Wyze cam v3 Pro - 2K (1440p) resolution should be twice as sharp as SD (720p) resolution?

When I view the 2K livestream setting on the v3 Pro and compare it to the SD resolution setting, I can only see a slight difference in sharpness, where there is a significant difference between the 360p livestream setting and SD. My understanding is that the SD (720p) should be twice as sharp as the 360p setting and that 2K (1440p) should be twice as sharp as the SD setting. From my testing [on 1/13/23, I printed an EYE chart (like the one you see at the eye doctor’s) and place it about 4 ft from the v3 Pro], it appears that the 2K setting may be only equivalent to HD (1080p) or 1.5 times as sharp as the SD setting vs twice as sharp at 1440p. Note: I am using the latest FW (4.58.0.3210), Wyze IOS app 2.38.4(3) on an iPhone XS IOS 16.2.

Supporting data:
When I used the Wyze app livestream “Take Photo” option on each of the v3 Pro resolutions settings with the EYE chart, I examined the “info” for each photo and got the following results:

  • (360p setting) 0 MP . 640 x 360 . 319 KB
  • (SD setting) 3 MP . 2560 x 1440 . 3.6 MB
  • (2K setting) 3 MP . 2560 x 1440 . 4.8 MB

Let me know if any others have similar observations. Outstanding question: is the v3 Pro streaming 2K as specified or less?

From what I understand, both 2K and SD are 2560 x 1440. The only difference is the bitrate, hence the smaller size file on SD. There is no 720p or 1080p. Similar is the original v3. Both HD and SD are 1080p but different bitrate.

Hope this helps.

After some research, it appears that 2K is supposed to have 4 times more resolution than the SD resolution setting (720p). Does that make it 4 times as sharp – better image quality – or 2 times as sharp?. Whatever the answer, the difference in livestream (and recording) image quality between the v3 Pro resolution selections of SD and 2K would seem to be significant, but it currently is only a little better.

Resolution definitions:

  • 360p (640 x 360) – v3 and v3 Pro
  • 720p (SD or HD, 1280 x 720), 1 Megapixel (MP) – v3 and v3 Pro
  • 1080p (Full HD, 1920 x 1080), 2MP – v3
  • 1440p (Quad HD, QHD, 2K, 2560 x 1440), 4 MP – v3 Pro

Frame rate (also known as bit rate affects how smooth the video looks) is specified by Wyze as 20 fps (frames per second) during the day and 15 fps at night (night vision mode) no matter which resolution is selected. So, yes, the bitrate of SD will be smaller than that of 2K by definition resulting in a smaller file size.

References:
(1) https://displaygeeks.com/screen-resolution-guide-720p-vs-1080p-vs-1440p-vs-4k-vs-8k/
(2) Security Camera Resolution: What Resolution Do You Need? | Our Secure Life

Based on the above, I am still questioning if the v3 Pro is streaming 2K (as specified) or less?

As I mentioned earlier, there is no 720p on any of Wyze cameras.

Both the v3 and v3 Pro have 360p, which means the same thing. Why do you think that Wyze would use the term “SD” (which means Standard Definition) on both the v3 and the v3 Pro when the cams have different resolution values for SD?

If bit rate is the differentiator, then it would seem that Wyze would use the terms HD (high bit rate) and HD (low bit rate) for the v3 and 2K (high bit rate) and 2K (low bit rate) for the v3 Pro instead of using the term SD inconsistently.

That is for Wyze to answer. Long time ago I asked the same question and I’ve got the same answer as I gave you.

You said “long time ago…” Wasn’t the v3 Pro released in last half of 2022?

See below for data I collected on 1/16/23 on both a v3 and a v3 Pro at around 3:15 pm:

  • Used 10 second Wyze recordings on livestream for each of their 3 resolutions (360p, SD, and HD for the v3 and 360p, SD, and 2K for the v3 Pro)
  • The video file properties info (displayed in the iPhone Photo app) has the following common data on each of the 6 recordings: H.264 (which is the encoding) and 20 FPS (which is the frames per second that Wyze specs for daytime). My note added on average bit rate.
  • v3: 360p (640 x 360) file size is 239 KB (so bit rate should be ~239KB/10 sec = 24 KB/s average)
  • v3: SD (1920 x 1080) file size is 514 KB (so bit rate should be ~514KB/10 sec = 51 KB/s average)
  • v3: HD (1920 x 1080) file size is 819 KB (so bit rate should be ~819KB/10 sec = 82 KB/s average)
  • v3 Pro: 360p (640 x 360) file size is 284 KB (so bit rate should be ~239KB/10 sec = 28 KB/s average)
  • v3 Pro: SD (2560 x 1440) file size is 887 KB (so bit rate should be ~887KB/10 sec = 89 KB/s average)
  • v3 Pro: 2K (2560 x 1440) file size is 2 MB (so bit rate should be ~2000KB/10 sec = 200 KB/s average)

