Troubleshooting Tapo c120 cameras all experiencing choppy/laggy RTSP streams after 1.3.1 firmware
I have 8 of these cameras, all purchased and set up about 1.5-2 months ago. I have them all recording to sd, and also using my synology nas / surveillance station to record/stream them via RTSP (tcp).
Before the 1.3.1 firmware, they were working perfectly. Nice, smooth real-time views, however, after the 1.3.1 update they are showing a frame every 2-4 seconds, and randomly lagging behind for hours.
Changing hardware acceleration did not help with the quality.
Within synology ss, it 'found' them with onvif and I do have them set up as Tapo c120 cameras in there. I've also removed, then tried adding as generic onvif.
The c110s and c210s I have are still running smoothly in synology ss in 'live-view'.
Viewing the c120s from the tapo app in live-view seems fine. For me, it's something with the RTSP.
I've seen others (on reddit) with similar issues when trying to view with RTSP.
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Tapo C120 and Tapo C121 ONVIF and RTSP Behaviors Since Latest Update
Hey Everyone!
We received word from our development team about the reported behaviors resulting from the latest firmware update to the C120 and C121 (F/W Versions: 1.3.1) for low framerate in the Tapo App, Poor Quality Connection/Stability via RTSP and ONVIF, and a quick update on improvements being made to Pet Detections.
Framerate Drops in the Tapo App
If you are currently experiencing difficulties with the live view or playback features of the Tapo App our team has released a test version of the Tapo app that should help address the choppy/low frame rate within the Tapo App.
RTSP and ONVIF
Our teams have investigated the cause of the c120 and C121 RTSP/ONVIF behavior and have prepared an early access firmware with a potential fix.
If you would like the development team to try and push the firmware to your device in advance, you can open a Support Ticket in our Systems on the Email Support Tab of our Support Page. Make Sure to Include:
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- Subject: “C120/C121 ONVIF and RTSP After Recent Firmware Update”
- Ensure You Include Your Device’s MAC Address
- Include a Brief Description of the Behavior
- Include Your Current Hardware Version and Current Firmware Version
After updating your firmware, please let our teams know if this release resolved your behavior or if you are still experiencing difficulties.
Pet Detection Concerns
The team has followed up and they are actively testing and working to find improvements to the detections. If you have an additional example of missed or inaccurate pet detections, feel free to provide them so our teams can better understand what types of detections are met.
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Both the App and Beta Firmware for the C120 and C121 are Beta/Early Access Releases and are considered at-your-own-risk. Their functionality cannot be guaranteed, and our community teams may not be able to provide direct support for apps or devices running this firmware. A formal fix for the behaviors will arrive in a future firmware update – so we only recommend updating to this version, if you have a need for the RTSP and ONVIF streams.
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ender7 wrote
I am still seeing this on my C120 and C125 cameras with the built-in RTSP stream. they both freeze every few seconds both in the app and via RTSP. I am on firmware 1.4.x on both of them. Did the 1.3.2 firmware fix this for anybody and if so, is there a regression? It's incredibly frustrating.
Hi,
If your cameras have updated to firmware v1.4.x, it's recommended to start a new thread here or contact the technical support team for assistance.
Best Regards
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@ender7, my impression is that the choppiness was reduced with the new firmware, but not eliminated (I have 2 C120s with the same problem). I suspect the camera has a buggy Wi-Fi implementation, possibly due to a hardware issue.
If I may recommend an alternative, I had great results with the C113 as a replacement: also outdoor compatible, very similar specs, same power supply and cable, super cheap, and almost identical form factor. For me, it was a drop-in replacement on the exact same pole mount. I just have a minor issue when connecting the C113 to my DVR: the low-res RTSP stream (used in the multi-cam screen) is "too high resolution", incompatible with my cheap DVR. Will create a separate thread for that.
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I am still seeing this on my C120 and C125 cameras with the built-in RTSP stream. they both freeze every few seconds both in the app and via RTSP. I am on firmware 1.4.x on both of them. Did the 1.3.2 firmware fix this for anybody and if so, is there a regression? It's incredibly frustrating.
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Hello Kprojects,
i just bought the Tapo C120 and would like to know how you were able to connect your camera to Synology? i believe i did all they ask but do not see it connect to my system.
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Hi,
The phenomenon you're experiencing seems different from the original post. You can refer to the instructions in your new thread for further assistance.
Best Regards
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@kprojects My C520 and C530 are doing the same thing but only while viewing the cam footage in live view from the Tapo app. After the 1.3 update the cameras are lagging, and there is alot of latency whike viewing in the Tapo app. These cameras are usually crystal clear, especially in 2k which is why I purchased them but after the 1.3 update the lige footage is horrible and you can see the pic adjusting asif it trying to focus. I've rebooted my router, rebooted the cams, deleted the app and redownloaded, check my network im
getting 1Gig up and down, I've pretty much did all the troubleshooting you can do but still nothing. Hope this is fixed soon.
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I see it today for my C120 as well. Upgrading now, will see how it impacts stability after a week or so.
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It's late for me to update but the Tapo app is showing 1.3.2 is available for my C121. Support site for the C121 hasn't been updated to reflect this.
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Also looking for when it will show up as an update on my C120. I am in Canada, is this only available in the US? I am finding the rtsp stream randomly goes nuts with Frigate causing a huge FPS and impact to the server.
would love to try 1.3.2 or go back to 1.2.3.
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