Stay Away from Reolink Trackmix

[rpm5099]

There is an issue with stuttering/dropped frames with the Reolink Trackmix via RTSP, in the Reolink application it is fine but obviously that does no good for Frigate. The picture looks very good otherwise. I have been in contact with their support for about 2 months and I've gotten nowhere. I've sent them raw videos, verbose ffmpeg logs, and finally (after they acknowledged there is definitely an issue with the camera) a full packet capture - it's been "sent to the engineers". I've asked to speak directly with the engineers, and was told no.

On top of that the main stream is fixed at H265 and there is no option to change the codec. I actually got Reolink to send me H264 firmware, and it looked so bad it was clearly unusable - Reolink TrackMix Wifi Firmware v3.0.0.3748_2408132492 - H.264 main stream. They also do not hold their home setting at all, it's way off within hours of setting it - I have 2 and I've confirmed all of this on both.

It would be one thing if they offered me a refund or an exchange for a different device, they offered me $20. Reolink is not a brand I will use anymore if there are any equivalent options in the same price range.

Here is what I have shared with Reolink support - stuttering

[mrBobMusic]

There is an issue with stuttering/dropped frames with the Reolink Trackmix via RTSP, in the Reolink application it is fine but obviously that does no good for Frigate. The picture looks very good otherwise. I have been in contact with their support for about 2 months and I've gotten nowhere. I've sent them raw videos, verbose ffmpeg logs, and finally (after they acknowledged there is definitely an issue with the camera) a full packet capture - it's been "sent to the engineers". I've asked to speak directly with the engineers, and was told no.

On top of that the main stream is fixed at H265 and there is no option to change the codec. I actually got Reolink to send me H264 firmware, and it looked so bad it was clearly unusable - Reolink TrackMix Wifi Firmware v3.0.0.3748_2408132492 - H.264 main stream. They also do not hold their home setting at all, it's way off within hours of setting it - I have 2 and I've confirmed all of this on both.

It would be one thing if they offered me a refund or an exchange for a different device, they offered me $20. Reolink is not a brand I will use anymore if there are any equivalent options in the same price range.

Here is what I have shared with Reolink support - stuttering

I have two Trackmix cameras. Today I tried to set them up in Frigate. I did not get as far as you did. I don't think I have created the correct rtsp string.
Here's what I have: - path: rtsp://admin:[email protected]:554/av_stream/ch0
I tried testing my link in VLC, as suggested in this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRjKu0Y6USY&t=304s

VLC errors out, with "connection failed". Could you tell me the correct syntax for the rtsp string?

Thanks...

[rpm5099]

@mrBobMusic Sure, if you go to rtsp://admin:[email protected]:554/ it should give you the main stream by default. You get the same stream by going to rtsp://admin:[email protected]:554/Preview_01_main. The sub stream is on rtsp://admin:[email protected]:554/Preview_01_sub. This isn't exactly easy to find I agree.

I would be interested to know if you have stuttering/dropped frames in your feed.

[mguebert]

I have four of the trackmix poe cameras, and in the reolink app they work perfectly. I just migrated from blue iris, where they also worked fine. But with frigate I get crashing of ffmpeg with errors related to audio especially error
2024-12-06 07:42:42
ffmpeg.Deck.audio_record
[aac @ 0x60145db4e600] Input buffer exhausted before END element found
error
2024-12-06 07:42:42
ffmpeg.Deck.audio_record
Error while decoding stream #0:1: Invalid data found when processing input
error
2024-12-06 07:42:42
ffmpeg.Deck.audio_record
[aac @ 0x60145db4e600] channel element 2.10 is not allocated
error
2024-12-06 07:42:42
ffmpeg.Deck.audio_record
Error while decoding stream #0:1: Invalid data found when processing input

It is frustrating for sure, because as I indicated they worked fine in blue iris. But I wanted to move away from BI because it is resource intensive.

[phedders]

Interesting - I thought using go2rtc was almost mandatory with >4k Reolinks.
I'm going be giving some of those settings a trial run.

[Waank1]

I have some cameras <4k and some >4k. I have never used go2rtc, and have never used H265.

[NickM-27]

The reolink 4K cameras (except for 2 select models) force H265 on the main stream

[Waank1]

Nick, TraxMix does not.

[hagak]

Trackmix are only H265 on the main stream, I just confirmed this with VLC.

Also Waank1 in your config you have autotracking: enabled: true . I did not think that works with the reolinks? Does it actually work for you or do you get the error in the logs that it is ignoring it?

[JoshuaSeidel]

use BCS stream or rtsp Preview_Main_02... Sub_02

im using one and have no issues with latest firmware and h265.

i do have this set tho

ffmpeg:
      hwaccel_args: preset-nvidia-h265

[denisjoshua]

Can you post your config file please ?
I have same cam but I didn't get the audio.
Thanks a lot

[rpm5099]

If you really have no stuttering at all then I guess it is just the trackmix wfi. That certainly is a bit odd considering how similar these devices are. The only real difference seems to be a wifi radio added into the housing.

[husnainali09]

@rpm5099 Did you find a solution. Having this issue as well.

