frustrated: Connection failed on Playback

[shifco]

Hello,
We recently purchased our first Amcrest product, a Amcrest UltraHD 4K - Model: IP8M-2779EW-AI

Setup went fine. We connected into the Admin Settings and setup Intrusion Alerts and it records alerts to the SD Card.

However, using the android mobile app of Amcrest View Pro2, we can alway see the Live View, but clicking Playback and trying to view the recorded alerts, the Percentage bar climbs to about 95% or so and then almost always comes back with "Connection failed". Once in a great while, the playback works.

This occurs when on the local Wifi as well as away from home.
It is almost impossible to view recorded events.

Any thoughts on what is occuring? We already tried a different SD Card and the problem persists. Is there a way to view the underlying logs and determine why in the heck Connection Fails most of the time on viewing Playback?

[check6]

clicking Playback and trying to view the recorded alerts

What happens when you try it from the WebUI?

[shifco]

The WebUI works great. I can login. I can see the Live view. I can click on Playback and see the various events recorded to the SD Card.

However, on the Android app of "Amcrest View Pro2" I can only see the Live view. When clicking Playback and Video Clips, each video clip attempts to load, but only errors out around 91%, with a "Connection failed."

[check6]

Try again after each of these: deleting the app cache, deleting and re-adding the camera, uninstalling and reinstalling AVP2, rebooting the device running AVP2.

[Revo2Maxx]

To be honest sounds like a connection issue. While you are on your local network I would ping the camera and use -t after the ip address of the camera and see what your return times are. If there is high numbers on your ping results or if there is some that time out I would look at fixing the cable going to the camera, if short cable and known good cable tested on a cable tester. Then might be an issue with the type of cable being used. I just tested my 8mp camera that is going through 4 switches and while most was 1ms the max it said was 3ms on my ping and I let mine run for 30 pings before pressing ctrl C to stop the ping..

Another thing that can cause issue is Network Latency. Might be that your network has to many connected devices.

If you are using a Switch that is managed I would look in your switch and see if the connected port is having issues with errors. If you are connecting this camera on the other side of a bridge I would confirm that your connection is good

If your router is old and you are connecting using 2.4 on a network that has a lot of traffic within the network could also cause this.

Like for my normal network traffic I have to worry about 3 computers streaming from Netflix, amazon, Hulu, Roku, youtube or some other video service. Plus traffic to online gaming platforms and sometimes these events are going on at the same time at the same location. Then I have many devices that are connected and I live in an area that I can see more then 20 routers when doing a search for my wifi and if I use my EnGenius router to do a search for wifi I can find over 50 within my setup range. So there can be issues with other wifi systems working on your channel and crossing your channel along with Bluetooth and other things like that.. All of that can cause issues if the network isn't setup correctly.

[check6]

The WebUI works great.

How is the machine hosting the browser connected to the network your camera is on: WI-FI or Ethernet?

[shifco]

Thank you both. The camera is on Ethernet/POE. Will work on all the above and report back.

[shifco]

What a nightmare.

@check6 - We tried everything in terms of app cache, deleting/readding camera/ uninstalling / etc.. Even changed out the SD Card.
Live view always works. Playback from the SD card typically results in Connection failed. Once in a great while, the video playback actually works.
I'm wondering if the camera is a dud.
I'm almost thinking maybe update the firmware or something...

@Revo2Maxx - Yeah, almost seems connection related, but the Pings came back great at 3ms. The camera is hardwired with POE to the router.

As mentioned above, I think maybe only choice is to flash the firmware? or return the product? (which I think my Amazon return by date is already past). Any other thoughts?

I'm also wondering about a warranty replacement with Amcrest if any official representative can weigh in.

[check6]

Any other thoughts?

If you're able to play back recordings and view events from the WebUI, that would rule out there being anything wrong with the camera or the SD card. If the computer on which you view the WebUI is connected to the network the same way as the device running AVP2, that would rule out connection issues. That narrows the search to the device running AVP2. What would that be?

[Revo2Maxx]

Computer that is connected over Ethernet accessing a NVR or camera that is also connected over Ethernet, can't rule out a Connection issue seeing AVP is going to be working over a Wifi or Wireless connection and again can be a network related issue. Can easy be to many devices connected to a Router that just don't have the power to support the connections.

For instance, I have some older dual mode TP-Link routers that are not as fast as my Network Nighthawk routers. Also when using my Nighthawk routers I find if I connect over 2.4 I can have some connection issues so I always make sure I have my phones connected using 5Ghz and any connection issues I might have goes away.