# Why was Android hardware decoding removed? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cameras\ **Tags:** android\ **Created:** [August 29, 2019, 5:25am UTC](https://forums.wyze.com/t/why-was-android-hardware-decoding-removed/52585 "2019-08-29T05:25:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jemiller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jemiller](https://forums.wyze.com/u/jemiller)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2019, 5:25am UTC](https://forums.wyze.com/t/why-was-android-hardware-decoding-removed/52585/1 "2019-08-29T05:25:51Z")
I am writing to ask why Android hardware decoding was removed? Was it intentional? If so, I will be returning my 12 cameras which are now for all practical purposes unusable. Don’t think I will pay extra for that. I won’t. Put it back WYZE. ---
**Author:** ![peepeep](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/wyze/user_avatar/forums.wyze.com/peepeep/32/107148_2.png) [@peepeep](https://forums.wyze.com/u/peepeep)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2019, 4:08pm UTC](https://forums.wyze.com/t/why-was-android-hardware-decoding-removed/52585/2 "2019-08-29T16:08:46Z")
> [@New Beta App released on 8/14](https://forums.wyze.com/t/new-beta-app-released-on-8-14/50425/55): > > > The Hardware Decoder setting is missing from this version as well. If Wyze is no longer going to support this setting… then the Wyze app is useless to me (and some other users as well I would imagine). > > Sorry about this confusion. We removed the Hardware Decoder setting because we are using the Android original decoder instead of the old one. and which kind of decoding (hardware, software) mechanism would work according to the system default setting. @XRoyHe Does this mean that: The Wyze app is now checking the operating system active on your phone/tablet for the hardware decoder setting designated (globally) there? ---
**Author:** ![blubisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@blubisu](https://forums.wyze.com/u/blubisu)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2019, 4:46pm UTC](https://forums.wyze.com/t/why-was-android-hardware-decoding-removed/52585/3 "2019-08-29T16:46:45Z")
@XRoyHe I’m afraid that new decoder suck. ---
**Author:** ![jemiller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jemiller](https://forums.wyze.com/u/jemiller)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2019, 12:28am UTC](https://forums.wyze.com/t/why-was-android-hardware-decoding-removed/52585/4 "2019-08-30T00:28:04Z")
Yes, it does suck. It is unusably slow. If this is how it worked when I bought my first camera, it would have been my last and I would have returned it. ---
**Author:** ![peepeep](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/wyze/user_avatar/forums.wyze.com/peepeep/32/107148_2.png) [@peepeep](https://forums.wyze.com/u/peepeep)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2019, 2:07am UTC](https://forums.wyze.com/t/why-was-android-hardware-decoding-removed/52585/5 "2019-08-30T02:07:10Z")
Update: > [@iOS 2.5.45 and Android 2.5.28 Released!](https://forums.wyze.com/t/ios-2-5-45-and-android-2-5-28-released/52264/106): > > @jemiller, I don’t have an answer for you on this one since this was an intentional change made when we changed libraries. I am communicating the feedback from the community with the team. It may be that we don’t put in a hardware decoder but that we put the effort into addressing the reasons that you needed it instead. But I can’t say for sure what direction we’re going to go in yet. ---
**Author:** ![jemiller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jemiller](https://forums.wyze.com/u/jemiller)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2019, 4:06am UTC](https://forums.wyze.com/t/why-was-android-hardware-decoding-removed/52585/6 "2019-08-30T04:06:43Z")
It was perfect before. No lag at all. Now there is lots of lag. Also, in the past, I have had problems with the app bombing out after switching between viewing a few different cameras. It now appears to be even more unstable. ---
**Author:** ![davsav](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/82dd89/32.png) [@davsav](https://forums.wyze.com/u/davsav)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2019, 6:04am UTC](https://forums.wyze.com/t/why-was-android-hardware-decoding-removed/52585/7 "2019-08-30T06:04:09Z")
Add me to the list of people who are annoyed at the lack of the enable hardware encoding option as the cameras are basically unusable now. The video is delayed by about 24 seconds and it looks like it is in slow motion but it worked fine in prior versions that had the hardware encoding option. If the app is now auto-detecting it from my Andriod OS, either it is doing it wrong or I need to change something in my OS settings. If that is the case, please let me know what to change. ---
