Live feed, video freezes, audio continues and image distortion?

[Rebo00]

Hi,

I noticed the front camera video intermittently freezes for a few seconds and will then catch up. Sometimes it will also show random blocky colours too but I generally only see this through the app on my phone.

Anyone seen this before? As it doesn't seem to happen to the Rear camera I presume it's a cabling issue?

Setup:
Camera: DS-2CD2387G2P-LSU/SL-4MM x 2
NVR: DS-7608NI-M2/8P

Camera Firmware: V5.7.1 build 220225 (Latest available)
NVR Firmware: V4.61.410 build 221020 (Latest available)

Thanks,

Andy

 

[Rebo00]

And the blocky colours

 

[Dan]

Hi @Rebo00

This does look like possibly a cable issue, are you able to take the camera down and test it indoors on a short factory-made patch cable?

If you don't see the issue on the patch cable it would suggest an issue with the installed cable, but if the issue is still there with the patch cable it might be a fault with the camera.

 

[Rebo00]

Hi @Rebo00

This does look like possibly a cable issue, are you able to take the camera down and test it indoors on a short factory-made patch cable?

If you don't see the issue on the patch cable it would suggest an issue with the installed cable, but if the issue is still there with the patch cable it might be a fault with the camera.

Thanks Dan,

As the issue is intermittent, can be completely fine for a while and now today it's freezing, losing image completely and going blocky near constantly, I'll reterminate the patch cable.
Will start with indoors first as it's a bit wet and windy today.

Andy

 

[Rebo00]

Reterminated both ends, still seeing the freezing and distorted images.

I also realised was it's only happening in the Live View. If I playback the footage at the same time I see freezing/distorted images it's fine. See below taken from Play Back of the same date/time as the above distorted image.

Also, when the image freezes/distorts the audio continues to stream fine.

Any ideas?

 

[Rebo00]

Camera config for Main Stream

 

[Rebo00]

The Max Bitrate on the Main Stream was set to 5120, I upped this to 16394 which is the maximum selectable. I then manually typed in the Maximum Average bitrate of 16384

The Max Bitrate on the Sub-Stream was set to 2048, I upped this to 8192 which is the maximum selectable.

Whilst taking the above screenshots I noticed the Sub-Stream Max. Bitrate has gone back to 2048. Not sure if this is a firmware bug but I've just gone back through and set them both back to the maximum allowed on both cameras.

And yes I did click Save and it confirmed Save Succeeded

 

[JB1970]

In the NVR:

Configuration > Network > Advanced Configuration > Platform Access - Turn OFF Sub Stream Rate Adaption

That's what's causing your sub stream bit rate to 'change back' and that is switched on by default. I think it allows Hik-Connect to alter the bit rate of the sub stream in response to network conditions while streaming. I've found it problematic and have known it to drop the bit rate all the way down to 320kbps (not great when you have a 720P sub stream!). The setting has appeared as a new feature on several models in more recent firmware (it's in the M series and the NXI K series for certain)

On another note you might try dropping the quality to 'Higher'. The bit rate will burst well outside of its configured maximum at each I frame when set to 'Highest' and it's made worse if there's a lot of movement in the image. I doubt you will notice the difference in image quality by dropping it.

Edit: I just noticed you're using H265+. I'd turn that off also and just use H265.

 

[Rebo00]

In the NVR:

Configuration > Network > Advanced Configuration > Platform Access - Turn OFF Sub Stream Rate Adaption

That's what's causing your sub stream bit rate to 'change back' and that is switched on by default. I think it allows Hik-Connect to alter the bit rate of the sub stream in response to network conditions while streaming. I've found it problematic and have known it to drop the bit rate all the way down to 320kbps (not great when you have a 720P sub stream!). The setting has appeared as a new feature on several models in more recent firmware (it's in the M series and the NXI K series for certain)

On another note you might try dropping the quality to 'Higher'. The bit rate will burst well outside of its configured maximum at each I frame when set to 'Highest' and it's made worse if there's a lot of movement in the image. I doubt you will notice the difference in image quality by dropping it.

Edit: I just noticed you're using H265+. I'd turn that off also and just use H265.

Doesn't look like that Sub Stream option is available

NVR Camera config

Went back to the Camera config and confirmed they're still configured the same as yesterdays.

From the NVR, I select Main Stream, turn off H.265+ and I'm now able to adjust the Max.Bitrate which accepts 16384 (this was the max configurable on thec camera config) and it also adds the I Frame Interval option which defaults to 50.

When I select the Sub-Stream the Max.Bitrate it will allow is 2048 which explains why I think explains why it was changing back.

Will leave the Video Quality set to Highest now and test, if it still experiences issues then I'll lower it to Higher and retest. Don't want to make too many changes at once

Thanks,

Andy

 

[JB1970]

Doesn't look like that Sub Stream option is available

You're not on the latest NVR firmware, that might be why the option isn't there. Latest is 4.63.010. Similarly assuming your cameras are the G5 version (shown in hardware version property on the system settings > basic information page) they're out of date too as latest is 5.7.11.

