Surfcams not viewing

Not sure Booka, I'm using Chrome and it's fine here. Maybe update your flash player or Chrome?

Or, do you have Ad Blocker software (or Chrome extension) on your computer? 

Is it just me or are the cameras down in SA?

All working fine here. What browser are you using?

Google Chrome, I've never had any probs before? Unless the work IT guys have changed something.

Very odd. All working fine on Chrome here (and other browsers too). Not sure what to recommend - maybe ask the tech guys.

All good now Ben, dont know what was going on. Maybe just our connection at work. Cheers

Hi. Samsung GALAXY S5. When I select a camera I get a message (can't play video)
Any suggestions

Can you try the new Swellnet App? Available in the Google Play store (search for Swellnet). Should work fine with Samsung devices. 

I'm same as omen though not as flash a samsung.

I've been getting the same message for days

please don't tell me we need to use the app all the timenow as I just deleted it

I'm the same, never had a problem till now. Everything up to date, is the issue at swellnet?

We haven't changed anything (code wise) on the site in at least four months, probably more. So I am reluctant to think it's at our end.

Have you installed any recent software (or ad blocking tools) that could be affecting this?

only thing I've added last six months is your app

ad blocking software....tell me more

Hi. I installed the app. Now I get the add in full color but the surf camera just goes to a black screen??

That very odd, should be working fine (does for all of the iOS and android devices we have tested). Do you know what version of the Android software you have? Is it the latest update?

Well mine is 6.0 marshmallow, missing watching point action as the summer onshores here are a bit repetitive

android 4.4.4, if that's what you mean

yep terrible timing, also missing the point show

Thanks guys, I'll pass this on to the devs.

Mine is Android version 5.0

Hey Ben, just to add to what you already know, I have a Note 4 (android 5.1) and a tablet (android 4.4) and both stopped showing cams a couple of days ago. I know you are working on it, just confirming what others have said.

Thanks mate. What day did this happen? We haven't changed anything recently so I'm baffled how they could have stopped working.

I noticed on Saturday. Guy I work with had the same problem. I might add that I did the whole clearing cookies/cache thing as well. I haven't had any updates to either device either.

Cool, that's good info. We had to restart the surfcam server on Sat morning (as we were getting smashed with traffic!) so perhaps one of the settings didn't restart properly? We'll look into it ASAP.

Yeah, i noticed on Saturday also. Cheers for responding to this mate, kind of get used to checking cams around the country to see where's good when its crummy at home.

Issue is Andriod related. All combos of standard Andriod Browsers and players I've tried fail variously. Changing from Android to Desktop Agent also gives slightly differing fails. So Maybe Android Flash - its a very dated version, but it is the only Flash support.

I see the Add host JWplayer was also updated 25 feb - so overnight here 26th, and Sat was the first noticed issue. Just guessing - Maybe autostart setting?

Have found an Android workaround for weekend but- a bit flakey. Use Puffin Browser [ in Desktpo Agent] - they "rehost" the feed,. buuuuut is subject to crashing particularly in Mobile roaming [not that I would watch and drive for a finetune on break choice - just as passengerish]. Nb. Can double up on Adds for freebie browser version - sigh! But a price not too far.

Thanks mate. JW Player may have advised of a new software update, but we haven't made any code changes at our end. 

I think we may have narrowed the problem - seems the RTSP streams weren't restarted on Saturday (though the others were). This may be the cause, as Android devices generally source RTSP video.

Working on it now.

OK, we've made some changes to the streaming infrastructure, including a massive hardware upgrade.

We have also confirmed that Android streaming is working again. Would love to hear if anyone is still having issues - please let me know.

Ben when I try to look at the cams on my computer, sometimes it starts to load then just gets a white screen with a proccessing icon but nothing ends up happening. If I try again it may then go to the cam. This was happening before and just now more than once or twice?

Android streams all OK for me now thanks Ben & all the Boffins you've locked in your basement. No doubt you'll reward them with a walk in the fresh air later - on short chain - after dark, so as to not scare the kiddies and torment the hipsters.

The only Webcam I can't find is Lennox Heads ;)

50young wrote:

Ben when I try to look at the cams on my computer, sometimes it starts to load then just gets a white screen with a proccessing icon but nothing ends up happening. If I try again it may then go to the cam. This was happening before and just now more than once or twice?

That's a different (unrelated) issue, which we're also fixing.

Brickwalls wrote:

Android streams all OK for me now thanks Ben

Unreal, thanks mate - they're working fine here too so it looks like the problem is fixed for now.

That's a different (unrelated) issue, which we're also fixing.

Great thanks

All good here, thanks. Now I can torment myself at work again

Unreal. Had quite a lot of additional feedback reporting Android devices are now fine.. thanks to everyone for their help.

Thanks mate! Was cheering to see 2ft slop come up on the cam

how about fixing the problem of your webpage loading guys up to 7 retrys currently before it sticks .......

We're working on it Floyd. For what it's worth, it only seems to be happening when users are not logged in (I never see the issue). But we're working hard to get it fixed.

thanks .... I'm always logged in by the way

Webcams not running on Android.devices via wifi - ok via mobile network. Maybe to do with page reload issue fiddling as only noticed it from 13th. Adverts run in video window but then it get a spinning wheel on video run. WSL App had same issue at GC Quicksilver Pro time but they fixed it by Bells.

NB to others if your getting the same - Workaround - use the PENGUIN Browser App - it applies 3rd party "re-hosting" of flash based video. But note that can be a very choppy feed at times.

