ReoLink Windows Client in the 21st Century

mark harney

First off, let me say that I can appreciate the work that has to go into creating software.

I want to articulate some issues I have with the ReoLink Windows Client, and I KNOW "it's currently not supported" and that "it's currently not a feature", but I want to point these things out in hopes that your developers will make improvements to make this work like modern software.

1. The screen resize - you should make it scalable and forget about all the resize options.
2. Motion Detection - when the camera adjusts for light changes, it changes the whole screen and invariably, a motion event is detected. You need some sort of light filter option to keep this from happening.
3. Downloading files - this needs a lot of improvement.
a. How about letting us select a range spanning days?
b. When downloading a series of files, once they are complete, how about UNCHECKING the ones that have been downloaded? When the download ends up failing, which it does frequently, having to go back and uncheck the ones that completed is a waste of time.
c. When downloading a file, if the file fails, you should consider marking it incomplete some way, so that when a person resumes downloading, the replacement file does not take on a different name than the others. Maybe even resuming the file that failed would be a good idea, or at least have an option for this.
d. When downloading a series of files, why stop after you have a download error on one file? Why not have a retry feature for that one and continue on?
e. Why not allow resizing of the window with the list of download files?
f. Why not have a storage option that will automatically send the files to some storage locally or cloud based with options about schedule and file selection?
4. How about an option not to nag me about the client closing when I exit the application? (like a "don't ask me again" option?)

mark harney

Does anyone read these?

To add:

On the download window, typically when using the HOME or END key in a Windows dialog box, it would take you to the beginning or the end of the ROW you are in rather than the beginning of the entire list or the end of the entire list. Using CTRL+HOME would take you to the beginning of the entire list and CTRL+END would take you to the end of the entire list.

mark harney

This is a follow up based on my experience with the NEW ReoLink Windows Client software.

First I will comment on what's addressed from my points above.

1. The screen resize –

Thanks for changing this! You can now scale it like other Windows applications! One thing that would be useful is an option to maintain the aspect ratio, so that when you resize from any edge it maintains the proper aspect ratio for the video mode you are in, but this is great!

2. Motion Detection –

In retrospect, I realize this is a function of the CAMERA and FIRMWARE, and should not have been part of the review. I do look forward to improvements on this issue.

3. Downloading files –
a. How about letting us select a range spanning days?

While this is not addressed specifically, they have established a time frame for the current day, which will help define a range and choosing CHOOSE ALL. I will note that the date format is not standard for USA, so June 15, 2020 is denoted as 15/6/2020.

b. When downloading a series of files, once they are complete, how about UNCHECKING the ones that have been downloaded? When the download ends up failing, which it does frequently, having to go back and uncheck the ones that completed is a waste of time.

This has been greatly improved! Now you choose the files you want and it opens a queue for the files you selected. As they are downloaded they are removed from the queue.

c. When downloading a file, if the file fails, you should consider marking it incomplete some way, so that when a person resumes downloading, the replacement file does not take on a different name than the others. Maybe even resuming the file that failed would be a good idea, or at least have an option for this.

I have yet to encounter a failed transfer since updating. If/when it happens I will update this.

d. When downloading a series of files, why stop after you have a download error on one file? Why not have a retry feature for that one and continue on?

I have yet to encounter a failed transfer since updating. If/when it happens I will update this.

e. Why not allow resizing of the window with the list of download files?

Instead of this, the window holds 8 records per page, with a legend at the bottom to choose a different page result, such as page 2, 3, 4, etc., which is ok with me. There is a TYPE designation which for my camera only has MOTION as the option.

f. Why not have a storage option that will automatically send the files to some storage locally or cloud based with options about schedule and file selection?

The ReoLink E1 Zoom has an FTP feature, which kind of allows you to do this to an FTP site, but it is real time and the files are not buffered. This means, it will try to upload what you have streaming. If the FTP connection breaks, then you lose data, rather than it trying to catch up from where it left off. So because of this it is not a great way to guarantee an archive offsite. I look forward to improvement on that point.

4. How about an option not to nag me about the client closing when I exit the application? (like a ”don't ask me again” option?)

Rather than an option for this, they have just removed the notification that you are closing the application, which is fine with me.

So, I think a lot of improvements, and thank you for listening!

I would recommend more interactivity with your user base on the forums. I know you are busy with product development, but some sort of acknowledgement of issues and ideas would give a much more personalized "experience" with your customers. I realize this may seem like an American cultural difference, but I suspect a good amount of your customers are from here.

Thanks for the great updates on the product!

kuaw36

Mark,

I too am using the Windows 10 client and had the same aggravations as you did earlier, however, I am left with one nagging issue that really bothers me...

I've noticed that the application's live view is frozen once the PC has been awoken from sleep or screensaver mode. Refreshing the feed requires you to double click a camera view or logout/in to the application entirely all-together.

I've reached out to Support for assistance but was wondering if you (or any other reader) is experiencing this same aggravation as I am?

Regards,
Bret

Cynthia

Hi Mark, we really appreciate your great ideas regarding our new client.
We will forward all your suggestions to our senior engineer, and they will review all of them to see whether we can optimize before the formal version release out.

Mike

One thing I would suggest for the Windows Client is to fix the Presets feature. Currently it doesn't work. It would be really helpful to have presets, so I can just click a preset, and the camera would return to that exact position. Currently, without presets, I have to try and get my camera back into the perfect resting position each time I move it to look at something else, and it is really a bothersome process.

