Sharing to WhatsApp - video small and won't play - whose fault?

This seems to have started with the latest Wyze App update (or maybe WhatsApp update?)

When I “share” a recorded video event to WhatsApp, the resulting file shows it’s the full length (ie, 12 sec) but it won’t actually play anything. The file shows it’s 570KB (when examining the “downloaded” file on my phone).

If I share the same vid in the same manner but to my eMail app (Fair Email), the attached file shows it’s 1.8MB and it plays fine. So, somehow it’s becoming 3x larger when it’s actually attached.

Now, to make things even more confusing, if I “download” (rather than “share”) the video, and then find the file and “share” it to WhatsApp, it uploads and plays properly.

Perhaps others have experienced this and either have a solution (or will tell me it’s a known bug and Wyze is in the process of fixing it)?

Thanks,
Barry

Is it a cloud recording or a manual recording from the live view or SD card?

I’m going to assume it’s a manual recording. In which case, “Fault” is a little tricky. On the one hand, it can be argued that it is WhatsApp’s fault for not including the Video Codex needed to play the video which will play fine on some other video players like VLC which has nearly every Video Codex, and can thus play nearly anything. On the other hand, it is Wyze’s fault for choosing a format not supported by everyone.

We get the same problem when someone uploads a recorded video into the forums here and it won’t play for anyone in the Chrome browser. We get around that by having one of the mods re-encode the video and upload it in a format that will play in Chrome, but it’s still annoying that so many video players don’t support every common video codex like they should.

This was a cloud recording. I don’t have memory cards installed on any of my cams.

Interesting. I’m not used to hearing that cloud events aren’t playing for someone :thinking: but I’ll keep an eye out for similar reports.

Discovered something new. The vid I “shared” had 3 seconds appended to it by Wyze during which they added a “Captured by Wyze Cam v3” centered title to my vid. Evidently, the process Wyze uses is flawed and (sometimes) produces a bad video file. When I download the vid instead, I don’t get the appended file and it may be shared properly.

Hear that, Wyze? Bad bug in your software. Is there a way to turn off that end title?

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Wait, we’ve been noticing the appended video on the end, but are you saying that it doesn’t do that if you select to “Download” instead of “Share”?

@Antonius you hearing this? Maybe see if how you download the video changes whether that spam is attached.

Yes; that’s exactly what I’m saying. An 11 second video downloads as 11 seconds whereas the same vid shared from the Wyze app becomes 14 sec with the appended titling

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The more I think about this, the more upset I am that Wyze has taken the liberty of f$&&$#g around with a video from my camera. I don’t give a s$#t that it’s a Wyze branded camera. If they want advertising, then pay me for my videos.

If Wyze adds the end titling to a “downloaded” video, then I’ll resurrect my Blue Iris video capture PC, turn on RTSC again, and cancel my monthly subscription to Wyze.

Way to go, Wyze; convert your strongest cheerleader into a victim of corporate greed.

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I do agree that they should not be putting what is essentially a 3 second ad on the end of a video that is paid for by a subscription. People pay subscriptions to get rid of ads, not have them added.

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That would piss me off as well. Especially since you pay for a subscription.

Just read this post today 11-30-24. I’ll download the same video I just shared to myself via email and see what it looks like.

The shared video shows 45 seconds and has the title.
The downloaded video has no title at the end and is 43 seconds
These are the end of the same video.


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Good to know. Glad they don’t mess with downloads. Seems they charge for share processing.

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When you “share”, the video is downloaded. Then the app gloms it’s 3 second appendage and continues the share to whatever app you’ve chosen. So Wyze is not providing anything other than what Google, for example, does when sharing a video.

The 3 second appendage must stop unless Wyze starts paying me per video.

Good point.

I often don’t share because they could harvest another email address. But that’s me.

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My process is I view the event on my iPad/iPhone and use share to send it to myself via email so I can download it and edit and change the name on my PC.
If I download it to my iOS device I can edit it but to rename it I have to save it again to the files app or use the clips app to rename it. to much :cow2: :poop: for me. :laughing:
Keep it simple stupid ( KISS method learned in the Navy)

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