If you're looking anywhere on the NVR or on Hik-Connect app and seeing 'no new version available' ignore that - it's never worked. Latest versions are supposed to be on the product page but occasionally appear first on the portal.

 

[Rebo00]

You're not on the latest NVR firmware, that might be why the option isn't there. Latest is 4.63.010. Similarly assuming your cameras are the G5 version (shown in hardware version property on the system settings > basic information page) they're out of date too as latest is 5.7.11.

If you're looking anywhere on the NVR or on Hik-Connect app and seeing 'no new version available' ignore that - it's never worked. Latest versions are supposed to be on the product page but occasionally appear first on the portal.

Silly me for trusting the inbuilt update checker!
Updated the NVR and cameras to the latest firmware from the Hikvision website. Still seeing the same issue.

Now have the option to turn off the Sub-Stream Rate Adaptation which I've done. Although, at least from the NVR web GUI, I believe it's using the Main Stream anyway.

In the bottom right corner I can select:
1. Main Steam
2. Sub-Stream
3. Transcoded Stream

Disabled h.265+ and just running on h.265

Will test and feedback

NVR:
Device Model: DS-7608NI-M2 / 8P
Firmware Version: V4.63.010 build 230619
Encoding Version: V5.0 build 230613
Hardware Version: B-R-K21B1-00
Web Version: V4.5.0 build 230606
Plug-In Version: V3.0.8.28

DS-2CD2387G2P-LSU/SL
Device Model: DS-2CD2387G2P-LSU/SL
Firmware Version: V5.7.11 build 230406
Encoding Version: V7.3 build 230329
Web Version: V4.0.1 build 230308
Plugin Version: 3.0.7.29

 

[JB1970]

Now have the option to turn off the Sub-Stream Rate Adaptation which I've done. Although, at least from the NVR web GUI, I believe it's using the Main Stream anyway.

That's correct - you can select to view the main stream, sub stream or a transcoded stream on the web browser. The Sub Stream Rate Adaption is I believe specific to Hik-Connect, as the setting is applied in the Platform Access settings. However if you use Hik-Connect and it lowers the sub stream bit rate (for any reason), that will affect the sub stream wherever you're viewing it; whether it be in the Hik-Connect app, the web browser (when sub stream selected) or even on a locally connected monitor (when in multi screen view the sub stream is displayed.

I don't profess to know the specific workings of the feature. However I had issues on one installation, where the sub stream bit rate kept getting dropped back to 320kbps and the monitor multiscreen images were appalling until I disabled it (they were very blocky as opposed to the multi coloured jigsaw you're seeing)

Disabled h.265+ and just running on h.265

That should be better all round. H265+ supposedly saves bandwidth and storage but mainly in static scenes. Hikvision recommend H265 in scenes with a lot of movement.

When you get those blocky images, where are you seeing them? Is this on the local monitor, Hik-Connect app or web browser? If I was seeing it on the local monitor I might be concerned, but if it's the web browser it could just be your device failing to decode that image. On the Hik-Connect app switching the 'Hard-Decoding Preferred" option to the opposite setting can sometimes help.

 

[Rebo00]

When you get those blocky images, where are you seeing them? Is this on the local monitor, Hik-Connect app or web browser? If I was seeing it on the local monitor I might be concerned, but if it's the web browser it could just be your device failing to decode that image. On the Hik-Connect app switching the 'Hard-Decoding Preferred" option to the opposite setting can sometimes help.

Hik-Connect App and NVR Web-browser. NVR is in a comms room and haven't run a HDMI cable to the office yet.

Yeah originally it was a concern of faulty hardware but since realising the recorded footage is fine, it's turned into "Is there a known issue or a new bug"

Regards,

Andy

 

[Rebo00]

Spoke to soon, was checking footage today and on the Playback through the NVR Web-browser the video freezes multiple times. I thought maybe it's just the browser plug-in causing the issue so I downloaded the 1GB files that covered the time and played them on VLC
08:51:11, can see ghosting from the previous second where the car was.

Camrea reporting 08:51:11 again and the car has jumped back to the middle of the road.

Any ideas?

 

[JB1970]

Spoke to soon, was checking footage today and on the Playback through the NVR Web-browser the video freezes multiple times. I thought maybe it's just the browser plug-in causing the issue so I downloaded the 1GB files that covered the time and played them on VLC
08:51:11, can see ghosting from the previous second where the car was.
View attachment 9575

Camrea reporting 08:51:11 again and the car has jumped back to the middle of the road.
View attachment 9576

Any ideas?

No that does look to be more an issue with the camera firmware. The previous issue was something different and could be attributed to a glitch during decoding the H265+. In this instance however, it appears to be an issue with how the camera is processing the two individual images to compose the panoramic view (I imagine you'll never see the duplicated frame on the same lens/side of the image)

Set your frame rate on the main stream to 25FPS (it's still full frame rate) and up the I Frame interval to match at 25. Some camera models default settings are 25FPS with an I Frame interval of 50 (giving a full frame refresh every 2 seconds), whereas others come with 25 and 25. Try that and see if there's an improvement.