Cynthia

At present, for the models still on the shelf, only RLC-423 camera support presets function. If your camera is a RLC-423, please upgrade it to the latest firmware and you will get the preset function.

Andrew Hall

There is button at the bottom of window on the reolink windows client software, but I had to change my desktop resolution to 1080p in order to see it, as it disappears off the bottom of the screen in my normal desktop resolution, as the reolink window doesn't resize/scale correctly. Don't know if that helps anyone

Jeff Jeffy

@Caroline

WHY did you remove preset settings while upgrading the firmware???? e1 pro was able to save preset... Now GONE.

You even modified the website
stating... and I LAUGH really hard

https://support.reolink.com/hc/en-us/articles/360038730593-Do-Reolink-PT-PTZ-Cameras-Support-Preset-Cruise-Motion-Tracking-

That ONLY c1 supports this....

YOU EVEN GO FURTHER, saying it's decided by HARDWARE.

Damn, why are you bullshitting people?!?!?!? Even an old crappy dlink from 2010 does that.. Preset IS A BASIC function of a camera. I have been using this for 6 months, having issue with the camera, upgrade then I loose my preset capability????

I feel like Ron Jeremy just went behind my back...

I WILL NEVER buy Reolink product again, my sister just bought few of them and I'll ask her to return that crap where it belongs.

Sorry but it's a stupid move to do on your client's back! With even more stupid justification... decided by hardware... LOL yeah, sure!

Cynthia

Hi, Jeff. We are about to add the preset function back to the E series camera. And maybe around September or a bit later we will pose the firmware on our website.
And I am sorry about the mistake in the article. We will correct it later.

Jeff Jeffy

@Caroline... Sorry @Cynthia.

lol
So yeah, MAYBE in september or later... for a basic function. I mean, I'm pretty sure every clients are in LOVE on how Reolink feels one month or another.. Hey guys, let's remove a basic function on the E series.

I don't have time to see how reolink feels about removing or adding back a function like this.

WORST, you are pointing out that Reolink can decide one day or another which function is still fine and which one is... not... I bought that specific camera for that specific purpose, and now it's worthless... But I'm glad, hey, wait 1 month or maybe more, we will, MAYBE, put back the function...

At least, you should left the old firmware available PLUS, MENTION the functionnality people will lose if they upgrade their firmware. What a weird way of doing things at reolink.

I am now forced to use the ptz selector, which is HORRIBLE by the way... Already shopping for another brand!

Cynthia

I really appreciate that you let me know a lot of clients love the preset function.
And here I have the link for downloading the old firmware of E1 Pro which supports the preset function.
Download link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/190bpGtDKXKvimM6oWHaviCgbF4Yyu9LW/view?usp=sharing
Truly thank you that you let us know how you think about our products and we will try our best to make it be better.

Jeff Jeffy

Of course we love/need that function

My house is not moving, nor the camera eheh

Thank you for providing the link for previous firmware, I reinstalled it.

Snaffs

I'm puzzled.
I see, at the top of this thread the 1st request was to be able to scale the window like any other windows client and not just have the selection of a few fixed sizes.
And a couple of posts later saying how great it is that it's been fixed, and you can now scale it.

As far as I know I have the latest windows Client. and I can't scale it, and just have the fixed size selection only.
My client version is: v7.2.2.33

Is there something I'm not doing right or some option I need to tick?

Cynthia

Hi,
if you want to scale the window randomly, here is the beta Reolink Client for you. It can satisfy your request！

Mac: https://home-cdn.reolink.us/files/client/electron/Reolink-8.0.5.dmg

Windows: https://home-cdn.reolink.us/files/client/electron/Reolink%20Setup%208.0.5.exe

Snaffs

Thanks Cynthia for that link to the Beta.
Downloaded and Tried it, and WOW, what a major makeover!
I was expecting a little change here, and a little change there, but it looks like a totally different program, and very modern design in keeping with what you'd like to see for a consumer in 2020.
Congratulations to the Dev's for being brave and totally changing things.
Playback of even 1 channel is not smooth right now (the seconds on the clock show it's jumping in time)
But of course, it's a Beta, so totally accept this is naturally something that's being improved and worked upon before it's final fully release.
The scaling is great
As always, improvement can be made to the playing back of events, as this seems to be an area which is hard to get right as everyone wants to quickly see anything important that's happened without looking through lots of footage.

Again, thank you, and keep up the amazing work

Snaffs

Cynthia.
Thank you very much for posting the link to the Beta Client.
It's very interesting to see what a massive, and amazing change the new client is/will be.
Very modern looking, and more in keeping with 2020 type of software design language.

I do have 1 small question upon trying the Beta out (perhaps someone who also has tried it can offer feedback?)
The live feed from my Reolink NVR/Camera's looks great. But it's very stuttery indeed, randomly only a few frames/sec.
I'm fully aware this is a beta and still work in progress, and this is in no way a complaint at all
I'm simply curios if this stutter on live feedback is normal for others testing this out?
Looking forward very much for the final release
Keep up the amazing work

Crimp On

My cameras are all independent (no NVR) and streaming is smooth, both live and playback, with the Beta Client on Windows.

timbercreek

My live feed on the beta is smooth, playback is smooth on clear setting unless I view more than 1 camera, then it starts lagging.

Snaffs

^ Thanks to you both for the replies.

Timbercreek - Do you also stream direct from the camera's as 'Crimp-On' has or are you using a NVR like myself?

It might be that the new app needs a more powerful PC to run smoother?
I'll have to install the new Beta app on my other more powerful PC to see if that changes anything.