I’ve had the Arlo Pro (basic model) for several years and they work OK for what I need. I can put up to 5 cameras on a base station without subscribing. I didn’t go with the newer cameras that require the fee but about two weeks ago I picked up another set of 4 manufacturer refurbished (with warranty) to replace a couple (even though they were still working fine) and put the others away for back-up. They record about 10 seconds of video at a time. There are times when I get the sun at certain times of day that may set them off when it comes out of a shaded area. I do get the occasional birds, wasps, and spiders at night that set them off. The night vision is somewhat limited if you place them too high (newer models may do a better job). You have to experiment a bit when setting them up to find the right spot and when they pick up what you want to see. I use the recommended Tenergy gold label rechargeables and is not unusual to go a couple of months before I change them. I did have one that had the IR get stuck and give me pink video, but I finally got that one working correctly. I’ve never had any issues with manufacturer refurbished (key word being manufacturer). In short, they work OK for me. YMMV.