Why Does My Wife's Zoom Video Keep Freezing and Corrupting?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around a technical issue experienced during Zoom meetings, specifically regarding video freezing and corruption. Participants explore potential causes, including hardware, software, and network factors, while suggesting various tests and troubleshooting steps.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes their wife's Zoom video feed as initially fine but later becoming blocky and distorted, suggesting a possible camera issue.
  • Another participant asks about the camera preview quality, indicating that testing it could help diagnose the problem.
  • Some participants propose that the issue may be related to a recent Windows update affecting the camera driver.
  • There are suggestions to record video using the camera app to determine if the problem persists outside of Zoom.
  • Concerns are raised about the laptop's age and performance, with some participants noting that older hardware may struggle with resource-intensive applications like Zoom.
  • One participant mentions that switching from Wi-Fi to Ethernet resolved similar issues for them, suggesting a potential network-related cause.
  • There is speculation about overheating or failing components as possible causes of the video issues.
  • Participants discuss the implications of using the Zoom app versus the web client, with suggestions to test both to isolate the problem.
  • One participant shares their experience with slow boot times and preloading applications, which may affect performance during video calls.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express multiple competing views regarding the cause of the video issues, with no consensus on whether the problem lies with the camera, software, or network. Various troubleshooting steps are proposed, but the discussion remains unresolved.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include uncertainty about the specific version of Windows being used, the potential impact of recent updates, and the performance characteristics of the laptop hardware. There are also unresolved questions regarding the effectiveness of different testing methods.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals experiencing similar video issues during Zoom meetings, particularly those using older laptops or encountering performance problems with video conferencing software.

  • #31
StevieTNZ said:
With the wifi speeds, it could be how old the device is (versus another). I doubt the Vaio laptop will support 802.11ax, for example.
Huh.
I'm using 802.11ac, 5GHz (5G) (866/433 receive/transmit).
She's using 802.11n, 2.4GHz (4G) (120/60 receive transmit).

Still, I'm beginning to suspect it isn't a bandwidth issue.

I'll have her un/install the Zoom app.
 
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  • #32
The Internet speed on a device can be affected by how fast the device is, also. Eg. if the HDD is writing at a slow speed, don't expect a file to download fast.
 
  • #33
I should also ask - what type of router do you use?
 
  • #34
I've used Zoom with connections good and bad. I've seen it freeze video and rarely audio. But I never saw it distort the video.
 
  • #35
StevieTNZ said:
I should also ask - what type of router do you use?
Uh Bell Fibe.

But my lappy is unaffected, which is on the same network.And again, it happened even without actually inviting anyone into a meeting. I saw my own video reflection corrupted Which suggests it doesn't have anything to do with the network at all. (I think.)

Also, intermittent isn't really the right word. The kicks in for a minute or two then kicks out for a minute or two, then kicks back in.
 
  • #36
Possibly useful:
https://community.zoom.com/t5/Meetings/Video-Distortion/m-p/32064

here's the fix I discovered:

Go to video settings and check the option for 'Adjust for low light' and instead of auto make it manual, then move the slider all the way to the bottom. This way it's like a filter/background image, as it fixes the video distortion, but it doesn't have any impact on the video like a filter or background does, so you look normal.
 
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  • #37
This ... seems to have resolved the issue.
I am cautiously optimistic.
I will have her test it and confirm and then provide a proper thank you.
 
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