Video trouble with cam v4

Dear All:

I got a cam v4 for christmas.

After a few days I discovered, that I cannot play its video clips after downloading them to the android phone. I can play the videos only withing EVENTS. But after downloading or sharing, those videos have a square gray pictogram and don’t open. When I try to start the video within gallery it says “Can’t play video” or sometimes “not supported file” and the phone freezes. I have to restart it.

The cams firmware is 4.52.9.1134.

v2 cam on the same network works fine. Can play videos on computers and other cell phones.

I appreciate your comments

Best
Henning

Maybe a connectivity issue, obviously it needs solid bandwidth to stream the video cleanly to your phone.

Have you tried playing them from within the gallery in the Wyze app to see if they work there? There were some issues with the app saving both still frame and video at the same time and confusing some phone OSes.

Try using a different video player like VLC on your phone. How’s that work?

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What’s the phone make and model?

@henriek I agree with with @Omgitstony that this is probably a codec issue. Try the VLC app or usually Google Photos can open it and even re-encode it for you into a format that your other video players will be able to play.

For some reason there are just a lot of video players that won’t play certain kinds of videos because they don’t have the latest video conversion tools (Codec) to be able to recognize them all.

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Wyze is almost certainly doing something funky with the output when using the  Share feature from the event view, though I don’t have enough knowledge in this area to know exactly what or why it’s failing. I can just share observations from my use with the v3.3.0.609 Android production app.

If I navigate to the  Events tab, select an event, view it (in the app), and then  Share it, the app shows me a message that it’s downloading the video and then presents me with sharing options. The recipient of the share (in my testing, I’m using Bluetooth to transfer the file to another Android device) receives a file called wyze_product_share_[6 digits].mp4. When I try to play that from Android’s Files app, I see the slider progressing as if the video is playing, but the video doesn’t actually display (the screen is black). If I try to play the same video using Google Photos, the app shows me a stark message: “Can’t play video.”

If instead of sharing as above I use the  Download option from the event view and save it to my phone, I get a local file called [13 digits]_[24 hex digits]_[6 digits].mp4. I can then do the same kind of Bluetooth transfer, this time using Share from the Files app. The same file shows up on my recipient phone and plays normally.

