Wyze purposely sabotages "Record to MicroSD"

Cameras
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1

I have 15+ wyze cameras all over the basic spectrum (v1,v2,v3 pan v2, pan v3). I also had the 1st generation bulbs, the first scale, the first doorbell, the first plugs, outdoor plugs, contact sensors, presence sensors the doorbell pro, wifi chimes, you name it. I’ve been using their products for years since the beginning.

I have always been able to record locally to microSDs. Lately after most recent updates the “record to microSD” feature fails 95% of the time on all cameras. No matter what I try to fix them, the feature just doesn’t work anymore like it used to and it’s basically useless. I’ve tried deleting and re-adding devices, formatting the microSD, changing for new microSDs, putting all the capacities from 8 Gb to 128Gb, putting high speed microSDs, adding zones, deleting zones, changing the recording parameters, using different devices (both Android and iOS to check the recordings), you name it.

When I try to watch a playback video, timeline is empty: “no video at selected time”, but still I see the microSD is full e.g. 28Gb. If I try to eject it to check it on the computer, only to see two or three videos with wrong dates.

There have been some issues reported that with the latest firmware the recording to microSD fails after losing internet connection. Also has been reported that recording fails when it reaches microSD capacity (and doesn’t overwrite) and none have been solved. Support issues the same fixing methods (change microSD, factory reset) but the reality is that they are making it fail on purpose so you give up and subscribe. Calculated misery at its finest.

I was there when Wyze betrayed us breaking their oath to never ask for a subscription. They used to be good, but now they are completely unreliable, tech support is terrible, and the suscription nagging is a PITA. They got greedy and I’m seriously considering dumping them all and start over with another brand.

If anyone has out-of-the-box ideas to fix the issue, please let me know.

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2

It looks like your SD cards are not recording. I suggest doing a full format on a desktop, not a quick format. Maybe use the SD card formatter.

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I’ve tried formatting on app (Android and iOS), tried also formatting on Windows, Mac and even Linux. I’ve tried different brands, different capacities, different speeds. Nothing works. It’s their poor (or ill intentioned) code. The “record to microSD” is programmed to fail. I’ve had other cameras and Wyze is the only one I need to babysit and do constant maintenance and factory resets to have them work “barely” ok

4

But did you do a full format? It isn’t clear from your posts.

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Yes. I’ve tried both quick and full format on Windows

6

There have been a few posts here about the “No video …” error message, but they are a little different from yours. In their case, there were actually recently recorded clips (and the displays show the green bars). In your case, there are no recent clips.

7

They are not purposely sabotaging anything, don’t join that club of baseless accusations.

I have 9 wyze cams, not a single one with an SD card issue in 2+ years. That includes 3x Panv3s (though some people do apparently have SD card issues with the Panv3, but it is nothing intentional, or it would affect all users).

Wyze is not intentionally breaking SD cards to force subscriptions. Period. In fact they’re working to potentially add RTSP support back to the cams, and they have an employee that maintains a 3rd party app called TinyCam which also allows you to gain lots of features without paying for anything. If they were out to force subscriptions, don’t you think they would have told that employee to stop maintaining and/or totally pull that app?

2 Likes
8

Yes, Wyze sucks!

Best thing to do is switch brands

And don’t listen to the Wyze guy whom never has issues and always defends Wyze he’s a paid shill :rofl:

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9

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10

I’m not aware of any evidence that supports this premise. To the contrary, a Wyze employee has recently been soliciting logs to specifically address this issue:

My inference from that is that they’re aware of an issue and attempting to investigate and remediate the root cause.

I’d suggest participating in the topics I just linked with your own Log IDs, particularly if you’re using Cam Pan v3s that are affected, and I’d let them know that you have other models experiencing this issue, as well.

2 Likes
11

[MOD EDIT] Wyze has purposely reduced/eliminated features we used to have.

  • They eliminated free person detection when v3 came
  • They eliminated the 15s free cloud videos and now only display a picture
  • They eliminated RTSP [MOD EDIT]
  • They eliminated the wyze sensor API to include it in their suscription based security system
  • They blocked the ability to read the motion sensor, floodlight control and person detection from the 3rd party API
  • TinyCam is NOT made by Wyze at all :laughing: (please show your evidence)

And watch out, I’m not saying wyze is breaking SD cards. I’m saying their app purposely fails and turns off “record to microSD” or just doesn’t display recorded videos on the app (because some recordings are there when you take out the SD). They are making the app experience so miserable that you don’t have another option but to subscribe.

[MOD EDIT]

12

There are posts complaining about this that are at least 2 or 3 years old. Wyze hasn’t solved anything. They are not strong coders and they are terribly slow to fix even the smallest things in their updates. For example, I had the Wyze Sprinkler since its launch in late 2020. To this day (or at least this summer when I dumped their system for starving my lawn; yes I paid the subscription here) they still haven’t included ºC for the weather related options it has. Seriously? It’s a joke

13

Please ensure that the Community Guidelines are followed. Specifically:

It is ok to disagree, but it is not ok to single an individual out and/or attack them in anyway.

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14

Should dedicate more time to solve Wyze’s MULTIPLE issues instead of :snowflake:-ing

15

I am a community member as you are. I cannot solve the problems. I can tell you that Wyze is aware of some of them and have corrected some as well.

I personally am not having any issue with Wyze devices.

But appreciate the feedback

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16

Rather than subscribe why not leave the Wyze ecosystem?

I switched to Reolink’s and have had zero issues, they just work. And only one update in two years as the ecosystem is stable.

Wyze are just toy cameras.

17

I just recently started having the same issues. The camera I have is one of the originals. So I was thinking maybe it’s time for an upgrade. Came here to see what people would recommend but now I’m wondering if I should look and compare other brands. Does not look like the SD card issue will be fixed soon.

18

Yeah, sadly getting to that conclusion after so many years of backing new product launches and just to get disappointment after disappointment. Will consider other options

1 Like
19

I’m aware that there have been complaints about microSD recording issues that predate my time here in the Forum, but I think they actually have resolved a lot of issues in the past, including a microSD card issue that appeared to affect some Cam v3s and that was specifically addressed through successive Fix-It Friday topics last year. The explanation given at the time (if I recall correctly) was that the remedy involved both app and cloud updates, and the way that seemed to affect devices (i.e., some Cam v3s exhibited the issue but others didn’t) makes me suspect a similar root for what I’m currently experiencing with one Cam Pan v3 but not another. :man_shrugging:

I don’t have the Sprinkler Controller, but your mention of that and a missing °C option reminds me of posts I’ve read about users of various Scale models who complain that individual users on the same Scale can’t use different units (if one user wants pounds and the other wants kilograms, for instance). I totally agree that things like that demonstrate an apparent lack of foresight but also seem like solvable problems with some coding fixes if they’d just focus some resources on things like that. That’s a point I’ve tried to make before (more than once) here in the Forum.

I don’t have any insight into a timeline but am trying to be optimistic based on the recent Forum engagement by a Wyze Team member, as I noted above.

I can understand this, too, and I use some non-Wyze cameras, but I wouldn’t even begin to formulate a recommendation without knowing someone’s needs or use cases.

1 Like
20

Wyze cameras are really just toys that don’t work well. Owned them for 2 plus years and they only have gotten worse. V3 when used in the elements eventually fogs, pretty much 100%. With the latest update there is such a delay to view most of my cameras, or they lock up or the SD card cannot be viewed. When viewing remotely some just cannot connect, then a day later they work. I have high speed fiber and that is not the issue, all other connected devices are fine.