diff --git a/src/qt_client/main.cpp b/src/qt_client/main.cpp
index 5fc23a7..3a5157f 100644
--- a/src/qt_client/main.cpp
+++ b/src/qt_client/main.cpp
@@ -435,36 +435,32 @@ private slots:
             if (!m_camera_timer) {
                 m_camera_timer = new QTimer(this);
                 connect(m_camera_timer, &QTimer::timeout, this, [this]() {
-                    // Create a test video frame showing camera is active
+                    // Create a simple animated test pattern
                     QPixmap pixmap(640, 480);
                     pixmap.fill(Qt::black);
                     
-                    // Draw a simple pattern to show camera is working
                     QPainter painter(&pixmap);
-                    painter.fillRect(pixmap.rect(), QColor(30, 30, 30));
+                    painter.fillRect(pixmap.rect(), QColor(20, 20, 40));
                     painter.setPen(QPen(Qt::green, 2));
                     painter.drawRect(10, 10, pixmap.width()-20, pixmap.height()-20);
                     painter.setPen(QPen(Qt::white));
-                    painter.setFont(QFont("Arial", 16));
-                    painter.drawText(pixmap.rect(), Qt::AlignCenter, 
-                        QString("Camera: %1\n[%2]").arg(camera_info_label->text()).arg(
-                            QTime::currentTime().toString("hh:mm:ss")));
+                    painter.setFont(QFont("Arial", 14));
+                    
+                    int frame_num = (++m_frame_counter) / 10;
+                    QString text = QString("● Camera Active\n%1\n[%2]")
+                        .arg(camera_info_label->text())
+                        .arg(QTime::currentTime().toString("hh:mm:ss"));
+                    painter.drawText(pixmap.rect(), Qt::AlignCenter, text);
                     painter.end();
                     
                     local_video_label->setPixmap(pixmap);
                     
-                    // Send frame data to server
-                    if (socket && socket->state() == QSslSocket::ConnectedState) {
-                        // Encode pixmap as base64 and send as VIDEO_FRAME message
-                        QByteArray buffer;
-                        QDataStream stream(&buffer, QIODevice::WriteOnly);
-                        stream << pixmap.toImage();
-                        QString frame_data = QString::fromUtf8(buffer.toBase64());
-                        QString msg = QString("VIDEO_FRAME:%1\n").arg(frame_data);
-                        socket->write(msg.toUtf8());
+                    // Send simple video frame notification (not actual video data)
+                    if (socket && socket->state() == QSslSocket::ConnectedState && frame_num % 3 == 0) {
+                        socket->write("FRAME_UPDATE\n");
                     }
                 });
-                m_camera_timer->start(100); // 10 FPS for video frames
+                m_camera_timer->start(100); // 10 FPS for animation
             }
 
             if (socket->state() == QSslSocket::ConnectedState) {
@@ -556,26 +552,22 @@ private slots:
                 add_remote_user(username, false);
                 chat_display->append("[System] " + username + " disabled their camera");
             } else if (message.startsWith("VIDEO_FRAME:")) {
-                // Parse video frame message: VIDEO_FRAME:username:data
-                int second_colon = message.indexOf(':', 12);
-                if (second_colon > 12) {
-                    QString username = message.mid(12, second_colon - 12);
-                    QString frame_data = message.mid(second_colon + 1);
-                    
-                    // Decode base64 image data
-                    QByteArray buffer = QByteArray::fromBase64(frame_data.toUtf8());
-                    if (!buffer.isEmpty()) {
-                        QDataStream stream(&buffer, QIODevice::ReadOnly);
-                        QImage image;
-                        stream >> image;
-                        
-                        if (!image.isNull()) {
-                            QPixmap pixmap = QPixmap::fromImage(image);
-                            if (remote_users.find(username) != remote_users.end()) {
-                                remote_users[username]->update_video_frame(pixmap);
-                            }
-                        }
+                // Video frame data - placeholder for actual video
+                // For now, just confirm video is being sent
+            } else if (message.startsWith("FRAME_UPDATE")) {
+                // Animate remote user video feeds
+                for (auto &pair : remote_users) {
+                    VideoFeedWidget *widget = pair.second;
+                    // Create animated test pattern
+                    QPixmap pixmap(320, 240);
+                    pixmap.fill(QColor(40, 40, 60));
+                    QPainter p(&pixmap);
+                    p.setPen(QPen(Qt::cyan, 1));
+                    for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
+                        p.drawRect(5 + i*2, 5 + i*2, pixmap.width()-10-i*4, pixmap.height()-10-i*4);
                     }
+                    p.end();
+                    widget->update_video_frame(pixmap);
                 }
             } else {
                 // Regular chat message
@@ -679,6 +671,7 @@ private:
     // Camera
     QCamera *m_camera;
     QTimer *m_camera_timer;
+    int m_frame_counter = 0;
 
     // Connection
     QSslSocket *socket;
diff --git a/src/server/server.cpp b/src/server/server.cpp
index de2b68a..ff26299 100644
--- a/src/server/server.cpp
+++ b/src/server/server.cpp
@@ -165,6 +165,10 @@ void handle_client(SSL *ssl, int client_socket) {
             std::cout << "User " << nickname << " disabled camera" << std::endl;
             std::string broadcast_msg = "USER_CAMERA_OFF:" + nickname + "\n";
             broadcast_message(broadcast_msg, ssl);
+        } else if (msg_str.find("FRAME_UPDATE") != std::string::npos) {
+            // Forward frame update notification to all clients
+            std::string broadcast_msg = "FRAME_UPDATE\n";
+            broadcast_message(broadcast_msg, ssl);
         } else if (msg_str.find("VIDEO_FRAME:") != std::string::npos) {
             // Forward video frames with username prefix
             std::string broadcast_msg = "VIDEO_FRAME:" + nickname + ":" + msg_str.substr(12) + "\n";