H6 Camera pixelation , have to restart HUB

[Erniem23]

I have two H6 cameras that frequently go into pixelation. The cameras are plugged in all the time with a battery inserted into the camera. It does not matter if the camera has a battery. The cure is restarting the bridge. My other cameras are H8's and do not have any issues.

Please advise a solution.

Thanks

Ernie 

[StephenB]

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@Erniem23 wrote:

The only difference is the one's having the issue are H6's the other's are H8's. 

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Can you try downloading a video from one of the H6s and one of the H8s and check the resolution? I'm seeing 1664x944 on the sample you shared, which is not what it should be.  

You can check this by right-clicking on the file in Windows, and then selecting properties.  Then look at details

[Erniem23]

Yes when I restart the hub the camera comes back working with clear video.

I also have two additional H6 camera's at another location with the same firmware version. The only difference is the model of the hub. The location with the issue is a VMB4000r3 the one without the issue is a VMB3500r4.

[StephenB]

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@Erniem23 wrote:

Yes when I restart the hub the camera comes back working with clear video.

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So a workaround could be to add a smartswitch to power-cycle the base.  Another thing you could try (painful) is to do a factory reset of the base, and onboard the camera and base again.

Please do check the resolution on one of the bad videos and also one of the clear ones, and see if they are the same.  The resolution should be 1280x720 for the Pro, and 1920x1072 for the Pro 2.  (Not sure what you have, as the H numbers are small hardware revisions, and are not enough to identify the camera model).

[Erniem23]

The H6 cameras is 1664x944, the H8 is 1280x720.

Thanks

[StephenB]

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@Erniem23 wrote:

The H6 cameras is 1664x944

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Not something I've seen before, and perhaps a clue on what is wrong. Is the resolution different on an clear video from the H6?

Also, it'd be useful to know if the "H6" is a Pro or a Pro 2.  If you

1. go into the support area of the app
2. select one of the H6 cameras
3. scroll to the bottom

then you should see the actual model (either a VMC4030 or a VMB4030P).

[Erniem23]

Both cameras are VMC4030P.

Is that a Pro or Pro 2?

Can these be fixed or replaced. We are doing a lot of digging but nothing  is supplying a solution to the issue. Restarting the hub or cameras every day is not a viable solution. Can the Firmware be flashed back to a prior release to see if that resolves the issue?

At this point these two cameras are junk and useless to me monitoring my home. If Arlo can't fix or replace them I will have to look at other solutions, like Apple Homekit Secure Video cameras.

Thanks

[StephenB]

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@Erniem23 wrote:

Both cameras are VMC4030P.

Is that a Pro or Pro 2?

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Pro 2.  That normally sends 1080p (actually 1920 x 1072).

So not EOL for quite a while.

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@Erniem23 wrote:

Can these be fixed or replaced.

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They can't be repaired.  If this turns out to be a firmware glitch, Arlo could possibly fix it.  Getting just a bit more information be useful in convincing them to take a closer look.

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@Erniem23 wrote:

Can the Firmware be flashed back to a prior release to see if that resolves the issue?

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No.

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@Erniem23 wrote:

Can these be fixed or replaced. We are doing a lot of digging but nothing  is supplying a solution to the issue.

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The main piece of information I'd want is to see is whether the camera records normal 1080p right after you restart the base.

That would point to the unusual resolution as the immediate cause, though it would be a bit of a mystery to sort out why this happens with H6 but never H8.

Though I don't think this makes any difference, you might also try going in to the power management setting and making sure that "best video" is selected.

[Erniem23]

Hi StephenB, Thanks for helping me. I think we might be on to something with Frame Size.

I did what you asked and rebooted the hub, for one of the H6's Pro 2 the size was 1168 x 656 for the other camera is 1664 x 944. I have all my cameras set to Best Video.

As I mentioned earlier I also have two H6's, Pro 2's at another location. I checked the frame size on these cameras both are correct at 1920 x 1072 as you stated it should be. These cameras are connected to model VMB3500r4 hub.

You stated earlier when we had more information you can get Arlo to fix the issue. Do we now have enough information to get them to look into it?

Thanks

[StephenB]

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@Erniem23 wrote:

You stated earlier when we had more information you can get Arlo to fix the issue. Do we now have enough information to get them to look into it?

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It would be ideal to grab a video that isn't corrupted from one of the two h6 cameras, and see if the resolution there is correct.

