topic Stuttering/Choppy Video in Arlo

Video Playback Issue on APP

KachinaShadow — Fri, 02 May 2025 19:49:38 GMT

Recently having video playback issues via the app...note that it's only the app as the web portal has no issues. Clearing the cache and reinstalling the app doesn't help. Speedtest, via WiFi, shows Download - 360 Mbps & Upload - 12 Mbps.

When playing videos on the app, the playback pauses constantly and jumps 2-3 seconds at a time (YouTube video link at bottom), which varies by camera and whether you're trying to play it in Dashboard, Devices or Feed. This only affects video playback and not local live streaming. Below I've listed which scenarios/cameras are affected (yes or no). Note that these results are the same regardless of if I'm on the cell network or via WiFi.

DASHBOARD

Wired Doorbell - YES
Ultra 2 Camera (2) - YES
Pro 3 Camera (2) - NO

FEED

All Cameras & Doorbell - YES

DEVICES

Wired Doorbell - YES
Ultra 2 Camera (2) - YES
Pro 3 Camera (2) - NO

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/YuS7ZaKxmdk

Choppy Video

darkness975 — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:34:23 GMT

All of the sudden the video on my Ultra 2s is choppy. It is quite aggravating. Is anyone else experiencing this and if so how can it be fixed?

Thanks in advance.

Re: Choppy Video

jguerdat — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 13:58:52 GMT

It's likely that's a signal strength/quality issue. Can you move the hub away from the router as much as practical? You can also bring a camera closer to the hub to verify that improves the situation.

Re: Choppy Video

darkness975 — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:36:59 GMT

That's the thing. All cameras are okay, signal strength is fine, and my download and upload mbps have not changed. It's just all of the sudden the last couple of days all cameras, even the ones inside, are showing this choppy crap.

Re: Choppy Video

darkness975 — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:48:57 GMT

I figured it out. It wasn't the system it was the app. It appears there was some updates to the app but they didn't go through. I figured it out when I un-installed it and reinstalled it and noticed the changes.

Re: Video Playback Issue on APP

StephenB — Fri, 02 May 2025 23:02:30 GMT

What model phone are you using?

Also what version of the Arlo app are you running?

Re: Video Playback Issue on APP

KachinaShadow — Fri, 02 May 2025 23:08:39 GMT

Moto G Power - Android 11
app version 6.0.0_28852 04/29/25

Same phone but this started a few weeks ago out of the blue...no changes to anything

Re: Video Playback Issue on APP

StephenB — Fri, 02 May 2025 23:14:00 GMT

@KachinaShadow wrote:

Moto G Power - Android 11
app version 6.0.0_28852 04/29/25

Same phone but this started a few weeks ago out of the blue...no changes to anything

Do recordings play properly on your PCs?

Probably obvious, but also try restarting the phone if you haven't tried that already.

Re: Video Playback Issue on APP

KachinaShadow — Fri, 02 May 2025 23:54:06 GMT

Recordings in every scenario (Dashboard, Feed & Devices) when played on PC are flawless as are local recordings accessed in app via "storage settings"...phone has been restarted numerous times.

Seems odd that, via the app, the Pro 3 videos have the issue when played from "Feed" but are OK when played from "Dashboard" or "Devices"

I also noticed that when the videos freeze for 2-3 seconds, the audio continues playing

Re: Video Playback Issue on APP

StephenB — Sat, 03 May 2025 00:39:58 GMT

@KachinaShadow wrote:

I also noticed that when the videos freeze for 2-3 seconds, the audio continues playing

So it's not pausing? The video freezes for a couple of seconds, and then resumes playing? (with a gap during the time it was frozen).

Re: Video Playback Issue on APP

KachinaShadow — Sat, 03 May 2025 01:12:37 GMT

@StephenB wrote:
So it's not pausing? The video freezes for a couple of seconds, and then resumes playing? (with a gap during the time it was frozen).

Exactly!

I usually have the sound turned down so I never noticed that the sound kept playing in real time, while the video paused for 2-3 seconds, until about 40 minutes ago.

