That only affects playback/livestream, not recording (neither cloud nor SD card). Recording is always full resolution/bitrate, you can’t change that.
The purpose is for dealing with a bad connection, if your wifi to that cam is poor, you turn the resolution down to reduce the bandwidth it needs for playback to your device.
Actually I can’t 100% say for sure if cloud is impacted or not, but I don’t believe so. If you have a poor connection, your cloud recordings will simply back up/get delayed or completely fail from my understanding. It does not scale down the resolution that I know of, but someone with Cam Plus may be able to confirm. But as far as the SD card, I’ve tested, the setting in playback has no impact on the recordings whatsoever.
Think of the stream to the local data bus/SD card as being totally separate from the stream over wifi to your viewing device.
Thanks. Not trying to be difficult, but why then in the Wyze help section when I asked about SD cards and continuous recording, how many hours, it shows the following:
The Wyze Cam v3 supports different sizes of microSD cards for local video storage, each offering varying recording durations:
32GB Storage Card:
Approximately 48 hours of HD video
Approximately 168 hours of SD video
128GB Storage Card:
Approximately 192 hours of HD video
Approximately 672 hours of SD video
Am I missing something? Are they simply advertising what an “SD Card” is capable of storing, and not that the camera itself is recording in HD or SD???
I don’t have those earlier cameras, but I think some of them recorded in SD (as in “Standard Definition”) due hardware limitation. Some of the Wyze articles are old and haven’t been updated.
Maybe the v3 had that option (it is an older model and different interface) but none of my cams allow you to change it. And even on an older one, just tapping that icon during playback wouldn’t do it, since that setting is only valid as long as you are watching the video. It would have to be somewhere in the settings.
On the v4, OG, OG-Tel, and Panv3 they all record at HD, no way to change it, have confirmed by testing changing resolutions and then checking the files on the card. The v4 has an issue where sometimes it “sticks” at 360P on playback even after you exit and I wanted to make sure, and the videos on the card are all 2.5K during that time.
All my cams (2.5K and 1080P) record around 10 megabytes per minute. It will vary some as mentioned, at night it is less, and when there isn’t much detail or motion it is less also.
I can understand that p2788deal. But as you can see above where I pasted a response, it clearly says the Cam V3 and shows a 32gb and 128gb and the hours it stores of HD or SD video. Like I mentioned to dave, maybe they are simply “Mis-Advertising” mentioning what an SD card can store and not what the v3 camera is actually recording in.
I’m bored… Tonight when I go to bed I will format one of the sd cards in one of the v3 cameras and let it record for 7 or 8 hours. I’ll check how much of the sd card is used. Then I’ll format it again; change the resolution; and record for another 7-8 hours and compare the results. I’ll probably do the 2nd recording tomorrow night so it’s the same time, no events, etc… just to keep the variables the same.
Thanks
Just do an “eject” the app, toss the card in a computer, and view the properties of the video file. It will tell you the resolution.
I suspect the page you’re looking at is possibly generic (they used to have SD only cams) or maybe the v3 had that option somewhere, never seen anyone mention it though.
Thanks Dave. As I mentioned above, I’ll test it tonight and record for 7 hours and then again tomorrow night same time for 7 hours at a different resolution selected on the live view. We’ll see if the amount used on the card is different
Thanks
Heck even if you don’t want to remove the SD card, while viewing a recording on the SD card that you made while it was set to “360P”, just hit the “record” button. The video file saved to your phone will show the actual resolution from the SD card.
Your plan will work also, but will take longer, and certain variables may impact it, but if it is taken during the same time period and with the same amount of motion/complexity, should be pretty close in size.
Look through your settings and see if there is a way to change the resolution for SD card. I highly doubt that icon on the live view will do it, even if the v3 does support that feature (but I could be wrong, it definitely does not affect the recordings on the newer cams).
Dave, I think you are correct. If I get picky with my wording in the Wyze help section, I have found a few responses from it’s BOT that shows the recording of the V3 is “FIXED” at 1080p Full HD (1920x1080. So in that case, just like you previously mentioned, a 64gb card would last almost a week before recording over the old; and a 128gb would be close to 12-14 days.