**Author:** ![aelizak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/46a35a/32.png) [@aelizak](https://forums.wyze.com/u/aelizak)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2019, 11:54am UTC](https://forums.wyze.com/t/why-was-android-hardware-decoding-removed/52585/8 "2019-08-30T11:54:55Z")
Same issues with me. I can see the recorded events but live feed is useless. I need that decoder put back on there. ---
**Author:** ![jemiller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jemiller](https://forums.wyze.com/u/jemiller)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2019, 2:00pm UTC](https://forums.wyze.com/t/why-was-android-hardware-decoding-removed/52585/9 "2019-08-30T14:00:18Z")
Yes, that’s what I’m seeing. Probably a good 20 second delay. At first I thought maybe my wireless network was acting up or the server was slow or something. Then, I went looking for the hardware decoding setting and couldn’t find it and realized that that was it. Wyze can put all the AI in the world in the system and it doesn’t make a difference if you can’t play the videos. ---
**Author:** ![aelizak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/46a35a/32.png) [@aelizak](https://forums.wyze.com/u/aelizak)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2019, 2:12pm UTC](https://forums.wyze.com/t/why-was-android-hardware-decoding-removed/52585/10 "2019-08-30T14:12:38Z")
I found a link somewhere on these forums for reverting back to the previous version. I deleted app and reinstalled older version. Now my live feeds are working again. ---
**Author:** ![peepeep](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/wyze/user_avatar/forums.wyze.com/peepeep/32/107148_2.png) [@peepeep](https://forums.wyze.com/u/peepeep)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2019, 3:37pm UTC](https://forums.wyze.com/t/why-was-android-hardware-decoding-removed/52585/11 "2019-08-30T15:37:06Z")
I will proxy for Wyze and its trusted gearheads 🙂 in answering the topic’s title question: > Why was Android hardware decoding removed? In order to assess customer need for it by monitoring for negative feedback. Judging from: - The mod/maven/regular/staff vacuum hereon - The relatively few complaints posted so far - The absence of complaints on wyze reddit forum I am anticipating that our goose is cooked on this one. I suspect it may be subtly suggested to those of us with older devices (one likely culprit) that it’s time to upgrade them to something more recent and spunky. If you’re already running recent monster gear, they’ll be quite interested and will investigate further via support ticket. Active minds in a vacuum will speculate. It’s a law of nature. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Newshound](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/wyze/user_avatar/forums.wyze.com/newshound/32/71715_2.png) [@Newshound](https://forums.wyze.com/u/Newshound)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2019, 4:08pm UTC](https://forums.wyze.com/t/why-was-android-hardware-decoding-removed/52585/12 "2019-08-30T16:08:32Z")
Interesting. In post 5 you explain why hardware encoding was removed (they changed programming libraries), and then you write the post above (it was removed to assess customer need for it by monitoring negative feedback). Changing programming libraries is the correct answer. An official post by a Wyze employee. Unfortunately, this also means replacing the functionality may not be possible. ---
**Author:** ![patrickk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@patrickk](https://forums.wyze.com/u/patrickk)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2019, 4:53pm UTC](https://forums.wyze.com/t/why-was-android-hardware-decoding-removed/52585/13 "2019-08-30T16:53:00Z")
Sorry to add to this issue, but I’m seeing a 12 to 15 second delay on my CamPans as well. At first I thought it was either my phone or my network. For example, when I pan the camera, there’s a noticeable delay. The delay was so much that I thought someone else was controlling the camera. This isn’t very helpful if I need to manually watch something - it just won’t keep up. Thanks for any help in resolving! ---