I'm tagging the mods ( @JamesC and @ShayneS )

[Erniem23]

I did that this morning after the reboot of the hub. That is how I got the numbers I sent earlier.

No it is not correct, one camera is 1168 x 656 and the other is 1664 x 944.

[StephenB]

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@Erniem23 wrote:

No it is not correct, one camera is 1168 x 656 and the other is 1664 x 944.

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Ok.  And those videos were not corrupted???

[Erniem23]

Correct those videos where good. Those frame rates are the same whether the video is good or corrupt.

Thanks 

[StephenB]

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@Erniem23 wrote:

Correct those videos where good.

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Can you also post the firmware on the cameras and the base?

[Erniem23]

Hub       VMB4000r3      1.20.7.0_4237_cf4d59a

Cameras 1.125.17.1_11_de8490d  

Thanks

[DannyBearAgain]

FYI, the reduced camera resolution is a function of the video zoom feature.

Use the web browser to access the arlo web login, go to the camera’s settings menu, click video settings and click the reset to restore the video resolution.

You can also use the app and pinch the displayed picture to zoom out.

[StephenB]

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@DannyBearAgain wrote:

FYI, the reduced camera resolution is a function of the video zoom feature.

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@Erniem23: Yes, I just confirmed this.  I'd always assumed the electronic zoom rescaled back up to 1080p, but it doesn't do that.  At some point you must have zoomed in the video on the two pool cameras. 

Even if you don't want the full field of view, it would be useful to zoom out the video on both cameras, and see if that affects the pixellation problem.

[Erniem23]

I went into both cameras, I removed the Activity Zone, then I reset the Zoom. I made a manual recording and checked the frame rate it is now 1920 x 1072. 

I do need the cameras zoomed, but I will leave them this way to see of we get the pixelation.

If the issue is zooming then this sounds like a defect with Arlo, what is the resolution?

Thanks

[StephenB]

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@Erniem23 wrote:

If the issue is zooming then this sounds like a defect with Arlo, what is the resolution?

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That would of course be up to Arlo to decide.

FWIW, you can zoom the video on playback if you like, so you could potentially leave them zoomed all the way in when recording.  But we don't know yet if the zoom is the cause or not.

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@Erniem23 wrote:

I do need the cameras zoomed, but I will leave them this way to see of we get the pixelation.

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That would be good.

[Erniem23]

I have been running the cameras at full zoom out (no zoom) and they have not gone into pixelation for two days. I checked the frame rate of both cameras this morning and they are both still at 1920 x 1072.

If this holds out, then we have isolated the defect to be when the Arlo Pro 2 cameras are  zoomed they go into pixelation after a few hours of up time. 

Can you submit a defect ticket to get this resolved?

Thanks

[StephenB]

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@Erniem23 wrote:

Can you submit a defect ticket to get this resolved?

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Only Arlo can do that (and I don't work for them).  However, I have been calling Arlo's attention to the issue as best I can.

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@Erniem23 wrote:

I have been running the cameras at full zoom out (no zoom) and they have not gone into pixelation for two days. I checked the frame rate of both cameras this morning and they are both still at 1920 x 1072.

If this holds out, then we have isolated the defect to be when the Arlo Pro 2 cameras are  zoomed they go into pixelation after a few hours of up time. 

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I suggest that the definitive test would be to leave the cameras zoomed out for about a week to be certain.  Then zoom them back in, and see if the problem starts up again.

[Erniem23]

Sorry I thought you where a technician for Arlo, you really know a lot and have been very knowledgeable and helpful.

Sounds like a plan, I check them several times a day.

[DannyBearAgain]

When the camera eventually stops streaming, remove the camera external power for a minute and restore to reset the cameras video encoder.

[StephenB]

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@DannyBearAgain wrote:

When the camera eventually stops streaming, remove the camera external power for a minute and restore to reset the cameras video encoder.

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@Erniem23 knows the work-arounds.  

It looks like there might be a bug related to zooming out the video in the video settings.  He's running some tests to try to confirm that.

[Erniem23]

The cameras worked fine for a week without any zooming. I went in and zoomed the cameras and the pixelation issue showed up again. I think this proves the issue is when the cameras are zoomed. Now the ball is in Arlo's court to see if they will resolve the issue.

I am going to restart the hub and eliminate any zoom until the issue can be resolved. 

Thanks 

[Erniem23]

Interesting, I just went in and reset the zoom and the pixelation went away and the video is clear.

I did not reset the hub. The issue appears to be in the camera relating to electronic zooming.