Need help with Foscam FI9831 frame rate

[Max&Leo]

I am having trouble getting my Foscams to play nicely with Sighthound. My videos are very choppy, and when I monitor them in Quicktime 7, I see frame rates from 0 fps to 6 fps. Here are my relevant settings:

Computer: 2011 iMac 2.7 GHz Intel Core i5, 12 GB DDR3, 1 TB 6500rpm drive
Sighthound: Set to "Match Source"; I have 4 cameras but the problem occurs even with only one running
Foscam FI9831W: conencted via ethernet to Airport Extreme, which is connected through Ethernet to iMac
Foscam settings:
Res: 960p
Bit rate: 2M (I do not know what bit rate really means, but the options range from 20K to 4M)
Frame rate: 6
Key frame interval: 24 (I have read up on KFIs and still do not really understand what number to choose)

[Devin]

Hello Max&Leo,

Based on the settings you provided you will want to increase the "Frame rate" option to at least 10 FPS. If there is the option to change CBR to VBR that would reduce unnecessary bandwidth usage. I'd recommend only making these changes to start with and see if any additional adjustments are needed.

Regards,

-Devin

[Max&Leo]

Devin,

I should have said that I have moved the FPS from 25 all the way down to 6. This problem occurs at all levels. The video appears smooth when I watch it live. The problem occurs when Sighthound attempts to record it.

[Devin]

Hello Max&Leo,

...and when I monitor them in Quicktime 7, I see frame rates from 0 fps to 6 fps.

- were you connecting directly to the cameras stream when you saw this frame rate or did you export a clip from Sighthound and open it in Quicktime? If you haven't already, please try connecting directly to your camera using Quicktime and see if you receive a similar frame rate.

Regards,

-Devin

[Max&Leo]

Hello Max&Leo,

...and when I monitor them in Quicktime 7, I see frame rates from 0 fps to 6 fps.

- were you connecting directly to the cameras stream when you saw this frame rate or did you export a clip from Sighthound and open it in Quicktime? If you haven't already, please try connecting directly to your camera using Quicktime and see if you receive a similar frame rate.

Regards,

-Devin

I was talking about a clip i exported. I don't know how to connect directly via QuickTime. When I connect directly via Safari, the frame rate is awesome. I can see every step a jogger takes and there is no lag in the video like there is when sight hound processes it.

[Devin]

Hi Max&Leo,

You can view the stream in Quicktime by going to File > Open URL and entering rtsp://IPADDRESS/videoMain. When you directly go to the cameras web page in Safari you are viewing a different video stream than the one that is being sent for third party media viewers, such as Sighthound Video.

Regards,

-Devin

[Max&Leo]

I used the link you shared. QT does not provide frame rate information for the live stream.

[Devin]

Hi Max&Leo,

Does the stream appear "choppy" in Quicktime similarly to how it appears in Sighthound Video?

As a test, please try lowering the resolution of your camera and see if the frame rate changes. It may be that there are some network conditions which are limiting the stream.

Regards,

-Devin