How to Fix Poor Video Quality in the Hik-Connect App
Viewing your Hikvision cameras remotely via the Hik-Connect app is a powerful feature, but it can be frustrating when the video quality on your phone looks significantly worse than it does on a local monitor. This guide explains why this happens and how you can fix it.
## Understanding Main Stream vs. Sub-Stream
The most important concept to understand is that Hikvision devices use two different video streams:
- Main Stream: This is the full, high-resolution, high-quality stream that is used for recording directly to your NVR or DVR. It requires a lot of bandwidth.
- Sub-Stream: This is a secondary, lower-resolution stream designed specifically for remote viewing on mobile devices or over slow internet connections. It uses much less bandwidth.
By default, the Hik-Connect app almost always opens the Sub-Stream first. This is done to give you a fast, smooth connection, but it results in 'Basic' or pixelated video quality. The problem isn't your camera; it's the stream you are viewing.
## How to Switch to HD Quality in the App
This is the quickest and most common fix for poor remote video quality.
- Open the Hik-Connect App: Launch the app and select the camera you wish to view.
- Find the Quality Button: On the live view screen, usually near the bottom of the video frame, you will see a button labelled "Basic" or "Fluent".
- Tap to Change: Tap this button. A small menu will pop up with options like "HD", "Clear", or "Hi-Res".
- Select HD: Choose the high-definition option. The app will now pull the Main Stream from your camera, and you should see a dramatic improvement in video clarity.
Note: Viewing the HD stream uses significantly more mobile data and requires a strong internet connection (both for your phone and for the CCTV system's location).
## What to Do If the HD Stream Is Choppy or Buffers
If you switch to HD and the video constantly freezes, buffers, or lags, it means your internet connection's upload speed at the CCTV system's location is not fast enough to support the Main Stream.
- Run a Speed Test: On a computer connected to the same network as your NVR/DVR, run an internet speed test. Pay close attention to the upload speed. A typical HD stream requires at least 2-4 Mbps of sustained upload bandwidth per camera.
- Lower the Main Stream Bitrate: If your upload speed is limited, you can log into your NVR/DVR's settings via a web browser. Navigate to
Configuration > Video & Audio. Select your camera, and for the 'Main Stream', slightly lower the 'Max. Bitrate'. This will reduce the stream's quality and bandwidth requirement, which may allow it to stream more smoothly over your connection.
## How to Improve the 'Basic' (Sub-Stream) Quality
If you have a slow internet connection and are forced to use the 'Basic' view, you can still make it look better.
- Log in to Your NVR/DVR: Access your recorder using its IP address in a web browser.
- Navigate to Video Settings: Go to
Configuration > Video & Audio. - Select the Sub-Stream: At the top of the settings, there will be a dropdown menu for 'Stream Type'. Choose 'Sub-stream'.
- Adjust the Settings: From here, you can increase the Resolution (e.g., to 720p if available) and the Max. Bitrate of the sub-stream. This will make your 'Basic' view in the Hik-Connect app look much clearer without requiring the high bandwidth of the main stream. Click 'Save'.
By understanding the difference between the two streams and knowing how to adjust them, you can achieve the best possible video quality from your Hikvision system, no matter where you are viewing it from.