**Author:** ![1madeinthesun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/e47c2d/32.png) [@1madeinthesun](https://forums.wyze.com/u/1madeinthesun)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2019, 10:06pm UTC](https://forums.wyze.com/t/why-was-android-hardware-decoding-removed/52585/14 "2019-08-30T22:06:28Z")
I have this same issue now. Makes the cameras useless. Where did the Hardware decoder option go? It’s now longer in the app settings. ---
**Author:** ![peepeep](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/wyze/user_avatar/forums.wyze.com/peepeep/32/107148_2.png) [@peepeep](https://forums.wyze.com/u/peepeep)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2019, 10:36pm UTC](https://forums.wyze.com/t/why-was-android-hardware-decoding-removed/52585/15 "2019-08-30T22:36:30Z")
Hi Newshound, I posted WyzeGwendolyn’s comment from another thread. I don’t fully understand what it means or its implications. So I guessed. Can you explain what changing programming libraries means and why they might do it? You’ll notice I first posted WyzeRoy’s comment without fully understanding its meaning or implications. So I asked for clarification. 🤷‍♂️ To respond to your earlier comment, yes, I do think you all know more, both technically and wyze-org’ly. There are a lot of IT pros (both active and retired) and many true fanatics in this community. I’m barely within sniffing distance of any of that. ---
**Author:** ![Newshound](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/wyze/user_avatar/forums.wyze.com/newshound/32/71715_2.png) [@Newshound](https://forums.wyze.com/u/Newshound)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2019, 10:44pm UTC](https://forums.wyze.com/t/why-was-android-hardware-decoding-removed/52585/16 "2019-08-30T22:44:48Z")
I appreciate your efforts in gathering the answers you did. Your 2 posts is how I found out those two answers were available, so I thank you for that. I have tagged both of the employees in hopes of getting a clearer answer (as you did). Hopefully they will chime in. Of course it is late in the afternoon on a Friday there now, so we may have to wait a bit. ---
**Author:** ![peepeep](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/wyze/user_avatar/forums.wyze.com/peepeep/32/107148_2.png) [@peepeep](https://forums.wyze.com/u/peepeep)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2019, 11:00pm UTC](https://forums.wyze.com/t/why-was-android-hardware-decoding-removed/52585/17 "2019-08-30T23:00:48Z")
Like they deserve time off. Slackers. 😉 Cheers all! 🍺🍻 ---
**Author:** ![UserCustomerGwen](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/wyze/user_avatar/forums.wyze.com/usercustomergwen/32/75644_2.png) [@UserCustomerGwen](https://forums.wyze.com/u/UserCustomerGwen)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2019, 11:28pm UTC](https://forums.wyze.com/t/why-was-android-hardware-decoding-removed/52585/18 "2019-08-30T23:28:29Z")
No rest for the wicked, I suppose! I’ve been sending this feedback in to the team and we’re not ignoring it. No, this change was not made to assess customer need for it by monitoring negative feedback. While this was not done as well as it could have been, we weren’t doing it just to see if it’s still needed. We have better options (like actually asking our community) if that is what we’re aiming for. This was a change because of switching libraries. If you are negatively impacted by this, please contact our support team. I’m collecting data about impact and the symptoms for the team. [Support Request Form](https://support.wyzecam.com/hc/en-us/requests/new) ---
**Author:** ![stow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@stow](https://forums.wyze.com/u/stow)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2019, 12:11am UTC](https://forums.wyze.com/t/why-was-android-hardware-decoding-removed/52585/19 "2019-09-01T00:11:56Z")
The lag makes the camera almost useless to me. If it’s not fixed I won’t be buying any more Wyze Cams _or_ recommending them to anyone. ---
**Author:** ![WyzeJasonJ](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/wyze/user_avatar/forums.wyze.com/wyzejasonj/32/8461_2.png) [@WyzeJasonJ](https://forums.wyze.com/u/WyzeJasonJ)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2019, 12:39am UTC](https://forums.wyze.com/t/why-was-android-hardware-decoding-removed/52585/20 "2019-09-01T00:39:55Z")
Could I ask what device and Android version you have? [Next page](https://forums.wyze.com/t/why-was-android-hardware-decoding-removed/52585.md?page=2)