 4K live streams set up, try closing a few of them. Handling multiple 4K streams, alert streams, and SD card recording simultaneously at lower network bandwidth can be strenuous.
- Finally, you can try adjusting the video resolution of your Arlo camera. Doing so will allow you to choose the best resolution that works for your device. You can use the Arlo camera app or sign in to the Arlo setup page using the my.arlo.com web address. Once logged in, you can navigate to the Settings section and select the My Devices menu. Here, tap the camera model that you are using and wish to adjust the resolution for. Next, select the Video Settings and then go to the Power Management menu. On this page, you can select from Best Battery Life, Optimized, or Best Video to proceed. Using the Best Battery Life settings will help reduce the WiFi bandwidth that is required for streaming. The Best Video option will use more bandwidth on the network and the Optimized one will help you balance battery life and video quality simultaneously.
The final word
The Purple/Gray/Green screen issue during the live streaming can be a real roadblock in the way of ensuring safety. You can lose out on important evidence and that can cost you more than just a fortune. Make sure you resolve the issue by following the tips discussed in this blog. Setting up your Arlo camera to work at the Best Battery Life is the recommended solution from experts and helps you get decent video prints.
If you continue to face issues with the live streaming on your Arlo camera, you can always reach out to the team of experts any time of the day.