Cannot connect to camera after upgrade to latest firmware

[panoskpv]

Description

I have Tapo C210 which had 1.3.5 firmware and was connected to HA without any issues. After udgading to 1.3.14 as problems with new firmwares were reported as solved i get "'utf-8' codec can't decode byte 0xce in position 5378: invalid continuation byte" error. I tried to remove the camera and add it back without any luck. I have a second C210 with 1.3.5 firmware with no issues. Tapo 3rd party access in the app has been enabled. Both cameras are blocked from accessing the internet.

Reproduction Steps

1. Update C210 firmware
2. Go to HA to add the camera
3. Camera is added

Expected behavior

I get error as escribed above

If applicable, add error logs.

This error originated from a custom integration.

Logger: custom_components.tapo_control
Source: custom_components/tapo_control/init.py:991
integration: Tapo: Cameras Control (documentation, issues)
First occurred: 11:07:57 AM (206 occurrences)
Last logged: 3:44:18 PM

Unable to connect to Tapo: Cameras Control controller: 'utf-8' codec can't decode byte 0xce in position 5378: invalid continuation byte

Device Firmware

1.3.14 Build 240801 Rel.64983n(4555)

Integration Version

6.0.1

Using stream component

Yes

Does camera work via official integrations?

Yes

Camera has all attributes filled out in developer tools

No

HASS Environment

Hassio virtual machine in Proxmox

Search for similar issues

Yes

Additional information

No response

[JurajNyiri]

1. Try removing the camera and adding it back again to HA.
2. Is camera being used concurrently by multiple different services?

[panoskpv]

I have tried already to remove and add it back with no luck. I have the camera connected via rtsp to a frigate server. Howerever, this is the case also with my second C210, as well as one C310, with the old firmware without any issues.

[JurajNyiri]

This might be tricky to solve... I saw this issue in the past from other users reporting it but it went away on its own.

#569
#489

What is happening is simply the camera is not responding as expected and the decoding for encrypted communication is failing for some reason. Try to find out what is different between the cameras, possibly factory reset, move it closer to wifi antenna etc.

[panoskpv]

I have checked this cases. The strange issue here is that it seems like it is firmware related as it was working before the update. The other camera is almost in the same distance from the Access point. I will try to reset it and try again.

[JurajNyiri]

Hi @panoskpv any updates here?

[panoskpv]

Due to very limited time (father of one and soon of two) I haven't yet try to reset the camera. As soon as I do that I will let you know.

[SDimou]

I am having the same problem for a long time and I have been waiting for a solution but nothing so far... It is a firmware problem that they are not addressing it. Does anybody know if it is possible to downgrade the camera firmware (possibly to 1.3.5) until they figure it out?

[efficiencynerd]

I started having this issue as well after firmware updates, and I think I've figured it out - the newer firmware versions seem to only allow 2 "services" to get video.

Tapo Care and SD card each count as a service, as do rtsp streams. For me, I only have SD card recording, not Tapo Care.

I want to have the Generic Camera integration going because that video works much faster than using the streams with this Tapo Control integration, it's almost instant with pre-loading enabled. However, after updating via the Tapo Control integration I noticed my camera streams were not connecting to the Generic Camera integration anymore. After doing some rebooting and resetting, I was finally able to get the Generic Camera integration to load once I removed the Tapo Control connection. Problem is, now the Tapo Control will no longer connect.

[JurajNyiri]

@efficiencynerd rtsp limitation you are referring to has been documented both in faq here and in official Tapo one since the first camera has been released. It has nothing to do with error seen here which is from the control flow.

For instant stream with this integration you can use webrtc card, also documented in faq.