PS. Ben some forum threads have Spam posts you may want to MOD.

BW, are you using the App or a browser? Doesn't make sense why it would work on 3/4G but not on WIFI.

Yeah floyd, ben.... Happening HEAPS when logged in... Today has been so far so good though..

thermalben wrote:

BW, are you using the App or a browser? Doesn't make sense why it would work on 3/4G but not on WIFI.

Hi ben, App is OK on wifi, but not via browser wifi access - Its a work style thing, Dolphin is my prefered Android browser (with video jetpack), either Android or Desktop modes. Reason for Browser preference, is Swellnet is just opened in another tab in browser rather than switching to a dedicated screen App. Maybe, the Mobile Network provider video compression has something to do with it - similar to Penguin Browser re-hosting (- but without the data doing an around the world trip which can make video choppy).

Just use willyweather cams

Brickwalls wrote:

thermalben wrote:

BW, are you using the App or a browser? Doesn't make sense why it would work on 3/4G but not on WIFI.

Hi ben, App is OK on wifi, but not via browser wifi access - Its a work style thing, Dolphin is my prefered Android browser (with video jetpack), either Android or Desktop modes. Reason for Browser preference, is Swellnet is just opened in another tab in browser rather than switching to a dedicated screen App. Maybe, the Mobile Network provider video compression has something to do with it - similar to Penguin Browser re-hosting (- but without the data doing an around the world trip which can make video choppy).

Fuck me I just read that twice ....im going to bed my fucking brains hurting

Brickwalls wrote:

Hi ben, App is OK on wifi, but not via browser wifi access - Its a work style thing, Dolphin is my prefered Android browser (with video jetpack), either Android or Desktop modes. Reason for Browser preference, is Swellnet is just opened in another tab in browser rather than switching to a dedicated screen App. Maybe, the Mobile Network provider video compression has something to do with it - similar to Penguin Browser re-hosting (- but without the data doing an around the world trip which can make video choppy).

Not quite sure I understand what you're saying (re: WIFI) but as for browser - it's hard for us to accommodate smaller, niche browsers such as Dolphin.

As for "Mobile Network provider video compression" - this doesn't exist for live streaming video as far as I know. We can implement adaptive bitrate streaming at our end but there's no benefit for a browser to somehow pick up the expense of transrating the stream just for the benefit of its (free) customers. Even Chrome doesn't do this, and it's got scale.

OkBen just double checked - App also won't play surfcam stream via wifi, just a snapshot (with a PLAY Arrow) - same error reported [Error loading media: file could not be played]

App will run via 4G on phone or tablet.

Opened Modem firewall, auto Blacklist logs had the usual push & hack suspects, cleared it anyway - still no video. I don't bother with add blockers, Adds play on Browser (wifi & 4G) - but not the cam video stream on wifi (Either get the Error code or just hangs on the mouse wheel). Swellnet has the BEST view of the locations that you cover. Wifi is prefered due to netwotk plan, like most subs Mobile data is limited and video chews threw it. I can readily check conditions and crowd numbers when deciding to down my virtual tools for a surf.

NB: Dolphin supports flash - unlike Chrome.

PS: APP - can an Exit & Close option button be added - to save device resources.

Just to confirm: The App plays the surfcam stream fine if you're on 4G, but won't play it if you're on WIFI?(which I presume is ADSL2+).

This is very odd. I have no explanation, but will pass it on to the devs.

Re: Dolphin/Chrome/Flash - within the next few years Flash will be obselete (and it's too CPU intensive anyway). So we're not going out of our way to support it any more.

Re: browser - not much we can do, as these niche browsers are such a tiny percentage of our users. The development expense isn't cost effective at our end. Sorry!

Re: App exit close button - do other Apps have those? None on my iPhone do (to close any App, I double tap the home screen and swipe the App 'up'). Can't see the point in taking up valuable screen real estate if the phone has a native way of doing things. Or do Android phones not have this capability?

Note - Wifi is Cable.

User friendly Android Apps have added an Exit & Close options - else programs sit mostly inactive but still remain in background memory. To release memory for other Apps or more importantly these days extend battery power its a bit convoluted. See http://m.wikihow.com/Close-Apps-on-Android.

Chrome were said to have removed their ready exit option, enabling continuous google data harvesting.

JIMHO Flash is used by too many gaming apps & programs to die out. Apple is maintaining revision development. Nonetheless HTML5 is supported by Android.

App wifi issue aside. I tried a basket of Android browsers - All fail playing the cam streams, some required a slow "Double" click on play icon to get Adds to play. Most report the previously mentioned error code, some additionally the infinity "NaN:NaN" stackoverflow error code, and some also a JW Player code too fast for me to see. - What a basket of fruit!

Ok Ben, I've had some more time to do some more testing. Here's the feedback, with the Tablet using Browser access on Cable wifi, I can just get enough time and free space to press & hold the "start in native player" link, befor the JW player overlay, then choose a "start in another TAB". Once the Add has rolled on the original Browser TAB the Surfcam rolls in either TAB and its all hunky-dory (for that session). This indicates a timing connection/autostart issue with the surfcam video. I recreated this with great difficulties on the phone (screen space is very limited to grab the link before the ADD overlay). In both devuces the ADDs run but after that a spinning wheel on surfcam feed is displayed.

As for APP, neither device will run any surfcam feeds via wifi. A Cam snapshot with a Play > icon is displayed but it does not respond.

Via 4G all is as it should be - via Browser or APP.

A variety of Android browser were used including the mor popular Chrome, Firefox & Opera.