Clips from some cameras play in Win 10 but are blank in IOS

[BJW]

I'd appreciate any insight on a problem I cannot resolve. As the title suggests all clips recorded by all cameras (total 7) play back successfully in the BI5, Win 10 app. Both the IOS as well as the Win 10 apps correctly show each clip's preview image. However, the clips from some cameras play with blank video only in the IOS app. Two of these cameras are identical other than one plays back correctly while the other does not.

The best I can tell the cameras themselves are configured identically as are the BI camera settings. But clearly I've overlooked something among the many possibilities. Both BI applications are the current version. I've uninstalled and reinstalled both. I think this problem began after updating from BI4 to BI5 two months ago. There is no difference between an IOS cellular or LAN connection.

Suggestions are welcome.

[YrbkMgr]

If they play fine in the console, then it's not the recording - what happens if you log in with UI3 from a client on the LAN and remote browser? Everything good, or does it happen there too?

[BJW]

Thanks for the quick response!

Yes, logging in with UI3 yields the same results as when using the IOS app. That is; the preview image is present, the payback runs (time counter advances), but the video image is blank (black). As with the IOS app this occurs with the same 4 cameras. The remaining 3 cameras work correctly.

Update/correction: The behavior above occurs when using UI3 while connected to the host PC both via a local network LAN connection as well as during an external Internet connection.

[YrbkMgr]

Doesn't make sense. Here's my math... playback in the console means the BVR's are in tact. UI3 (and iOS app) pulls information from the server. Ipso facto, every device uses files on the server.

Your observation is that playback is wonky only on certain cameras and only when not viewed in the BI console. Doesn't add up. Log into UI3 and post a screenshot of the browser window. Then a screenshot of it during playback of one of the offending cameras.

[BJW]

Your skepticism is understandable.

Here is a screen capture taken moments ago. Yesterday the clips played from "Street_NE" but not "Street_NW". This morning clips play from neither of those two cameras. I rebooted this PC (also the BI host) and cleared the browser cache. No change. Interestingly the clips from the other two cameras that had worked yesterday still work today. Although those cameras had no clips recorded today.

If no one has a clear solution then my next step will be to uninstall BI, delete the associated folders and registry entries, and start over.

Screenshot 2022-03-07 080801.jpg (253.8 KiB) Viewed 2688 times

EDIT: Yes, the screen capture shows the CPU usage is maxed out. This is not always the case however. This PC was also busy reindexing after the re-boot which added CPU load. Normally it runs at 70-80%. About 60% of that BI during daylight hours.

[YrbkMgr]

Don't nuke yet. I have a hunch - export that Street NW clip from within UI3 to MP4 - is it blank? If you export from the console, same file size?

Go to another computer and run UI3 - same? Is it limited to the NW camera only? More than one?

Post a screenshot of the UI3 "About this UI". Then right click on that NW clip and select Properties - Post a screenshot of that.

I'm miffed - I'd like to get to the bottom of it - no one else is reporting an issue like that, and the stubborn diagnostician in me doesn't want the gremlins to win.

[BJW]

Thanks for your tenacity

I ran UI3 on an iPad using Edge. The clip payback behavior was the same as described in my "Mon Mar 07, 2022 2:27 pm" post. That is, the NW and NE clip images appear in the left column of UI3 but the playback is blank. When hovering the cursor over a clip's image another frame opens immediately to its right. That frame initially shows the clip's static image then goes blank as the playback time display advances at the top of the frame. All clips playback correctly in the BI Win 10 application: version 5.5.5.11 x64

I've attached the "About UI3" screen capture.

Within UI3 I can right-click on a clip and successfully export (.bvr) and convert (.mp4) a "NW_Street" clip which overwise would not play back in UI3, the iPhone IOS app, or the iPad IOS app. The file size and hash is identical between the exported bvr clip and the stored bvr clip. The clips play back successfully in their respective applications.

Further thoughts...?

[TimG]

Could this be a codec issue ?

[YrbkMgr]

Here are the variables we need to understand:

However, the clips from some cameras play with blank video only in the IOS app

What does "play" mean? Does that mean only the hover over clip animation, or does it mean when the clip is played? Clearly the hover over is wonky, but does it play correctly?

1. How many cameras exhibit the behavior <-Important
2. Let's see the Configure dialog (Camera Settings -> Video tab -> Network IP Camera Configuration) for offending cameras and one that doesn't misbehave
3. What streaming profile is being used in UI3?
4. Clip animation settings

[BJW]

In response to your question, "What does "play" mean?"; When hovering over a clip in UI3 the camera name and the clip's elapsed time advances at the top of the clip's playback frame. However the video is blank (black). When playing full screen the screen is again black , the camera name and time stamp appear in the top of the frame, and the playback time and blue progress bar advance at the bottom of the frame.

Oh, and in case I didn't state this before, all cameras stream live correctly in the BI console, UI3, and the IOS apps.

Okay, now here's where is gets weird… Yesterday I remotely rebooted the BI server PC. Following the reboot the clips from all cameras (yes, all…) played back correctly in an iPad IOS app, an iPhone IOS app, and UI3 running in Edge on the iPad. Pushing my luck I rebooted the PC again. Now, out of the total of seven cameras, three that never played back still don't, two that always played back still do, one stopped playing back, and one started to play back. So, the errant payback behavior is not a fixed phenomenon but varies due to ????

Regarding "What streaming profile used in UI3?" I have attached two screen captures which I "think" are those you're looking for. Frankly I don't know what these all mean.

I have also attached images of three camera configuration tabs. The NE (IP…45) cam had worked but stopped after a reboot. The NW (IP…44) cam has never worked, and the CENTRAL (IP…46) cam has always worked.

Again, thanks for the effort but I can accept that this issue may be unique to my BI installation or another conflict within my PC. Particularly due to the changing nature upon a reboot. Unless someone has an epiphany I will uninstall/re-install BI and/or configure the PC to boot in safe mode and then selectively allow other apps to load. I'll update this post if I learn anything but it may be a few days.