@SugarBaby 

I think the video clip in Google Drive was compressed, so the quality is likely worse than the original footage from the camera. Honestly, I don’t expect crystal-clear image quality from a US$100 camera, and I think it’s already doing a pretty good job. Keep in mind that the video is compressed using H.264, which naturally results in some quality loss. If they kept the video at a higher bit rate, it could cause playback issues when streaming clips over 4G or 5G networks.

In my opinion, simplicity is best. Forget about face recognition—it’s not very reliable at the moment. AI requires a huge amount of training data, and it seems TAPO hasn’t done a great job in this area yet. My C560WS, always returns to its original viewing position after being triggered by motion, just like my old C520WS. Did you try reaching out to technical support about your issue? I’m not sure if the C560WS and C260 were developed by the same team, but hopefully a new firmware update will fix the problem.

By the way, compared with the C520WS, this C560WS is quite noisy when tracking or moving. Did you notice any noise from the C260? For me, I can’t accept those “electricity” sound if I place the camera indoors.

  @Bon888 

So, for c260, it's H. 265 for 4 K resolution, but I'm sure they did it by mistake, because the camera is advertised as H. 264. Google Drive doesn't compress videos, as long you download it.

"My C560WS, always returns to its original viewing position after being triggered by motion, just like my old C520WS." - Are you sure? If you look closer, isn't it like minimal lower than the original point?

"If they kept the video at a higher bit rate, it could cause playback issues when streaming clips over 4G or 5G networks." - Still, I would prefer a higher bitrate, and c260 blurring is not so bad yet; you should see how c225 v2 is bad with blurring when motion tracking.

Yeah, I'm all the time in contact with support, I got 2 beta firmwares for c260 and 2 betas for c225 v2. If they fix something, then something else is broken again. A lot of emails and videos, it's almost like a full-time job as a tester sometimes.

Yes, there is small noise all the time, even when not moving for c260, when c225 v2 has no background noises.

Some samples of c260:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vAOG_DUR0oNjEMzpyx5G_AWCG5wyZ0ct/view?usp=drive_link

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LQxNnLTZVH7HylEnFqAkocO08MC2vHar/view?usp=drive_link

Edit: Check your sample with vlc, actually your camera is using H. 265.

  @SugarBaby 

Yes, mine is also H.265 instead of H.264. I noticed that in night mode, the C560WS drops to 15fps, while yours is showing 30fps, right? I’m not too concerned about the viewing angle being exactly 100%—even if it’s slightly off—as long as it stays consistent after the next trigger, I don’t mind too much. We’re in the same boat; I also feel like I’m doing free testing work for TAPO, which is frustrating. I even reinstalled my old C520WS in its original spot, and honestly, it performs well. Maybe this is a good reminder not to be among the first to buy a newly released product and just assume it will work as advertised.

  @SugarBaby 

Try this link:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xe8FRuSju7hm_vY2HCmyG2vSMgc8KZw_/view?usp=drive_link

  @Bon888 

My is stable 25fps, it's maximum for c260.

On your video it's coming back correctly to the previous position, but you would have to check it in that way. Set up viewpoint, save it, then pantilt camera down, then press saved viewpoint and you will see if there is any difference. Beta testers ;p

  @SugarBaby 

Hi! LV3 Tester, 

I can’t expect too much from them now—I just hope the new camera works steadily, without any more false alerts, like flagging a pigeon in front of my house. I’ve already given up on their AI face recognition or even the alignment issues after tracking.

LV1 Tester

  @Solla-topee 

I want to emphasize that these issues persist even after applying the latest firmware update and following your team’s troubleshooting steps. The problem is not due to configuration on my end but rather the current limitations of the product itself.

I also wish to stress that, as a paying customer, I should not be required to function as a product tester. The C560WS was marketed as offering “powerful AI” and effective facial recognition today, not years in the future. My continued cooperation in providing video samples is meant to illustrate my dissatisfaction, not to replace TP-Link’s responsibility for delivering a product that performs as advertised.

I kindly ask that you escalate this matter internally and provide a clear resolution for affected customers. At present, the C560WS does not meet the expectations set by your own advertising.

  @Bon888 

I understand your frustration with the current performance. My situation is similar; I'm primarily using this for an experiment to assess its capabilities.

Currently, I'm just in the testing phase, and my initial findings suggest that the advertised 4K resolution is not equivalent to the quality I experience with my Hikvision 4K cameras. This is a significant point that needs improvement before I would consider further investment, and I would advise others to take note of this as well.

I will continue with my testing, and like you, I'm hopeful that future firmware updates will significantly improve the camera's performance. Only time will tell if these improvements materialize.