‎Camera Feedback Noise | SimpliSafe Support Home
 

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Sunday, October 25th, 2020 4:10 PM

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Camera Feedback Noise

Has anyone had an issue with feedback noise on your simplicam?  We get a squealing noise and loud ticking noise constantly while recording or not. Is there a fix for this?

This conversation has been merged. Please refer the main conversation:

KNOWN ISSUE: Indoor Camera Recordings/Livestream Noise

5 Messages

3 years ago

We hear this obnoxious sound through all cameras while watching cameras live. Unsure about recorded. But it’s not a sound in my home. We’re not physically close to any cameras or interfering in any way. All animals are locked up- there is no noise like this anywhere for the cameras … It’s a constant and SO loud and distracting. How do we get it to stop?!?! Otherwise I’m returning my system- this is ridiculous and extremely frustrating. 

Note: This comment was created from a merged conversation originally titled CONSTANT video static sound?!?!

Community Admin

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5.7K Messages

Hi @rochedanielle36 ,

We've heard of feedback being an issue before (especially if you have your phone close to the camera while you're streaming). Or it could be that the camera is picking up on noise that is normally inaudible to humans.

But just in case it's something else, are you comfortable with sharing a recording here?

10 Messages

I have 3 indoor cameras also and all 3 are making this awful ticking+static noise during live view.  Any solutions to this yet?  I’m going to guess that there’s a design flaw with microphone placement and the privacy shutter mechanism.  You can’t fix a bad physical design with software update.

Community Admin

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5.7K Messages

@merlinair  I'll ask the same question that I also asked @rochedanielle36.

A recording would be really helpful for our engineering team to figure out what the noise is.

Also, is it only happening in live view? Or do you hear the same noise from recordings?

742 Messages

@davey_d 

Here's a recording from one of my Simplicams set to 1080p with night vision set to OFF. I hear this noise in live view and in the recordings and I've moved the camera from the garage to interior rooms and I always get that noise. Please note that when I have night vision set to ON or AUTO (and it's dark and it's on) the ticking/static gets faster. I can reproduce this 100% of the time.

10 Messages

@davey_d​ the recording submitted by @worthing is the exact sound and problem I have an all 3 cameras.  Night/day/ morning/twilight, etc, etc.  And yes,  it is only during live view because that is all I have.  I do not have the recording subscription.  

10 Messages

3 years ago

I have 3 indoor SS cameras also and all 3 are making this awful ticking+static noise during live view, I don’t have the recording subscription, so yes Davey D, this is during live view only.  I’m going to guess that there’s a design flaw with microphone placement and the the internal mechanisms of the camera. You can’t fix a bad physical design with software updates.  I also like the fact that no one from SS is acknowledging this issue and keep asking silly questions as if this is an isolated user setup issue.  Like I mentioned 3 cameras in three different rooms making the same noise.  

(edited)

Community Admin

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5.7K Messages

@merlinair ​ I saw your other comment first.

If this is happening in Live View only, do you hear the same noise when you're in a different room (or even location) from the camera? It sounds like an issue with feedback, i.e. the camera is picking up the audio from your phone.

5 Messages

Hi Dave,

Don't know if I have anything to add, but I get the very loud squealing noise in LIVE view continuously.  It ramps up quickly within seconds of entering the LIVE view.  I taken the phone to the farthest part of the house out of view of the camera (about 40 feet away) and the squealing from the live video is just as loud.  It is a bit deafening.  The clunking noises and static also occur but aren't as much of an annoyance for me.  The squealing noise continues even when I turn the phone mike off.  My solution has been to turn the phone speaker volume "down" or "off", but it would be helpful if there was a volume control in the app to be able to turn it down rather than have to remember to turn the phone volume back up when i later get a phonecall.

11 Messages

@davey_d​ Not a phone, at least in my case. I still don't like the delay with the outdoor cameras. By the time the alert reaches my phone it's 10-20 seconds later.

6 Messages

3 years ago

I just received my order yesterday and I'm having the same experience with squealing noise on both indoor cameras. regardless of where I place them.  This is on live feed.  I had a feeling that it could be interference with the mobile phone being close by but I am still getting the squealing while viewing remotely. Temporary I had to turn off the volume on my phone but that is not an option going forward from this point.     

The shutter noise is annoying too, my cat is not fond of it either.  I don't care for the shutter clicking but the squealing noise is a deal breaker.   I will call SS when I get home but if the squealing cannot be fixed the cameras will be returned for a refund. 

Community Admin

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5.7K Messages

3 years ago

Hi all,

A small update on this issue. At this time, our engineering team still investigating. Your feedback helps! We will of course let you know when we have more info.

6 Messages

@davey_d​ I have the constant clicking noise from the indoor camera. It's a new indoor camera in a quite room. It has no electrical devices within 10 ft, the closest electrical device is the router about 12 ft away. Both recording or live monitoring have the same constant clicking noise.

