How CCTV works · 4 min read
CCTV not recording?
Seven things to check.
The worst time to find out the recorder stopped is after something happens. Here are the causes we find most often on call-outs, in the order to check them.
- 1. Hard drive failed. The recorder shows an HDD error or beeps. Drives wear out in 3–5 years; a surveillance drive replaced is the fix. Playback shows gaps.
- 2. Recording schedule changed. Someone set 'motion only' or a time window. Check the recording schedule is continuous or event-plus-continuous, all channels.
- 3. Camera offline. A red X or 'no video'. Usually a PoE port, a water-damaged connector or a cable knocked. Swap the camera to another port to test.
- 4. Storage full and overwrite off. Recorder set not to overwrite. Enable overwrite — it should always be on.
- 5. Time wrong. Recorder clock drifted or reset; footage is there but at the wrong time. Enable NTP.
- 6. Firmware or reboot loop. Recorder restarting or frozen. Power-cycle once; if it repeats, it needs a look.
- 7. Power. Recorder on a plug that gets switched off, or a PoE budget exceeded when a camera was added. Check the PSU and the total PoE load.
Check quickly
Open playback for yesterday on each camera. If a channel has nothing, note which. Look at the recorder's status screen for HDD state and camera status. Note any error codes before you reboot.
Diagnosis is a fixed fee and we carry common drives and cameras. Any brand, whoever fitted it. CCTV repairs.
Your property decides. Not the logo.
Questions
Good to know.
My cameras show live but don't record — why?
Almost always the schedule or the hard drive. Live view doesn't need the drive; recording does.
How do I know if the hard drive is failing?
Recorder alerts, intermittent gaps in playback, or a clicking sound. A service visit tests SMART health before it fails.
Can I replace the drive myself?
Physically, yes — but it must be a surveillance-rated drive and the recorder needs to format it. Easy to get wrong.