This is what MediaCompare says about the files from the Cam v4:
Filename
 wyze_product_share_085347.mp4
 1738073485467_80482C2DCD38131738073485_085455.mp4
General
FormatMPEG-4MPEG-4
Format profileBase MediaBase Media
Codec IDisom (isom/iso2/mp41)isom (isom/iso2/avc1/mp41)
File size6.52 MiB2.48 MiB
Duration15 s 150 ms13 s 187 ms
Overall bit rate modeConstantVariable
Overall bit rate3 610 kb/s1 578 kb/s
Frame rate20.000 FPS20.020 FPS
Writing applicationLavf58.20.100Lavf58.45.100
Video
ID11
FormatMPEG-4 VisualAVC
Format profileSimple@L1High@L5
Format settings, BVOPNo
Format settings, QPelNo
Format settings, GMCNo warppoints
Format settings, MatrixDefault (H.263)
Codec ID20 / mp4v-20avc1
Duration15 s 150 ms13 s 187 ms
Bit rate modeConstantVariable
Bit rate3 567 kb/s1 530 kb/s
Width2 560 pixels2 560 pixels
Height1 440 pixels1 440 pixels
Display aspect ratio16:916:9
Frame rate modeConstantVariable
Frame rate20.000 FPS20.020 FPS
Color spaceYUVYUV
Chroma subsampling4:2:04:2:0 (Type 0)
Bit depth8 bits8 bits
Scan typeProgressiveProgressive
Compression modeLossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)0.0480.021
Stream size6.44 MiB (99%)2.41 MiB (97%)
Writing libraryLavc58.35.100
Format/InfoAdvanced Video Codec
Format settingsCABAC / 1 Ref Frames
Format settings, CABACYes
Format settings, Reference frames1 frame
Format settings, GOPM=1, N=40
Codec ID/InfoAdvanced Video Coding
Maximum bit rate1 600 kb/s
Minimum frame rate20.000 FPS
Maximum frame rate20.408 FPS
Color rangeLimited
Color primariesBT.709
Transfer characteristicsBT.709
Matrix coefficientsBT.709
Codec configuration boxavcC
Audio
ID22
FormatAAC LCAAC LC
Format/InfoAdvanced Audio Codec Low ComplexityAdvanced Audio Codec Low Complexity
Codec ID2 / 40 / mp4a-40-22 / 40 / mp4a-40-2
Duration13 s 120 ms13 s 120 ms
Bit rate modeConstantVariable
Bit rate45.6 kb/s45.6 kb/s
Channel(s)2 channels2 channels
Channel layoutL RL R
Sampling rate16.0 kHz16.0 kHz
Frame rate15.625 FPS (1024 SPF)15.625 FPS (1024 SPF)
Compression modeLossyLossy
Stream size73.0 KiB (1%)73.0 KiB (3%)
DefaultYesYes
Alternate group11
Maximum bit rate128 kb/s
This is the comparison of two similar files (Share and Download) from a Cam OG Telephoto when I do the same test. All four videos I used (two from each camera) are from the same event captured from two different cameras that are near each other.
Filename
 wyze_product_share_085609.mp4
 1738073483741_GWGC2D03F2778D365011738073483_085656.mp4
General
FormatMPEG-4MPEG-4
Format profileBase MediaBase Media
Codec IDisom (isom/iso2/mp41)isom (isom/iso2/avc1/mp41)
File size2.29 MiB1.76 MiB
Duration14 s 0 ms11 s 994 ms
Overall bit rate modeConstantVariable
Overall bit rate1 374 kb/s1 232 kb/s
Frame rate20.000 FPS20.010 FPS
Writing applicationLavf58.20.100Lavf58.45.100
Video
ID11
FormatMPEG-4 VisualAVC
Format profileSimple@L1High@L5.1
Format settings, BVOPNo
Format settings, QPelNo
Format settings, GMCNo warppoints
Format settings, MatrixDefault (H.263)
Codec ID20 / mp4v-20avc1
Duration14 s 0 ms11 s 994 ms
Bit rate modeConstant
Bit rate1 343 kb/s1 197 kb/s
Width1 920 pixels1 920 pixels
Height1 080 pixels1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio16:916:9
Frame rate modeConstantVariable
Frame rate20.000 FPS20.010 FPS
Color spaceYUVYUV
Chroma subsampling4:2:04:2:0
Bit depth8 bits8 bits
Scan typeProgressiveProgressive
Compression modeLossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)0.0320.029
Stream size2.24 MiB (98%)1.71 MiB (97%)
Writing libraryLavc58.35.100
Format/InfoAdvanced Video Codec
Format settingsCABAC / 1 Ref Frames
Format settings, CABACYes
Format settings, Reference frames1 frame
Codec ID/InfoAdvanced Video Coding
Minimum frame rate19.231 FPS
Maximum frame rate22.727 FPS
Codec configuration boxavcC
Audio
ID22
FormatAAC LCAAC LC
Format/InfoAdvanced Audio Codec Low ComplexityAdvanced Audio Codec Low Complexity
Codec ID2 / 40 / mp4a-40-22 / 40 / mp4a-40-2
Duration11 s 648 ms11 s 648 ms
Bit rate modeConstantVariable
Bit rate33.1 kb/s33.1 kb/s
Channel(s)2 channels2 channels
Channel layoutL RL R
Sampling rate8 000 Hz8 000 Hz
Frame rate7.812 FPS (1024 SPF)7.812 FPS (1024 SPF)
Compression modeLossyLossy
Stream size47.1 KiB (2%)47.1 KiB (3%)
DefaultYesYes
Alternate group11
Maximum bit rate96.0 kb/s

Other observations:

  1. I’m able to play all four videos in VLC on my PC after transferring them via USB from the recipient phone, even though I can’t play the shared Cam v4 video in a default app (Files, Google Photos) as I would expect to on the recipient phone (the main problem here).
  2. While the shared video from the Cam v4 wouldn’t play on the recipient phone (as noted above), the shared video from the Cam OG Telephoto played without any difficulty on the same phone and showed the “Captured by Wyze Cam OG Telephoto 3x” tag at the end.
  3. The video length of the shared file is ~2 seconds longer than the video length of the comparable downloaded file. This is because the file generated using the  Share method has the additional “Captured by Wyze Cam v4” (or “Captured by Wyze Cam OG Telephoto 3x” or whatever, depending on the camera model’s name) tag at the end. Files obtained via  Download don’t have this tag (and also don’t seem to have any problems with playback).
  4. While the Cam OG Telephoto’s shared file size is roughly 30% larger than the downloaded file (2.29 vs 1.76 MiB) for these short clips, the Cam v4’s shared file size is 163% larger (6.52 vs 2.48 MiB). I don’t know why there’s such a huge discrepancy or exactly how that figures into this issue. (The “Overall bit rate” is also significantly [>100%] larger for the Cam v4’s shared file, as well.)