Re: Video Playback Issue on APP

StephenB — Sat, 03 May 2025 11:16:09 GMT

@KachinaShadow wrote:

@StephenB wrote:

So it's not pausing? The video freezes for a couple of seconds, and then resumes playing? (with a gap during the time it was frozen).

Exactly!

I usually have the sound turned down so I never noticed that the sound kept playing in real time, while the video paused for 2-3 seconds, until about 40 minutes ago.

This is usually caused by some corruption/errors in the recorded bitstream. Decoders/players handle these errors differently - some play through them (with some artifacts that you might not notice), others freeze until the next I-frame. Arlo cameras send I-frames every 2-3 seconds.

Does this happen on every video from the affected cameras?

If you PM me a download link of one of the videos, I can take a look and see if I can spot something. Make sure the link permissions are set so anyone with the link can download. (For this I need the original, not a screen recording).

Re: Video Playback Issue on APP

KachinaShadow — Sun, 04 May 2025 03:56:33 GMT

@StephenB wrote:
Does this happen on every video from the affected cameras?

If you PM me a download link of one of the videos, I can take a look and see if I can spot something. Make sure the link permissions are set so anyone with the link can download. (For this I need the original, not a screen recording).

@StephenB

It happens on every video from all of my cameras (Doorbell, Ultra 2 & Pro 3) when played in "Feed" but when played in "Dashboard" or "Devices" the video playback on the Pro 3's is smooth but the Doorbell & Ultra 2's still have the issue.

I can PM you the https download links and I'll go ahead and send one from each...Doorbell, Ultra 2 & Pro 3 but the only question I have is how to verify that the link permissions are set so anyone with the link can download them?

Paul

Re: Video Playback Issue on APP

StephenB — Sun, 04 May 2025 11:04:17 GMT

@KachinaShadow wrote: but the only question I have is how to verify that the link permissions are set so anyone with the link can download them?

Details depend on where you store them. If you put them in google drive, dropbox, etc there are settings for permissions.

Re: Choppy Video

RandomSample — Sun, 04 May 2025 14:47:30 GMT

started happening recently on my android samsung s23 phone as well. wasn't happening before. video is not jerky on home computer. re-installed arlo app on my phone, no better. happens to all cameras regardless of arlo type or location. rebooted base station, no change. frustrating.

Re: Video Playback Issue on APP

KachinaShadow — Sun, 04 May 2025 15:22:32 GMT

@StephenB

If I click on the three dots to the right of a thumbnail and then select "share", it copies to the clipboard an https address which can be pasted in the PM but I'm not sure you'll be able to access and not sure how or where this would/could be stored

I've replaced the six numbers at the end with * to include it here as an example of what it generates - https://myapi.arlo.com/hmsfeeds/users/library/share/link/34CAD9963F74445E_******

EDIT: I just tried sending that link to my wife's Gmail and it seems to work so I'm going to go ahead and PM the links to you and see if it works there and if that's what you needed.

Re: Video Playback Issue on APP

KachinaShadow — Fri, 09 May 2025 21:53:48 GMT

After working with @StephenB via PM, and running through all sorts of scenarios, here are the results...

The Arlo recordings stutter when you play them in the app
The same recordings play on the PC using my.arlo.com with no problems
When these recordings are downloaded on the PC and then transferred to the phone (Android), they play in the phone's video player with no problems.

@ShayneS , @BrookeN could you please escalate this issue...thanks

Paul

Re: Choppy Video

BrookeN — Mon, 12 May 2025 14:11:55 GMT

Can you please send me a video of what you are seeing on your recorded videos? You send a dm by clicking on the envelope icon on the top right of the forum page.If you don't see it, then go into your profile settings and select preferences, then "Private Messenger." Then select "Turn on private messages" if it is turned off.

Re: Video Playback Issue on APP

BrookeN — Mon, 12 May 2025 15:05:05 GMT

Can you please send a video showing what you are seeing?

Re: Video Playback Issue on APP

KachinaShadow — Mon, 12 May 2025 15:28:05 GMT

@BrookeN

PM on the way