[Waank1]

Found this thread today while I was searching for the same problem. I have had one Trackmix (WIFI version but I use it on LAN), I have it on the corner of my house for about 6 months with no problems at all. I have it set up in Frigate and every night it records action of the critters that roam around at night. During the day it also never misses. I have never had a stutter, skip or dropout and was very happy with it. BTW I have a total of 10 cameras ranging from very old (2014) to the new Trackmix the only 2 that ever give me problems are the 2 that I have on WIFI). This past weekend I got another exact same camera on Prime Days. I set it up exactly as the first cam, with the exception of Zones etc. After a while I noticed that not only the new Trackmix was flickering a green screen the original was doing it also. After some reading and cussing and reading some more I have it fixed. All I did was change the fps on detect from 10 to 5. It appears to be fixed, no flicker or green screen for the past 4 hours. I will ad more if I learn more.. Just how someone on here benefits from this.

Edit: been running now for 28 hours with no problems.

[bdelima]

@Waank1 I noticed you have the camera set up for autotracking in Frigate. I didn't think the TrackMix supported ONVIF relative movement. Don't you get an error when you start up frigate complaining about the camera?

[ckruijntjens]

Here ya go Peter, disregard the masks and zones and of course use your IP Address instead of X.XXX.

  Critters:
    enabled: true
    ffmpeg:
      inputs:
        - path: rtsp://USER:[email protected]:554/h264Preview_01_sub
          roles:
            - detect
        - path: 
            rtsp://admin:[email protected]:554/h264Preview_01_main
          roles:
            - record
    onvif:
      host: 192.168.1.249
      port: 8000
      user: USER
      password: PASS

      autotracking:
        enabled: true
        calibrate_on_startup: true
        track:
          - person
          - cat
          - raccoon
          - deer

        required_zones:
          - Critter_Zone
    record:
      enabled: true
      retain:
        days: 30
        mode: active_objects
      detections:
        pre_capture: 5
        post_capture: 10

    detect:
      width: 3200
      height: 1800
      fps: 5

    snapshots:
      enabled: true
      timestamp: true
      bounding_box: true

    zones:
      Critter_Zone:
        coordinates: 
          0.318,0.438,0.353,0.438,0.473,0.301,0.548,0.24,0.807,0.216,0.997,0.4,1,0.995,0.338,1,0.301,1,0.246,1
        loitering_time: 0

        inertia: 3
    motion:
      mask:
        - 0,0.391,0.288,0.307,0.324,0.315,0.273,0.753,0.24,0.818,0,1
        - 0.545,0.23,0.55,0,1,0.002,1,0.394,0.849,0.269,0.806,0.21
        - 0.547,0.228,0.346,0.434,0,0.384,0.002,0,0.55,0.002
        - 0.341,0.061,0.32,0.277,0.418,0.315,0.469,0.171,0.421,0.092
      threshold: 30
      contour_area: 30
      improve_contrast: true 

Hi,

Are you not using audio? if not using web2rtc audio is not possible right?

[Waank1]

@Waank1 I noticed you have the camera set up for auto tracking in Frigate. I didn't think the TrackMix supported ONVIF relative movement. Don't you get an error when you start up frigate complaining about the camera?

bdelima. You are correct. I had that in there from the beginning, and have since learned a bit more and have commented it out. I found out the the Reolink software takes care of all that. I can move the camera(s) manually using the (custom:advanced-camera-card), and send them back to the 'home' position, the only thing I have not been able to do is use the camera(s) zoom, just have to scroll manually with the mouse wheel to digitally get closer. I will edit my earlier post to correct this. Thanks,

[HubertusH]

you can use zoom from frigate if you use the stream h264Preview_02_main

[rpm5099]

Found this thread today while I was searching for the same problem. I have had one Trackmix (WIFI version but I use it on LAN), I have it on the corner of my house for about 6 months with no problems at all. I have it set up in Frigate and every night it records action of the critters that roam around at night. During the day it also never misses. I have never had a stutter, skip or dropout and was very happy with it. BTW I have a total of 10 cameras ranging from very old (2014) to the new Trackmix the only 2 that ever give me problems are the 2 that I have on WIFI). This past weekend I got another exact same camera on Prime Days. I set it up exactly as the first cam, with the exception of Zones etc. After a while I noticed that not only the new Trackmix was flickering a green screen the original was doing it also. After some reading and cussing and reading some more I have it fixed. All I did was change the fps on detect from 10 to 5. It appears to be fixed, no flicker or green screen for the past 4 hours. I will ad more if I learn more.. Just how someone on here benefits from this.

Edit: been running now for 28 hours with no problems.

@Waank1 I think Reolink made an attempt to fix the RTSP issues and I have been hearing that later versions of the trackmix are working ok. I'm glad it worked out for you. If you run into issues/resolutions in the future please let us know.

[BoutTime2]

Just wondering if any of you still have the Reolink software trying to auto detect, auto track and auto zoom at the same time and therefore fight with Frigate for bandwidth, memory and CPU resources?

[HubertusH]

Autotrack did not work from frigate to TrackMix - only the autotrack of the cam himself works.

[HubertusH]

I also had extreme problems with Track Mix. My other Reolink camera, the RLC-823A 16X, works perfectly with the default settings in Frigate.

For Track Mix, I set Preview_02_main (or _sub) instead of Preview_01_main (or _sub), and since then I haven't had any error messages, and ONIV now also works with zoom.

[ckruijntjens]

I still have the stuttering in frigate with this camera. What you guys have as full configs?????

[ckruijntjens]

and what settings on the camera?

[HubertusH]

I'm sorry, I can't give any more answers on that—the TrackMix has given up the ghost, and I've now installed a different camera.