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Troubleshooting Video Input Issues (Aug 2022)

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Pete Mayell

This document provides information on IP Camera video issues, live streaming problems, and video capture complications that some users may experience, and troubleshooting tips to overcome these issues. Network video relies on a fast, stable network and we recommend monitoring the health of your network as part of troubleshooting any issues: https://support.nvplay.com/hc/en-gb/articles/8418563776025-Network-Monitoring-and-Health-Reports. 

 

NO VIDEO

If the Video Display window is showing ‘No Video’ after setting-up and connecting to the camera as per the instructions provided with the hardware kit, it is most likely that something is wrong in that setup. Thus, please double-check/re-do every step of that process, and if the problem persists within the software, please check if the live video feed can be received outside of NV Play Pro Cricket Scorer/Play-Cricket Scorer Pro:

  • Going to the camera’s IP Address in a web browser to check that the login page loads and that the username and password works, and that the live video can be viewed in the browser
  • Opening a Windows Start -> Command Prompt, type in this command:
    • "C:\Program Files (x86)\NV Play\Media Components\x64\ffplay.exe" -x 800 -y 450 XXXXX
    • Where “XXXXX” is the full Tools -> Configuration -> Video Capture -> Video Capture Devices -> Settings -> Camera Address (RTSP) string, and click Enter to see if the live video loads
  • As a second or alternative check, copy the camera’s Tools -> Configuration -> Video Capture -> Settings -> Camera Address (RTSP) string into a third-party video player (e.g., VLC, videolan.org) to check the live video can be viewed there
  • Clicking on the internet/streaming connection or camera icon at the bottom right of the status bar to open the Live Video Statistics panel and check for any timeouts on the Video Source

 

If the live video appears in the above places and there are no timeouts, next try to resolve the issue by:

  • Clicking on the Video Display -> Settings cog (top-right) -> Reconnect to IP Camera function
  • Disabling the Tools -> Configuration -> Video Capture -> Advanced Settings -> Encoding and Decoding Settings -> Enable Hardware Decoding for Video Capture Devices checkbox

 

SIGNAL DROPOUT / VIDEO CONNECTION LOST

If the Video Display window is regularly showing ‘Video Connection Lost’, this is most likely the result of poor network conditions, such as too much traffic, poor WiFi, WiFi interference, line of sight interruptions, disconnected or poorly connected cables/plugs, video input at a resolution or bandwidth too high for the network. Thus, please check what improvements in these areas can be made (especially improving the line of sight between the transmitter and receiver access points), but if the problem persists within the software, if the live video feed is stable outside of NV Play Pro Cricket Scorer/Play-Cricket Scorer Pro by:

  • Copying the camera’s Tools -> Configuration -> Video Capture -> Settings -> Camera Address (RTSP) string into a third-party video player (e.g., VLC, videolan.org) to check the live video can be viewed there – if so, and the video is stable, this probably rules out a network issue
  • Checking the Live Video Statistics panel for any timeouts on the Video Source and the IP Camera network health at the right-hand end of the status bar along the bottom, which will be orange/red
  • Checking the CPU usage via Live Video Statistics or at the very right of the status bar, and minimize this if it is regularly above 90% (see below for tips on how to do this)

If the live video isn’t stable, there are timeouts and/or a consistently high CPU%, next try to resolve the issue by:

  • Using the Tools -> Configuration -> Video Capture -> IP Camera -> Settings -> Search function to manually reconnect to the camera and select the 720p IP Camera Third Stream to reduce network requirements
  • Try the Video Display -> Settings cog (top-right) -> Reconnect to IP Camera function
  • Check that the Tools -> Configuration -> Video Capture -> IP Camera -> Settings -> Show Advanced Settings -> Frame Stabilisation checkbox is ticked/enabled
  • Check that the Tools -> Configuration -> Video Capture -> IP Camera -> Settings -> Show Advanced Settings -> Use UDP Protocol checkbox is unticked/disabled
  • Check that the Tools -> Configuration -> Video Capture -> Remote Video Connections are Disabled, and if not click Network Settings and then untick/disable either or both checkboxes, to reduce network traffic

 

BAD VIDEO TEARING / BREAKING-UP

If the Video Display window is showing bad live video ‘tearing’ that is breaking-up in places, this is also most likely the result of poor network conditions as above, but the symptoms are different because the UDP Protocol setting (see below) is enabled, which covers up the No Video/Video Connection Lost messages but results in the video tearing. Again, please check what improvements to the network connection can be made, but if the problem persists within the software, please check the following:

  • Check the laptop’s CPU usage via Live Video Statistics or at the very right of the status bar, and minimize this if it is regularly above 90% (see below for tips on how to do this)
  • Use the Tools -> Configuration -> Video Capture -> IP Camera -> Settings -> Search function to manually reconnect to the camera and select the 720p IP Camera subStream to reduce network requirements
  • Check that the Tools -> Configuration -> Video Capture -> IP Camera -> Settings -> Show Advanced Settings -> Frame Stabilisation checkbox is ticked/enabled
  • Disable the Tools -> Configuration -> Video Capture -> IP Camera -> Settings -> Show Advanced Settings -> Use UDP Protocol checkbox
  • Try enabling the Tools -> Configuration -> Video Capture -> IP Camera -> Settings -> Show Advanced Settings -> Use Low Delay Buffer checkbox, but disable this if it doesn’t resolve the issue
    • NB: Use Low Delay Buffer is ticked/enabled by default, but if this is unticked/disabled there will be an increase in the delay between live action and the video shown in the Video Display window

