Surfcams not viewing

Booka78's picture
Booka78 started the topic in Tuesday, 9 Jun 2015 at 1:22pm

Hi, I can't seem to get surfcams to stream. I am using google crome as my browser but the surfcams just keep coming up black.This used to work has something changed Any suggestions?

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Tuesday, 9 Jun 2015 at 1:31pm

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

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Tuesday, 9 Jun 2015 at 1:46pm

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

salt's picture
salt's picture
salt Thursday, 10 Sep 2015 at 11:32am

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

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Thursday, 10 Sep 2015 at 11:33am

All working fine here. What browser are you using?

salt's picture
salt's picture
salt Thursday, 10 Sep 2015 at 11:43am

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

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Thursday, 10 Sep 2015 at 11:56am

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

salt's picture
salt's picture
salt Thursday, 10 Sep 2015 at 2:22pm

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

Booka78's picture
Booka78's picture
Booka78 Monday, 14 Sep 2015 at 6:42pm

I upgraded to pro & the surf cams work. I think that some new anti virus or ad blocker installed On my work server block the cameras because of the adverts on camera startup when not using pro

omen's picture
omen's picture
omen Sunday, 28 Feb 2016 at 7:54am

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

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Sunday, 28 Feb 2016 at 8:07am

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

sypkan's picture
sypkan's picture
sypkan Sunday, 28 Feb 2016 at 8:46am

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

hodgey14's picture
hodgey14's picture
hodgey14 Sunday, 28 Feb 2016 at 10:41am

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

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Sunday, 28 Feb 2016 at 11:07am

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?

sypkan's picture
sypkan's picture
sypkan Sunday, 28 Feb 2016 at 11:20am

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

ad blocking software....tell me more

omen's picture
omen's picture
omen Sunday, 28 Feb 2016 at 12:01pm

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

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Sunday, 28 Feb 2016 at 2:19pm

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?

hodgey14's picture
hodgey14's picture
hodgey14 Sunday, 28 Feb 2016 at 2:52pm

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

sypkan's picture
sypkan's picture
sypkan Sunday, 28 Feb 2016 at 3:02pm

android 4.4.4, if that's what you mean

yep terrible timing, also missing the point show

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Sunday, 28 Feb 2016 at 3:25pm

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

omen's picture
omen's picture
omen Monday, 29 Feb 2016 at 10:24am

Mine is Android version 5.0

linez's picture
linez's picture
linez Monday, 29 Feb 2016 at 12:20pm

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.

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Monday, 29 Feb 2016 at 12:28pm

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

linez's picture
linez's picture
linez Monday, 29 Feb 2016 at 12:43pm

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.

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Monday, 29 Feb 2016 at 12:50pm

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.

hodgey14's picture
hodgey14's picture
hodgey14 Monday, 29 Feb 2016 at 7:42pm

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.

Brickwalls's picture
Brickwalls's picture
Brickwalls Tuesday, 1 Mar 2016 at 12:20pm

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.

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Tuesday, 1 Mar 2016 at 2:27pm

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.

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Wednesday, 2 Mar 2016 at 2:10pm

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.

50young's picture
50young's picture
50young Wednesday, 2 Mar 2016 at 2:36pm

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?

Brickwalls's picture
Brickwalls's picture
Brickwalls Wednesday, 2 Mar 2016 at 2:48pm

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 ;)

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Wednesday, 2 Mar 2016 at 2:55pm
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.

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Wednesday, 2 Mar 2016 at 2:56pm
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.

50young's picture
50young's picture
50young Wednesday, 2 Mar 2016 at 2:58pm

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

Great thanks

linez's picture
linez's picture
linez Wednesday, 2 Mar 2016 at 4:27pm

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

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Wednesday, 2 Mar 2016 at 4:34pm

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

hodgey14's picture
hodgey14's picture
hodgey14 Wednesday, 2 Mar 2016 at 6:28pm

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

floyd's picture
floyd's picture
floyd Wednesday, 2 Mar 2016 at 8:19pm

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

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Wednesday, 2 Mar 2016 at 8:49pm

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.

floyd's picture
floyd's picture
floyd Wednesday, 2 Mar 2016 at 9:21pm

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

Brickwalls's picture
Brickwalls's picture
Brickwalls Thursday, 14 Apr 2016 at 10:26am

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.

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Thursday, 14 Apr 2016 at 10:32am

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

Sheepdog's picture
Sheepdog's picture
Sheepdog Thursday, 14 Apr 2016 at 8:58pm

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

Brickwalls's picture
Brickwalls's picture
Brickwalls Monday, 18 Apr 2016 at 8:49pm
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).

Wharfjunkie's picture
Wharfjunkie's picture
Wharfjunkie Monday, 18 Apr 2016 at 8:52pm

Just use willyweather cams

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Monday, 18 Apr 2016 at 9:02pm
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

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Tuesday, 19 Apr 2016 at 10:17am
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.

Brickwalls's picture
Brickwalls's picture
Brickwalls Tuesday, 19 Apr 2016 at 12:04pm

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.

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Tuesday, 19 Apr 2016 at 12:17pm

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?

Brickwalls's picture
Brickwalls's picture
Brickwalls Tuesday, 19 Apr 2016 at 6:04pm

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!

Brickwalls's picture
Brickwalls's picture
Brickwalls Thursday, 21 Apr 2016 at 12:36pm

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.