Edit: I've just had a look at the firmware. You are on the latest version but I notice in the release notes:

1. Fix the probabilistic asynchrony problem of two lens at slow shutter.

It does appear to be an 'asynchrony problem' but during the daytime your camera would not be using a slow shutter. However, in the camera image settings, check the shutter speed (exposure time). It's probably at its default of 1/12 sec and should be at 1/25 sec maximum if you're using 25FPS (to avoid a single exposure occupying 2 frames). Depending on the NVR you may have to access the function directly via the camera's web page.

 

[Rebo00]

No that does look to be more an issue with the camera firmware. The previous issue was something different and could be attributed to a glitch during decoding the H265+. In this instance however, it appears to be an issue with how the camera is processing the two individual images to compose the panoramic view (I imagine you'll never see the duplicated frame on the same lens/side of the image)

Set your frame rate on the main stream to 25FPS (it's still full frame rate) and up the I Frame interval to match at 25. Some camera models default settings are 25FPS with an I Frame interval of 50 (giving a full frame refresh every 2 seconds), whereas others come with 25 and 25. Try that and see if there's an improvement.

Edit: I've just had a look at the firmware. You are on the latest version but I notice in the release notes:

1. Fix the probabilistic asynchrony problem of two lens at slow shutter.

It does appear to be an 'asynchrony problem' but during the daytime your camera would not be using a slow shutter. However, in the camera image settings, check the shutter speed (exposure time). It's probably at its default of 1/12 sec and should be at 1/25 sec maximum if you're using 25FPS (to avoid a single exposure occupying 2 frames). Depending on the NVR you may have to access the function directly via the camera's web page.

Frist time I've seen this ghosting is since updating the firmware, although it may have existed before that and I just didn't see it.

Video Frame Rate so set that to 20 (maximum selectable) and I Frame Interval to 20. Default I Frame Interval was 50.

I've not changed these myself so I'm guessing they're defaults:
Iris Mode: Fixed
Exposure Time: 1/12

I've set to 1/25 but if it's running at 20fps is that an issue

Regards,

Andy

 

[JB1970]

Frist time I've seen this ghosting is since updating the firmware, although it may have existed before that and I just didn't see it.

Video Frame Rate so set that to 20 (maximum selectable) and I Frame Interval to 20. Default I Frame Interval was 50.

I've not changed these myself so I'm guessing they're defaults:
Iris Mode: Fixed
Exposure Time: 1/12

I've set to 1/25 but if it's running at 20fps is that an issue

View attachment 9584
View attachment 9585
Regards,

Andy

Default exposure time for ColorVu tends to be 1/12 sec. 1/25 sec is fine for 20 frames per second.

 

[Rebo00]

So I've watched 40minutes from this morning, cars and people coming and going, no freezing and no ghosting.

Looked a bit further on, van came and again no freezing or ghosting, same when he left, so tentatively want to say the issue is resolved.

I'll now start rolling back the changes one by one and see if I can replicate the issue.

Regards,

Andy

 

[JB1970]

I'll now start rolling back the changes one by one and see if I can replicate the issue.

I have to ask, if you're happy with it now, why revert settings to try to replicate the problem? It's likely that the issue was caused by bad settings rather than some bug. The three items below were specific to your original setup:

• H265+ - it is not recommended for dynamic scenes with a lot of movement
• Max average bitrate is recommended to be set at 50% of Max Bitrate when using H265+ (you had both at the same - 16,384)
• The reciprocal of the exposure time should be equal to or greater than the number of frames per second (max 1/25sec for 25fps)

It's relatively easy to enter settings that will cause image artefacts, performance problems or image quality issues with a camera, but that shouldn't be interpreted as a camera/firmware issue.

 

[Rebo00]

I have to ask, if you're happy with it now, why revert settings to try to replicate the problem? It's likely that the issue was caused by bad settings rather than some bug. The three items below were specific to your original setup:

• H265+ - it is not recommended for dynamic scenes with a lot of movement
• Max average bitrate is recommended to be set at 50% of Max Bitrate when using H265+ (you had both at the same - 16,384)
• The reciprocal of the exposure time should be equal to or greater than the number of frames per second (max 1/25sec for 25fps)

It's relatively easy to enter settings that will cause image artefacts, performance problems or image quality issues with a camera, but that shouldn't be interpreted as a camera/firmware issue.

I have to know what specifically caused the issue, or whether it was a combination of settings that caused the issue. I don't like knowing the issue is fixed without the root cause of the issue .

H265+ is still off
Video Frame Rate still set to 20
Max Frame Rate still set to 16384
I-Frame Interval still set to 20
Exposure Time still set to 1/25

Quality changed back to Highest from High