3 Messages

Yes we are having the same issue like white noise. 

8 Messages

@davey_d​ I just purchased a SimpliSafe system. I’ve had previous indoor cameras that have two-way audio that never had this issue. I purchased a camera for indoors through simply safe and have moved the camera all over the house and still get the ticking and squealing noise. It’s a brand new camera. I have placed tape over the pinhole as others have had suggested it helps with a squealing sometimes. This is a big issue for your company how come it has not been resolved? I just spent $100 on a camera that’s defective. It makes me wonder if I should’ve went through Ring instead. 

2 Messages

@davey_d​ 

I have the same issue of a constant rhythmic chucking sound (chuck chuck) as well as random scratching sounds from a quiet room. As soon as the camera picks up any external noise, it boosts the gain on the camera mic and those internal background sounds get louder.

SS is sending me another camera, but based on what I've read here and on other sites, I don't expect that the situation will be any different. There's something going on in the camera that's finding its way into the mic circuitry and then perhaps amplified by some internal feedback loop.

2 Messages

@davey_d​ I’m having the same issue as kenhwang99 with the loud clicking noise. Brand new camera, brand new system. Quiet space, no other electrical nearby; the closest is in another room and on the other side of a brick wall. There is an entry sensor 8-10’ away. 

64 Messages

3 years ago

Same issue here as well. Both indoor simplicams make the noise no matter where I'm viewing from. Haven't tested a recording because I have motion recording off for inside for obvious reasons (would trigger constantly!) but basically when I submitted a support request about it, basically didn't go anywhere.

6 Messages

3 years ago

There seems to be interference between my phone & cams because the issue isn’t there when viewing remotely. I’ve moved the cams as far as possible apart & no change. I have been sent two replacement cams but there wasn’t any difference.  
I would welcome a mute option on the app while SS works on the issue. 

Community Admin

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5.7K Messages

@roeder411​ do you think for you it could be mic feedback? e.g. the camera is picking up the audio from your phone?

If so, the issue would stop if you were livestreaming in the same house, but a different room.

3 Messages

3 years ago

I have same problem. iPhone is nowhere near the camera.

6 Messages

3 years ago

I got the same noise problem with my newly installed SimpliSafe indoor camera. It is in a quite room and it does not have any electrical device within 8 feet, and it's about 10 ft from my home router.  The constant clicking noise is not acceptable. Anyway to get rid of it?

2 Messages

3 years ago

I'm having the same issue, it's beyond annoying. I try to use the camera when I'm not home to see how the pups are doing but there is so much noise that I can't hear what's going on in my house. Has there been and update on how to fix the issue?

64 Messages

@lilykiss_19​ In all honesty it will probably require a redesign of where they placed the microphone as it's probably picking up noise from either the internal circuits / noisy power or it's picking up the cameras WiFi signals. Considering the original post is from 2020, not sure things are looking good on a fix for us Simplicam users any time soon which is a bummer and they will probably introduce a new version and offer a "discount" to those of us with existing Simplicams.

@davey_d It's not a mic feedback problem from the phones unforutently, it happens even if you're not in the house at all. See my comment above about this is most likely an issue with the position of the mic to either noisy (dirty) power, being close a circuit that produces EMI or most likely candidate is the WiFi for the camera itself is getting picked up by the microphone which is pretty much what it sounds like to me.

5 Messages

3 years ago

I am having the same ticking static sound. It has nothing to do with feedback from the speaker on the phone since I can hear it when in different rooms and when outside the house. Happens in all rooms of the house. I returned the first camera and the second one has the same problem.

3 Messages

2 years ago

I just installed my doorbell today. Exact same issue as others.

Community Admin

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5.7K Messages

@nthompson2410​ the above users are describing a known issue with the Indoor Camera, which is currently under investigation.

But you mention that you're actually seeing the issue on your Video Doorbell? Is it also coming through on recordings/streams? Or are you hearing static from the doorbell's chime box instead? That latter one is a totally different issue.

4 Messages

2 years ago

my new system is giving me a squealing feedback sound, not sure I will be able to keep the system if I can't get rid of that loud sound

Community Admin

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5.7K Messages

@dfenske24​ this sounds different from what the original poster describes - definitely not loud enough to be painful!

Could it be possible that you're encountering mic feedback from having your phone too close to the camera while you livestream?

11 Messages

2 years ago

I have the same problem. It seems Simplisafe's canned response is always they're working on it. Very annoying, I didn't purchase a work in progress system.

3 Messages

2 years ago

I have a camera that is making a constant fluttering noise for the audio. Is there a way to fix this?

Note: This comment was created from a merged conversation originally titled Indoor camera audio making a constant fluttering noise. How do fix this?

29 Messages

No, pretty sure this is caused by something mechanical within the Camera. Its not audio distortion and seems to be universal on all indoor cameras. 

6 Messages

2 years ago

Here is a video of my noise. Live view only. Outdoor camera only. 

(edited)

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