I don’t know if this is helpful to anyone or what all the data means, and I have other things on my plate that prevent a deeper dive into this at the moment. (Someone with a better background in video codecs might be able to identify the problem immediately. I don’t know.) I just hadn’t seen this presented anywhere else before, so I thought I’d share it in case it sheds any light on the situation, which I believe is related to (if not the same as) an issue described by iOS users. (I don’t know if another Android issue is related or not.)

Someone could certainly use a third-party viewer (e.g., VLC) or re-encode the files before sharing, but that shouldn’t be necessary and is something that an average user shouldn’t be expected to do. The purpose of the  Share feature should be to make sharing a clip quick and easy, not require extra work on the users’ part. This is something Wyze should definitely explore and fix.

1 Like

I’ve never actually used the “share”. I’m guessing maybe it is trying to make the file smaller (the G.711 is used for phone calls usually as it compresses the audio a ton) when using “share”?

I usually just save the video to my phone then upload it to Google Photos from my phone gallery if I want to share it, since it will be full quality that way.

I get that, but the app has a “share” button for convenience, and it’s not unreasonable for users to expect that to work. Saving the file and then doing something with it is a fair work-around, and it’s also a process that involves more steps for the user. It shouldn’t be necessary (but I’m glad that it’s available as an option, especially when someone wants to keep a local copy rather than just sharing).

2 Likes

Yeah I’m definitely not saying it shouldn’t work. Just that I haven’t noticed it since I don’t use it. Though if it reduces the quality and adds even more compression (which it sounds like it does) then I definitely don’t want to use it.

People are finding that the files on the SD card have the G.711 encoding and that is causing issues with many of the joiner apps. So maybe “share” is actually sharing the native file, where recording to your phone allows the phone to re-encode to its native format and eliminating the compatibility problems? Not sure.

It will also depend on whether you’re trying to “share” a cloud video or one you’ve recorded in the app. I’d think the one recorded in the app should be the same format whether looking in the Wyze gallery or your phone’s. But then maybe when you hit “share” it re-encodes it to reduce the file size, and adds the G.711 back in.

How does a larger file size equal more compression in this case? I don’t think compression explains what I’m seeing. :confused:

Note that the “share” feature I’m using is from an event view, as I described in my observations, so all of the video in my examples should be cloud recordings. When I want microSD video at its highest available quality (or at least what I believe it to be so), then I just pull the card from the camera and copy what I want to a PC. These are videos that Wyze has determined are discrete events and not manual recordings I’m doing with the app (i.e., not saving something to the album).

I don’t know what the answer is. I’m just sharing data and asking questions.

Yeah, the larger the file, the bigger the saved space by compression. But the percentage remains about the same and it only depends on the method used and the particular bit sequences. :grin:

That doesn’t make sense. The whole purpose of compression is to reduce file size not the other way around.

I didn’t say the file size is bigger. I said the file difference between the original file size and the resulting file size grows bigger, the bigger the file to be compressed is.

Sorry, it was meant as a flippant rejoinder to a previous post.

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Ii say no to the share icon, I don’t like the "Captured by WYZE V4/V3/WCO/V3 Pro"at the end of every video. :laughing:.

Yeah, that forced endorsement is definitely a compelling reason not to use the “share” feature.

I personally don’t mind that message if it works and doesn’t cause additional problems (and I wonder if the additional video manipulation that adds the tag is part of the problem here). I like my Wyze cameras and have Show Wyze Logo enabled in Advanced Settings, and I imagine other users also enjoy being advocates for Wyze with things they want to share and show off stuff that their cameras captured, but that should totally be a user’s choice. I can toggle the logo off if I want to, and Wyze should allow users to do the same thing with that ~2-second “Captured by” tag that they add to shared videos.

Since Wyze has forced that into the “share” feature, using the work-around like @dave27 described seems like the best way to avoid having that tag included.

That makes much more sense :rofl:

I’ll hop on your bandwagon brother!

I do have the WYZE Logo turned on in the app, I just hate the forced “Captured by” screen. Who is the a$$ that added that?

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Wish I knew, but whoever it is, should be taken behind the shed and… :rofl: