8MP IP camera keeps disconnecting and reconnecting

[RWL-69]

I am setting up a new server to handle full resolution IP cameras using an Orange Pi 4 Pro and am having an issue with a low cost Chinese 8MP resolution camera. I hope I can get some information on how to get this working properly since it missed a major incident in the past 24 hours.

I can watch the stream in vlc or ffplay with no issues from a different computer as there is no GUI on the headless server.

I have lowered the quality of the stream and frame rate but still get an error message.

Current stream info.

Stream Type: Main stream
Encoding Fromat: H256
Resolution: 3840X2160
Frame Rate (1-20) fps: 16
Bitrate Control: Variable bit rate
Max Bitrate (128-8192) Kbps: 4096
I Frame Interval (1-30) Seconds: 1 second
Quality: General

I have changed the pad.conf file not to detect any motion at present and I keep getting these log (level 7) messages.

[5:av5:Parking Pad] [INF] [NET] [Apr 30 15:44:03] netcam_init_swdecoder: highres: Initializing decoder
[5:av5:Parking Pad] [INF] [NET] [Apr 30 15:44:03] netcam_rtsp_open_codec: highres: Decoder opened
[5:nc5:Parking Pad] [INF] [NET] [Apr 30 15:44:03] netcam_rtsp_copy_stream: Stream copied for pass-through
[5:nc5:Parking Pad] [NTC] [NET] [Apr 30 15:44:03] netcam_rtsp_connect: highres: Camera (Parking Pad) connected
[5:nc5:Parking Pad] [INF] [NET] [Apr 30 15:44:03] netcam_rtsp_connect: highres: Netcam capture_rate is 17.
[5:nc5:Parking Pad] [INF] [NET] [Apr 30 15:44:03] netcam_rtsp_connect: highres: Camera source is 16 FPS
[2:ml2:Parking Pad] [INF] [NET] [Apr 30 15:44:03] netcam_rtsp_pktarray_resize: highres: Resized packet array to 30
[2:ml2:Parking Pad] [NTC] [ALL] [Apr 30 15:44:03] image_ring_resize: Resizing pre_capture buffer to 4 items
[3:nc3:Parking Pad] [INF] [ENC] [Apr 30 15:45:43] ffmpeg_avcodec_log: Could not find ref with POC 0
[3:nc3:Parking Pad] [INF] [NET] [Apr 30 15:45:56] netcam_rtsp_read_image: norm: av_read_frame: End of file
[3:nc3:Parking Pad] [ERR] [NET] [Apr 30 15:45:56] netcam_rtsp_handler_reconnect: norm: Reconnecting with camera....
[3:nc3:Parking Pad] [INF] [NET] [Apr 30 15:45:56] netcam_rtsp_set_options: norm: Setting rtsp/rtmp
[3:nc3:Parking Pad] [INF] [NET] [Apr 30 15:45:56] netcam_rtsp_open_context: norm: Opened camera(Parking Pad)
[3:av3:Parking Pad] [INF] [NET] [Apr 30 15:45:57] netcam_init_swdecoder: norm: Initializing decoder
[3:av3:Parking Pad] [INF] [NET] [Apr 30 15:45:57] netcam_rtsp_open_codec: norm: Decoder opened
[2:ml2:Parking Pad] [INF] [NET] [Apr 30 15:45:57] netcam_rtsp_pktarray_resize: highres: Resized packet array to 52
[2:ml2:Parking Pad] [INF] [NET] [Apr 30 15:45:57] netcam_rtsp_pktarray_resize: highres: Resized packet array to 54
[3:nc3:Parking Pad] [NTC] [NET] [Apr 30 15:45:57] netcam_rtsp_connect: norm: Camera (Parking Pad) connected
[3:nc3:Parking Pad] [INF] [NET] [Apr 30 15:45:57] netcam_rtsp_connect: norm: Netcam capture_rate is 16.
[3:nc3:Parking Pad] [INF] [NET] [Apr 30 15:45:57] netcam_rtsp_connect: norm: Camera source is 16 FPS
[2:ml2:Parking Pad] [INF] [NET] [Apr 30 15:45:58] netcam_rtsp_pktarray_resize: highres: Resized packet array to 62
[3:nc3:Parking Pad] [INF] [NET] [Apr 30 15:49:01] netcam_rtsp_read_image: norm: av_read_frame: End of file
[3:nc3:Parking Pad] [ERR] [NET] [Apr 30 15:49:01] netcam_rtsp_handler_reconnect: norm: Reconnecting with camera....
[3:nc3:Parking Pad] [INF] [NET] [Apr 30 15:49:01] netcam_rtsp_set_options: norm: Setting rtsp/rtmp
[3:nc3:Parking Pad] [INF] [NET] [Apr 30 15:49:01] netcam_rtsp_open_context: norm: Opened camera(Parking Pad)
[3:av3:Parking Pad] [INF] [NET] [Apr 30 15:49:03] netcam_init_swdecoder: norm: Initializing decoder
[3:av3:Parking Pad] [INF] [NET] [Apr 30 15:49:03] netcam_rtsp_open_codec: norm: Decoder opened
[2:ml2:Parking Pad] [INF] [NET] [Apr 30 15:49:03] netcam_rtsp_pktarray_resize: highres: Resized packet array to 72
[3:nc3:Parking Pad] [NTC] [NET] [Apr 30 15:49:03] netcam_rtsp_connect: norm: Camera (Parking Pad) connected
[3:nc3:Parking Pad] [INF] [NET] [Apr 30 15:49:03] netcam_rtsp_connect: norm: Netcam capture_rate is 16.
[3:nc3:Parking Pad] [INF] [NET] [Apr 30 15:49:03] netcam_rtsp_connect: norm: Camera source is 16 FPS

And then repeats every few minutes.

Of course when the camera is not connected during a reset, events are missed.

When I run the stream through ffplay, I get

  Stream #0:0: Video: hevc (Main), yuvj420p(pc, bt709), 3840x2160, 16 fps, 20 tbr, 90k tbn
[swscaler @ 0x7fcf6cf29b00] deprecated pixel format used, make sure you did set range correctly

My configuration file for the problematic camera.
(Note: I cannot find how to use the netcam_highres and just tested what I have installed)

# /usr/etc/motion/camera1.conf
#
# This config file was generated by motion 4.7.0

###########################################################
# Configuration options specific to camera 1
############################################################
# User defined name for the camera.
##  ASECAM
camera_name Parking Pad


# Numeric identifier for the camera.
camera_id 103

# The full URL of the network camera stream.
# netcam_url rtsp://yourcamera1ip:port/camera/specific/url
netcam_url rtsp://Cameras:MyCams88888888@192.168.1.241:554/stream1 
netcam_highres rtsp://Cameras:MyCams88888888@192.168.1.241:554/stream1


netcam_params capture_rate=16

###############################
# Image width in pixels.
width 3840

# Image height in pixels.
height 2160

# Text to be overlayed in the lower left corner of images
; text_left CAMERA 1

# Target directory for images and videos
target_dir  /home/cameras


############################################################
# Picture output configuration parameters
############################################################

# Output pictures when motion is detected
picture_output off

# Picture type  jpeg, webp, ppm, grey
picture_type jpeg

# Picture file name
picture_filename PIC_%Y%m%d/PAD_%Y%m%d-%H%M%S-%q-%v



# Masking - motion
# mask_file /home/cameras/Pictures/2060129_Pad_privacy_mask.pgm

# File name(without extension) for movies relative to target directory
; movie_filename Front_CAM01_%t-%v-%Y%m%d%H%M%S
movie_filename VID_%Y%m%d/Pad_%Y%m%d-%H%M%S-%v

#Passthrough for RTSP camera
movie_passthrough on

# stream_maxrate - Maximum framerate fps
stream_maxrate 30

#  movie_codec hevc
movie_codec mp4

# Lightswitch Percent
lightswitch_percent 0 # off


# Threshold for number of changed pixels that triggers motion.
# threshold 100
threshold 1600000

# Maximum number of frames to be captured per second
framerate 15


# post_capture - Number of frames to capture after an event - frame rate * 60
post_capture 100

# movie_max_time  - Maximum length of the video.  Default is 120
movie_max_time 300

From the server.

iostat
Linux 5.15.147-sun60iw2 (MotionServer)  04/30/2026      _aarch64_       (8 CPU)

avg-cpu:  %user   %nice %system %iowait  %steal   %idle
          37.38    0.00    0.59    0.01    0.00   62.03

