Video in Live View keeps defaulting to Lousy Quality

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Video in Live View keeps defaulting to Lousy Quality

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Video in Live View keeps defaulting to Lousy Quality
Video in Live View keeps defaulting to Lousy Quality
2022-06-06 06:29:38 - last edited 2022-06-08 08:33:03
Model: Tapo C310  
Hardware Version: V1
Firmware Version: 1.1.20

My camera is actually the Tapo C320WS which I have just installed but the option doesn't appear in the menu.

 

When I first set up the device the live view was nice and good quality.  However after playing around the app automatically set the live view to low quality and I cannot set it back to HQ.  My camera is presently set to record at 4MP and the recordings on the cloud / SD card are good quality.  The only issue is live view which looks terrible after the app reverted to low quality.

 

When I reset the camera it was high quality for a short while, but when I quit the app and left, it reverted again to low quality.

 

Would really appreciate it if you could either:

 

1. Show me the option in the app to fix the live view to HQ.

2. If the option isn't in the app, please add it!  I noted similar posts mentioned setting from HQ to LQ but I can't find it on my app.

 

Thanks.  Hope it gets fixed because the present low quality live view is a distinct downgrade from the system I just replaced.

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Re:Video in Live View keeps defaulting to Lousy Quality-Solution
2022-06-08 02:55:35 - last edited 2022-06-08 08:33:03

  @Solla-topee Hi, just to let you know that I have done my own troubleshooting and have a sort-of workaround.

 

It seems your camera will only stream in HQ to one device at a time.  As I mentioned before, I have a spare handphone (which I am using as a 24/7 monitor) streaming the feed via the app.  That was on HQ previously.  What I did was to turn it off, then view the stream on my regular phone, and it was HQ.  Then I turned my spare handphone back on, which then streamed in LQ and has been LQ ever since.  But at least now, when I use my normal phone, it streams in HQ.

 

I hope you will update your app to choose between HQ and LQ as I have no bandwidth problems with my connection.  This wasn't an issue with my earlier CCTV and it feels like a downgrade now.

 

FYI no, leaving the feed on for a few seconds did not change the LQ stream to HQ.

 

And sorry but it's just not convenient for me to open up my camera and physically extract to SD card to get the log for you.  I'm quite surprised that this is necessary rather than being done via the app.  I hope you will be able to do better planning / testing on your products in future.

 

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Re:Video in Live View keeps defaulting to Lousy Quality
2022-06-07 01:48:36 - last edited 2022-06-07 02:10:40

 Hello  @AlvinLeong 

Thank you for the feedback, please confirm the Tapo APP & Tapo device firmware are both up-to-date. 

Can you share a video clip or some screenshots of the video quality automatically changed to LQ?  

Can I know the model of your phone and its OS version? What is the tapo app version. Thank you. 

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Re:Video in Live View keeps defaulting to Lousy Quality
2022-06-07 01:58:01

  @Solla-topee 

Thanks for replying.  Tapo App is updated to the version updated on 02.06.2022, so it is the latest.  The app shows the device has been updated to the latest firmware.

 

My phone is the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, Android version 12, latest software version.

 

Yes when I quit and repoen, it turns to LQ.  Even when I swipe left accidentally (to go to camera 2 on the live view which is blank because I only have one camera) and swipe back right, it switches back to LQ.  Thereafter the only remedy is to reboot the camera and I will get HQ live view.. until I close the app again.

 

Do let me know if you need anything else.

 

 

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Re:Video in Live View keeps defaulting to Lousy Quality
2022-06-07 02:11:57 - last edited 2022-06-07 02:15:12

  @AlvinLeong Thank you very much for the case details,  can you help record a video showing the issue?

Do you use Tapo Care, or third party software NVR software or RTSP software to stream camera? 

If possible, please help reproduce the issue and help collect the camera log and share the log file via google link with us via private message 

How to Get the Log of Tapo Camera?

Thank you 

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Re:Video in Live View keeps defaulting to Lousy Quality
2022-06-07 05:35:12

  @Solla-topee OK I have just messaged you with a screen recording of the issue.

 

I do have another handphone next to me which I'm using as a monitor (always on), using the same Tapo app.  That one streams in HQ so no issue.

 

As for the log file, I note from your link that requires me to retrieve the SD card from the camera, which is mounted to a ceiling just outside my premises.  That will not be possible in the immediate future as I will need to call someone in to assist.

 

 

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Re:Video in Live View keeps defaulting to Lousy Quality
2022-06-07 06:40:08 - last edited 2022-06-07 06:47:02

 Hello  @AlvinLeong 

Thank you for the video. After you force close the Tapo APP and restart it,  app Live view may take a few secs to load to the full resolution. So in the first few secs of opening the app, it looks like Live view is on 'low quality' but soon on 'high quality' within a few secs. 

Can you wait for a few secs and see if the Live view page becomes clearer? 

 

Btw, i couldn't see the video quality difference very clearly in the provided video, did you notice if resolution in Video Quality still stay on 4MP.

If waiting for a few secs does not work, it is better to help collect the log of camera. 

 

 

 

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Re:Video in Live View keeps defaulting to Lousy Quality-Solution
2022-06-08 02:55:35 - last edited 2022-06-08 08:33:03

  @Solla-topee Hi, just to let you know that I have done my own troubleshooting and have a sort-of workaround.

 

It seems your camera will only stream in HQ to one device at a time.  As I mentioned before, I have a spare handphone (which I am using as a 24/7 monitor) streaming the feed via the app.  That was on HQ previously.  What I did was to turn it off, then view the stream on my regular phone, and it was HQ.  Then I turned my spare handphone back on, which then streamed in LQ and has been LQ ever since.  But at least now, when I use my normal phone, it streams in HQ.

 

I hope you will update your app to choose between HQ and LQ as I have no bandwidth problems with my connection.  This wasn't an issue with my earlier CCTV and it feels like a downgrade now.

 

FYI no, leaving the feed on for a few seconds did not change the LQ stream to HQ.

 

And sorry but it's just not convenient for me to open up my camera and physically extract to SD card to get the log for you.  I'm quite surprised that this is necessary rather than being done via the app.  I hope you will be able to do better planning / testing on your products in future.

 

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Re:Video in Live View keeps defaulting to Lousy Quality
2022-06-08 08:32:56 - last edited 2022-06-17 08:07:29

 Hello 

That should be the case, if streaming camera on multiple devices, it could be on HQ on a device/some devices and LQ on the other. At that moment, the first network device will get HQ live stream. 

Thank you the improvement suggestion with HQ/LQ streams, as far as I know this is related to device hardware and that could ensure the best performance on camera, I'd like to share your feedback with our team and see if optimization can be done. Tapo app now should support exporting log, but the log is not as detailed as the log collected with SD card, we are also looking to improve the experience. At the same time, thank you for time and patience with troubleshooting.

 

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Re:Video in Live View keeps defaulting to Lousy Quality
2022-06-08 09:53:59

  @Solla-topee 

 

Can you confirm that this will be fixed? I have just bough two C320WS and don't want them if this is going to be an issue, thanks

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Re:Video in Live View keeps defaulting to Lousy Quality
2022-07-01 18:48:31

  @MickFarr I also have 2 of these cameras working on the highest res. No problems, great picture quality. Is your WiFi connection strong?

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