As you (Habib) said previously, the bit rate used in each of the resolution settings determines the file size – I agree. Based on the above data, it seems that one could conclude the following:

  • Since the file size (for the same length of recording) for SD resolution on the v3 is approximately twice as large as the 360p resolution then the SD resolution on the v3 is most likely equivalent to a 720p quality resolution due to the lower bit rate.
  • Since the file size for the HD resolution of the v3 is approximately 3 times as large as the 360p resolution and also approximately 1.5 as large as the SD resolution, then the HD resolution is most likely equivalent to a 1080p resolution (which it is supposed to be) due to the bit rate.
  • Since the file size for the 360p for the v3 and v3 Pro are almost the same size, then both the v3 and v3 Pro are using a 360p resolution in the same manner. Not sure who the v3 Pro would want to use this very low resolution.
  • Since the file size for the v3 HD resolution and the v3 Pro SD resolution are almost the same size, then the SD resolution setting on the v3 Pro is most likely equivalent to a 1080p resolution (HD vs SD) due to the bit rate and should be labeled HD vs SD. So the current v3 Pro SD setting appears to be the same as the HD setting on the v3.
  • Since the file size for the v3 Pro 2K (1440p) resolution is approximately twice the size of the v3 Pro SD resolution setting (which appears to be equivalent to 1080p or HD), then the v3 Pro labeled 2K resolution setting appears to be at least twice as sharp as the middle v3 Pro SD setting at least data wise but one can question that it is twice the image quality.

I am still questioning if the v3 Pro is streaming 2K (as specified) or less? I would be interested on how this conclusion was made/tested.

Maybe the Wyze engineers or experienced Wyze moderators share their thoughts and provide more insight into the subject topic and thread discussion questions and possible conclusions.

I think Sharpness is relative to the user displaying device.

I have Eufy 2k, but it is not a true 2k. the event clip downloaded will meet the 2k spec. I suspect the eufy server remaster the clip to 2k . Because rest of the continuous recording is 1080p.

I am hoping v3 Pro is True 2k., so I can move over.

I read in the Amazon reviews (if they can be trusted) that the Eufy C24 (outdoor) 2K model is NOT TRUE 2K; apparently it is only 2K while livestreaming, but is only 1080p when recording to MicroSD card or to the cloud service for event recording. Suggest asking Eufy customer support to clarify.

I would also like to know if the Wyze cam v3 Pro is TRUE 2K for both livestreaming, viewing recorded event clips processed by Wyze Cam Plus, and viewing recordings from MicroSD card. I was hoping that some of the tests I ran (see above) would help me determine this, but not so far.

I was also hoping that a 2K cam would let me be able to see the print on a license plate in the driveway about 20 feet from the cam – I can barely make out some of the blurred letters on a slowly moving car at 20 feet (this could be due to the frame rate of 20 fps). I need to test a non-moving car at different distances and report back. And maybe Wyze can state at what distance that there v3 Pro (2K) is expected to read a license plate and let us now if the v3 Pro is TRUE 2K in all modes of operation is set at 2K :slight_smile:

I was talking about v3. Here is one thread that discusses how Wyze deals with non standard terms of resolution. If you search this forum for “720p”, bunch of threads will pop up. If you got the time, feel free to go over them. I’m only telling you what I know, I’m not trying to start an argument.

and here is another (long one):

Thanks very much for the links to the above threads, I read them through - very interesting. One user ( @jjwatmyself ) mentioned what we were discussing. He said “Video quality comes down to the following things: resolution, frames per second, codec and bitrate. E.g. 1080p (1080x1920), 15FPS, h.264, 1.5Mbps.”

In the case of the v3 Pro, in its 2K setting, it is using 1440 (resolution - called 2560x1440), 20FPS (frames per second), H264 (codec compression algorithm), and currently 200 KB/s average for its bit rate. The v3 Pro has three different video qualities: the 360p setting, which is 360p resolution that has a lower quality/bitrate; the SD setting (not properly named), which is 1440 resolution that has a medium quality/bitrate; and the 2K setting, which is 1440 resolution that has a higher quality/bitrate of the three settings. One can see the characteristics of the three v3 Pro resolution settings in the video file properties that I documented in the above thread.

Note: One of the links suggests that Wyze not use the term SD (in the case of the v3 Pro) and HD (in the case of the v3), which stands for Standard Definition and High Definition, respectively, and that industry standard terminology be used instead since the SD and HD labels they chose are confusing. I agree.

Many thanks for the shout-out. :slight_smile:

Amazing they’re still using these terms. Mind boggling. Maybe this is how we bring it home? :slight_smile:

“It’s Wyze SD and Wyze HD.”

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