Device             tps    kB_read/s    kB_wrtn/s    kB_dscd/s    kB_read    kB_wrtn    kB_dscd
mmcblk1           0.11         1.30         1.33       130.90     556065     570884   56145940
mtdblock0         0.00         0.00         0.00         0.00        336          0          0
nvme0n1           0.23         4.46        23.72      2258.85    1914185   10173172  968895340
zram0             0.00         0.00         0.00         0.00       1204       1008          0
zram1             0.26         0.01         1.80         0.00       5364     772508          0

Memory usage

free -h
               total        used        free      shared  buff/cache   available
Mem:           5.7Gi       871Mi       669Mi       1.2Mi       4.3Gi       4.9Gi
Swap:          2.9Gi       2.2Mi       2.9Gi

It has been suggested that it may be a buffer shortage for the video stream.

Old motion server is working and overloaded on low resolution streams. Cannot test with higher resolution stream.

[Mr-Dave]

I'd suggest increasing the capture_rate.

[RWL-69]

Added

netcam_params capture_rate=32
netcam_high_params capture_rate=32

Still getting disconnects, just not as often.

[3:nc3:Parking Pad] [ERR] [NET] [May 01 12:49:06] netcam_rtsp_handler_reconnect: norm: Reconnecting with camera....
[3:nc3:Parking Pad] [INF] [NET] [May 01 12:49:06] netcam_rtsp_set_options: norm: Setting rtsp/rtmp
[3:nc3:Parking Pad] [INF] [NET] [May 01 12:49:06] netcam_rtsp_open_context: norm: Opened camera(Parking Pad)
[3:av3:Parking Pad] [INF] [NET] [May 01 12:49:07] netcam_init_swdecoder: norm: Initializing decoder
[3:av3:Parking Pad] [INF] [NET] [May 01 12:49:07] netcam_rtsp_open_codec: norm: Decoder opened
[3:nc3:Parking Pad] [NTC] [NET] [May 01 12:49:07] netcam_rtsp_connect: norm: Camera (Parking Pad) connected
[3:nc3:Parking Pad] [INF] [NET] [May 01 12:49:07] netcam_rtsp_connect: norm: Netcam capture_rate is 32.
[3:nc3:Parking Pad] [INF] [NET] [May 01 12:49:07] netcam_rtsp_connect: norm: Camera source is 16 FPS
[3:nc3:Parking Pad] [INF] [NET] [May 01 12:53:47] netcam_rtsp_read_image: norm: av_read_frame: End of file
[3:nc3:Parking Pad] [ERR] [NET] [May 01 12:53:47] netcam_rtsp_handler_reconnect: norm: Reconnecting with camera....
[3:nc3:Parking Pad] [INF] [NET] [May 01 12:53:47] netcam_rtsp_set_options: norm: Setting rtsp/rtmp
[3:nc3:Parking Pad] [INF] [NET] [May 01 12:53:47] netcam_rtsp_open_context: norm: Opened camera(Parking Pad)
[3:av3:Parking Pad] [INF] [NET] [May 01 12:53:48] netcam_init_swdecoder: norm: Initializing decoder
[3:av3:Parking Pad] [INF] [NET] [May 01 12:53:48] netcam_rtsp_open_codec: norm: Decoder opened
[3:nc3:Parking Pad] [NTC] [NET] [May 01 12:53:49] netcam_rtsp_connect: norm: Camera (Parking Pad) connected
[3:nc3:Parking Pad] [INF] [NET] [May 01 12:53:49] netcam_rtsp_connect: norm: Netcam capture_rate is 32.
[3:nc3:Parking Pad] [INF] [NET] [May 01 12:53:49] netcam_rtsp_connect: norm: Camera source is 16 FPS

I am going to lower the resolution and test.
Looking at htop, I see 5 motion threads.

I did a test with only the camera that I am having an issue with and I don't get an error. I finding that the Orange Pi 4 pro is not powerful enough to process the stream from two high res cameras.

Even with just the single stream, the whole capture scene was not recorded.

Lowering the resolution of the stream, from 3840x2160 to 3200x1800 was enough to allow the server to work properly.

Will have to test with the Orange Pi 5.

[RWL-69]

With 8MP camera stream, a single board computer may not be powerful enough. 8 core Orange Pi 4 pro cannot process a single 8MP h265 stream. Something to watch for if you want to use high resolution cameras.