Is Your Somfy Camera's Video Feed Pixelated or Blurry?
A Somfy security camera is designed to provide you with a clear view of your home, offering peace of mind when you're away. When the video feed becomes pixelated, blurry, or constantly buffers, it compromises your ability to see what's happening. Poor video quality can make it impossible to identify faces or details, reducing the effectiveness of your security.
This issue is almost always caused by a poor network connection or incorrect settings rather than a fault with the camera itself. This guide will walk you through the common causes of poor video quality and provide you with effective solutions to restore a crisp, clear picture.
Common Symptoms of Poor Video Quality
If your camera's video feed is suffering, you will likely notice one or more of the following problems:
- The live video stream is blocky, choppy, or heavily pixelated, resembling a very low-resolution video.
- Recorded video clips are blurry and lack the sharp detail you would expect from an HD camera.
- The video quality is particularly poor during the night, with the night vision mode appearing washed out or grainy.
- The image frequently freezes or stutters for several seconds at a time.
- The colours in the video feed look strange, distorted, or completely washed out.
- The video quality fluctuates, appearing clear one moment and then becoming pixelated the next.
- The camera feed struggles to keep up with fast movement, causing significant motion blur.
How to Fix Somfy Pixelated Video Issues
Let's troubleshoot the problem step-by-step to improve your camera's streaming performance.
1. Check Your Wi-Fi Signal Strength
This is the most common cause of poor video quality. A security camera needs a strong and stable Wi-Fi signal to stream high-definition video.
- Check Signal in the App: In your Somfy Protect app, go to the camera's settings. There should be an indicator of the Wi-Fi signal strength it is receiving. If the signal is weak or poor, this is likely your problem.
- Move Camera Closer to Router: Try temporarily moving the camera much closer to your Wi-Fi router. If the video quality improves dramatically, you know the issue is signal distance.
- Reduce Obstructions: Wi-Fi signals are weakened by physical barriers. Thick walls (especially concrete or brick), large metal appliances (like fridges or boilers), and even large bodies of water (like fish tanks) can block the signal. Ensure the path between your router and camera is as clear as possible.
- Consider a Wi-Fi Extender: If you cannot move the camera or router, a Wi-Fi mesh system or a simple Wi-Fi extender can be used to boost the signal strength in the area where the camera is located.
2. Adjust Video Quality Settings in the App
The Somfy app may allow you to adjust the streaming quality.
- Select a Lower Resolution: In the camera's settings, look for a 'Video Quality' or 'Streaming Quality' option. It might be set to 'High' or 'HD'. Try changing this to 'Standard' (SD) or 'Low'. While this reduces the resolution, it requires much less bandwidth and can result in a smoother, more stable stream if your connection is poor.
3. Reduce Network Congestion
Your home network has a limited amount of upload bandwidth, which is what the camera uses to send video to you. If other devices are using it all, the camera will struggle.
- Check Other Devices: Is someone else in your home engaged in a video call, uploading large files, or playing an online game? These activities consume a lot of upload bandwidth. See if the camera's quality improves when these activities stop.
- Check Your Internet Speed: Run an internet speed test. For a stable HD stream, you should have an upload speed of at least 2 Mbps available for the camera.
4. Clean the Camera Lens
A surprisingly common cause of a blurry or hazy image is simply a dirty lens.
- Use a Microfibre Cloth: Power down the camera for safety. Gently wipe the lens with a clean, dry microfibre cloth (the kind used for cleaning eyeglasses). Do not use paper towels or harsh chemicals, as they can scratch the lens.
5. Update Camera Firmware
Manufacturers often release firmware updates that include improvements to video compression and connectivity.
- Check for Updates: Open the Somfy Protect app, go to your camera's settings menu, and look for a 'Firmware Update' option. Ensure your camera is running the latest available version.