Bitrate vs frame rate vs resolution

Safari

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I have four cameras (soon to be five) connected by Ethernet cables, and two cameras connected wirelessly to a gigabyte router on my LAN system.

I'm periodically having intermittent freezing of the live video for a few seconds at times. I'm wondering if this is being caused by the bitrate/frame rate/resolution settings.

Does a lower bitrate , resolution and frame rate equate a smoother live video feed, or this this some other issue?.

Also, the live video feed is being streamed over 3 different Android devices at the same time, would that contribute to the cameras bandwidth usage or not?

I would prefer a smooth live video feed with a lower quality, than a higher quality video that freezes and jumps around.
 

wittaj

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A lower bitrate, resolution, and frame rate will equate to smoother video as it needs less bandwidth. And depending on the camera, having too many users access it at the same time can cause problems.

The biggest issue is wifi is problematic for surveillance cameras because they are always streaming and passing data. And the data demands go up with motion and then you lose signal. A lost packet and it has to resend. It can bring the whole network down if trying to use it through a wifi router. At the very least it can slow down your system.

Unlike Netflix and other streaming services that buffer a movie, these cameras do not buffer up part of the video, so drop outs are frequent. You would be amazed how much streaming services buffer - don't believe me, start watching something and unplug your router and watch how much longer you can watch NetFlix before it freezes - mine goes 45 seconds. Now do the same with a wifi camera and it is fairly instantaneous (within the latency of the stream itself)...

The same issue applies if it is hard-wired trying to send all this non-buffer video stream through a router. Most consumer grade wifi routers are not designed to pass the constant video stream data of cameras, and since they do not buffer, you get these issues. Even if they do not talk to the internet, the consumer routers are just not designed for this kind of traffic even a GB speed router.
 

Safari

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Thanks. I'll lower the bitate, frame rate and resolution, and leave only one camera on WiFi and see if that fixes the problem. If not I may separate them on different routers

I set the high bitrate when I had only three cameras. And as many here predicted, my cameras are multiplying like rabbits.

P.S. Love the quality of these Amcrest cameras. Just bought another one
 

wittaj

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Yea they do multiply like rabbits and Amcrest is a decent brand.

Drop the rate and resolution and FPS until you notice a difference and hopefully you get smooth video.
 

SouthernYankee

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Do not use a frame rate over 15 FPS. Use an Iframe of 15 or 30.
Do not run the video through your router (except for wifi).
The ethernet for the video should go into a switch, the switch is connected to the router. The main viewing PC should be connected to the same switch.
 

Griswalduk

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Are you viewing the cameras over WiFi our via a hardwired PC.

The general advise its not to be using a router for the purposes of a network switch due to the volume of data. Usually most routers have 4 LAN network ports and a WAN port. It sounds like all your LAN ports are used up with the 4 wired cameras. You have a further 2 wifi cameras. The Wi-Fi network is having to cope with streaming, viewing and interfacing with these cameras as well as any other traffic. It's likely the weakest link but it will also struggling with the wired connections for said reasons.

I feel if you lower the camera settings your doing a decent camera an injustice to compensate for the limitations of your network.

Instead of the soon to be 5th camera i would get what you've already got running correctly and invest in a network switch. This small outlay will also allow for future expansion. Do away with whatever routers your using besides the main UPS one.

You don't mention how your recording ( NVR, blue iris, memory card ) or if at all but connect below as @SouthernYankee recommends

WAN > isp modem > isp router > network switch (connect all wired cameras and PC's to this switch)

The Wi-Fi cameras if possible should also be wired back to this switch. Wi-Fi is a last resort.


Good luck as always
 
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Safari

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Do not use a frame rate over 15 FPS. Use an Iframe of 15 or 30.
Do not run the video through your router (except for wifi).
The ethernet for the video should go into a switch, the switch is connected to the router. The main viewing PC should be connected to the same switch.
I have one camera that can't be reached via Ethernet cable, and it has disconnected only once in several months. It runs very smooth.

I have a 4 Port router and a 4 port hub. I have three cameras plugged into the router and the hub using the fourth port, with one camera currently plugged into the hub. I plan to plug one more camera into the hub tomorrow leaving two ports open

Do you suggest taking two cameras out of the router to fill up the hub?.

I'll buy a 8 port hub later, I know now I'll need it
 

Safari

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Are you viewing the cameras over WiFi our via a hardwired PC.

The general advise its not to be using a router for the purposes of a network switch due to the volume of data. Usually most routers have 4 LAN network ports and a WAN port. It sounds like all your LAN ports are used up with the 4 wired cameras. You have a further 2 wifi cameras. The Wi-Fi network is having to cope with streaming, viewing and interfacing with these cameras as well as any other traffic. It's likely the weakest link but it will also struggling with the wired connections for said reasons.

I feel if you lower the camera settings your doing a decent camera an injustice to compensate for the limitations of your network.

Instead of the soon to be 5th camera i would get what you've already got running correctly and invest in a network switch. This small outlay will also allow for future expansion. Do away with whatever routers your using besides the main UPS one.

You don't mention how your recording ( NVR, blue iris, memory card ) or if at all but connect below as @SouthernYankee recommends

WAN > isp modem > isp router > network switch (connect all wired cameras and PC's to this switch)

The Wi-Fi cameras if possible should also be wired back to this switch. Wi-Fi is a last resort.


Good luck as always
It's a LAN network, no internet. And i have a 4 port router that has 3 cameras plugged into it, the fourth port in the router has a 4 port hub connected to it with one camera plugged into the hub.

All viewing is done on 3 Android phones over WiFi. No hard wired PC connected. The Amcrest app works flawlessly, so does the playback. It's only 3-5 second hiccups once in a while in the live video feed.
 

Griswalduk

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I would go for larger switch. I bought a tp link 24 port easy managed switch for £60. The benefits out way the extra cost. This is not POE but i don't think your existing hub is anyway.

Going forward instead of the router you might be better with a dedicated access point or power line kit to cater for the Wi-Fi camera. Connection as follows

WAN > isp modem > isp router > network switch (connect all wired cameras and PC's to this switch along with access point or powerlines adapter.

My cameras are wired so i cannot recommend anything wifi that will cope with data but others here will give you options

As for now fill the ports on the hub first then fill the router. I'm not sure if you will seem any benefits though as it's still not ideal and your adding a further camera.

Edit

Just reading that your viewing over solely WiFi at the minute and it sounds like a stand alone network. For me it all depends on the router your using and it's ability to cope with the data. The advice I've seen on here is always to take the router out of the equation hence the access point suggestion.

Question too all.... Do wireless access points have better data throughput than routers?

With this in mind what about power line adapters?
 
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