Is Your UniFi Camera Video Feed Pixelated or Blocky?
You have invested in a high-quality UniFi Protect camera system to get clear, sharp video, so seeing a pixelated, blocky, or blurry image can be incredibly disappointing. This degradation in video quality not only looks bad but can also make it impossible to identify important details in your recordings.
The good news is that this problem is almost always solvable. The cause is typically not a faulty camera but rather an issue with the network connection or specific software settings. This guide will help you pinpoint the source of the pixelation and restore the crisp video feed you expect.
The Number One Cause: Network Connection Issues
The vast majority of video quality problems are rooted in the network connection between the camera and the UniFi Protect console (e.g., Cloud Key, UNVR).
For Wireless Cameras (Wi-Fi)
A weak or unstable Wi-Fi signal is the most common culprit. The camera must compress the video stream heavily to transmit it over a poor connection, resulting in significant quality loss.
- Check Signal Strength: In the UniFi Protect dashboard, find the camera in your device list. It should display the current Wi-Fi signal strength (as a percentage or dBm value). A low value here is a strong indicator that this is your problem.
- How to Fix:
- Move the Access Point: If possible, move your Wi-Fi access point closer to the camera.
- Add an Access Point: Install an additional UniFi access point to provide better coverage to the area where the camera is located.
- Reduce Interference: Ensure there are as few physical obstructions (thick walls, metal objects) as possible between the camera and the access point.
For Wired Cameras (Ethernet)
While more reliable, wired connections are not immune to problems.
- Check the Cable: A damaged or poorly terminated Ethernet cable can lead to data packet loss, which corrupts the video stream and causes pixelation. Inspect the cable for any visible damage. Try swapping it with a new, known-good cable to see if the problem resolves.
- Check the Port: There could be an issue with the switch port the camera is connected to. Try plugging the camera into a different port on your UniFi switch.
Optimising Camera Video Settings
If your network connection is strong and stable, the next place to look is the camera's own configuration within UniFi Protect.
1. Check Resolution and Frame Rate (FPS)
Ensure your camera is set to the resolution and frame rate you expect.
- Navigate to Cameras, select the problematic camera, and go to its Settings.
- Under "Recording Quality" or a similar tab, verify the resolution is set appropriately (e.g., 1080p, 2K, or 4K).
- Ensure the Frames Per Second (FPS) is at a suitable level. While a higher FPS provides smoother motion, a very low setting can sometimes contribute to poor perceived quality.
2. Adjust the Video Bitrate
The bitrate is a crucial setting that determines the amount of data used for the video stream. A bitrate that is set too low for a given resolution will result in a blocky, pixelated image.
- In the same video settings area, you should find a slider or field for "Image Quality" or Bitrate.
- If it is on a low setting, try increasing it. This will use more network bandwidth and storage space but will significantly improve the image clarity. Increase it incrementally and observe the live stream to find a good balance.
Check Your UniFi Protect Console
Finally, ensure the device running your UniFi Protect application has enough resources.
- System Load: Check the CPU and memory usage of your Cloud Key or UNVR. If it is constantly overloaded, it may struggle to process and write the video streams from all your cameras, which could lead to recording issues.
- Hard Drive Health: While less likely to cause live stream pixelation, a failing or slow hard drive can cause pixelation on recorded playback. Check the disk health in the console's storage settings.