I’ll probably still record tonight on a freshly formatted card and do the math in the morning. I’ll do it on one of my 32gb cams/cards and on one of my 64gb cams/card. I like to format my cards about once a month anyway.
Thanks
Mike
I suspect the v3 works the same way as all the others, but by all means you can verify.
Throughout the different seasons and locations of cameras, my 128G cards get anywhere from 9 to 13 days. So if you take the worst case scenario, plan on around 4.5 to 5 days on a 64G card. I get the exact same amount from my 2.5K v4 and my 1080P OGs and Panv3s.
@afacademydad and @dave27 , the V3 will record at 1080p. However you can change the bitrate by selecting HD or SD which will change the file size. This info comes straight from a Wyze employee as I raised the same question about three years ago. Also I was told that it will never record at 360p.
Well, I did do a reformat and then recorded for a couple hours last night with the screen resolution set to HD. Then tonight I did the same thing. Reformatted, set resolution to SD. The numbers are pretty close to the same. So as Dave pointed out, the camera records at 1080p no matter what. It does appear from looking at some recordings today that if there is a lot of activity, lighting, etc… the bitrate seems to change. Basically, it records at 1080p and records at the bitrate it needs as it’s going.
I’m still considering getting the Cam Plus plan; at least for one of my cameras. This way there’s a backup. But I did also just order a couple of 128gb cards. One of my cameras is mainly to check in on the pets. The 64gb card I have in that now is way more than enough. I wouldn’t leave the pets that long. If we are gone for more than a day, the pets are in a kennel. Thus however the need for the 128gb card. If I can get 12 days or so of recording on a 128gb card, before it starts recording over the old, that would be good. Just couldn’t see needing a 256gb.
Give this a try for a couple weeks and then decide if I need the Cam Plus for at least the one camera.
Thanks
The bit rate changing is to be expected. The video stream is being compressed in real time and simple frames compress more and require fewer bits to send.
If you really want to get the actual resolution, load a few of those 1-minute files into vlc (or similar utilities) and it will report it.
No, not to really concerned about actual resolution. It was more of a wanting to know how many hours/days the SD could go on continuous recording before going back to the beginning and re-recording over older video. I was hoping the recording resolution could be changed; thus allowing for more hours on same said card. But it looks like Wyze does a real crappy job explaining itself. When they mention changing resolution from HD to SD to 360p they should emphasize that that is for monitoring purposes over WIFI (and required bandwidth) and has nothing to do with recording. But, they mention SD Card, Recording, Hours, and HD and SD together; giving the impression those variables (like HD and SD) can be changed for recording purposes. Oh well.
12 days might be pushing it but it depends on what the camera is viewing. You should be able to calculate based on the file sizes in your testing what approximately you can expect, however you may need to wait until you have a full day since night should take up less space than day. But as daylight increases, card capacity (time wise) will decrease some. I think I mentioned that I’ve observed anywhere from 9 to 11 days recently. I think some parts of the year it can go to 12 or 13 but since I’ve never needed to go back that far, not positive.
Well, I’ll have the new 128gb cards tomorrow. I’ll just throw them in, let it start continuous recording, and see how far it goes. I know the duration will change depending on how many events; how much motion; etc. But it should be good.
For me, no. Not worth it.
But the interface is crippled and the make you upgrade.
But if you are using Event Recording, then you do not need to upgrade. You can access all recordings via home > camera > view playback.
I use the << and >> buttons on left and right to jump between events. Plus pinch to zoom in.
It is ridiculous they have no 1, 2, 3, 5 & unlimited camera packages.
It should work out more cost-effective to get 2-3 cameras than 1. Then those with 5+ cameras then obviously cheaper again. I do not understand their rigid thinking of 1 or unlimited!?
I really wish they included 1-3 months free with camera purchase. How else are you going to see the benefits and get suckered in to $3/m or whatever it is?
I see no point getting Cam Plus or Unlimited for the same reasons you state. I don’t need pet or face detection, etc. Plus my Eufy cameras are higher quality and DO NOT require a subscription, plus can access my recordings anywhere.
Plus I do buy gave Thu pay a subscription to Eufy to view my own recordings like Wyze want to charge me!