 

NO SCORE OVERLAYS

If the Video Display and/or Live Stream Output is not showing the score overlays, please:

  • Check that the Tools -> Configuration -> Live Streaming -> More Settings -> Overlay and Watermark Settings -> Show Overlay Graphics checkbox is ticked/enabled
  • If Windows Defender Firewall is enabled, ensure that NV Play Pro Cricket Scorer/Play Cricket Scorer Pro has been allowed as an app or feature on both Public and Private Networks
  • If Windows Defender Firewall is disabled but another installed Anti-Virus is enabled, try enabling Windows Defender Firewall (subject to the above) and temporarily disabling the other Anti-Virus (or all if more than one other is enabled)
  • Ensure that the Tools -> Configuration -> General -> Match Folder -> Folder is set to the logged-in user’s file path, i.e., C:\Users\*username*\Documents\Cricket Matches, and if not use the Browse button to correct this
  • Try the Video Display -> Settings cog (top-right) -> Restart Overlay Engine function

 

STREAM BUFFERING / PLAYING IN ‘FAST FORWARD’

If a live stream is buffering and/or playing in ‘fast forward’, the most likely causes are a high CPU% and/or an insufficient internet connection, e.g., high latency means the video/data can’t be transmitted quickly enough to keep up with new video/data, so the network cannot handle what is trying to be output. To confirm that high CPU% and/or poor internet connectivity is the cause, please:

  • Check the Live Video Statistics panel for the CPU usage, any timeouts on the Live Streaming, the Network Latency readings, and the IP Camera network health at the right-hand end of the status bar along the bottom, which will be orange/red
  • Check the health of the live stream in the Streaming Service account, e.g. You Tube
  • Run an internet speed test (e.g., speedtest.net) to check that this is consistently above the minimum upload speed of 8Mbps for live streaming

If CPU% is high and/or the internet connection’s upload speed is less than 8Mbps (and cannot be improved), please try to resolve the issue by:

  • Checking that the Tools -> Configuration -> Video Capture -> Remote Video Connections are Disabled, and if not click Network Settings and then disable either or both checkboxes to reduce network traffic
  • Lowering the Tools -> Configuration -> Live Streaming -> Live Streaming Service -> Resolution from 1080p to 720p or from 720p to 480p, then stop and restart the live stream
  • Lowering the Tools -> Configuration -> Live Streaming -> Live Streaming Service -> Target Bitrate from the 720p default of 2,500 to 1,500 or from the 480p default of 1,000 to 700, then stop and restart the live stream

 

CONTINUOUS CAPTURE AND BALL CLIP ALIGNMENT

If there is a discrepancy between the start of a ball clip on playback versus the start the same ball (i.e., the first frame) on the Continuous video in Video Timeline, please:

  • Check that the Tools -> Configuration -> Video Capture -> IP Camera -> Settings -> Show Advanced Settings -> Frame Stabilisation checkbox is ticked/enabled
  • Check the laptop’s CPU usage via View -> Video -> Live Video Statistics or at the very right of the status bar, and minimize this if it is regularly above 90% (see below for tips on how to do this)
  • Use the Tools -> Configuration -> Video Capture -> IP Camera -> Settings -> Search function to manually reconnect to the camera and select the 720p IP Camera subStream

 

NO OR POOR WEB CLIPS

If web/encoded clips are failing to record, or are poor quality/lumpy when they do, please:

  • Check the laptop’s CPU usage via Live Video Statistics or at the very right of the status bar, and minimize this if it is regularly above 90% (see below for tips on how to do this)
  • Untick/disable the Tools -> Configuration -> Video Capture -> Advanced Settings -> Encoding and Decoding Settings -> Enable Hardware Accelerated Video Encoding checkbox, to revert to the Software Encoder (this will display in the Video Encoder dropdown as selected but inactive)
  • Check the laptop’s available hard drive space, and if it is close to full (i.e., less than 10 Gb available) create space by deleting files no longer required,
    • e.g., open old matches in PCS Pro/NV Play Pro Cricket Scorer, go to the File -> Open Match Folder -> Video folder, and delete the unencoded .mp4 video files

 

HIGH CPU

If the laptop’s CPU% is consistently high, e.g., above 90%, please:

  • Ensure that the laptop is being powered by mains power, and not just running on its battery
  • Close all other applications, e.g., web browsers, email applications, word processing software
  • If possible, reduce the number of camera inputs, and certainly remove any configured but not connected cameras
  • Lower the resolution input from the camera(s), e.g., from 1080p to 720p or from 720p to 480p
  • Enable the Tools -> Configuration -> Video Capture -> Performance Options -> Reduce high Frame Rates automatically checkbox, which will reduce 60fps inputs to 30fps, and 50fps inputs to 25fps
  • Ensure that the Tools -> Configuration -> Video Capture -> Advanced Settings -> Encoding and Decoding Settings -> Enable Hardware Accelerated Video Encoding AND Enable Hardware Accelerated Video Decoding checkboxes are ticked/enabled
    • NB: If a non-IP Camera video source/capture device is being used, eg a Blackmagic H.264 Pro Recorder, Magwell, etc, also ensure that the Enable Hardware Decoding for Video Capture Devices checkbox is also ticked/enabled

 

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