How to Enable and Troubleshoot 24/7 Recording on Your Abus System
One of the primary reasons for investing in a professional-grade CCTV system from a brand like Abus is the ability to have a continuous, 24/7 video record. If you find your system is only recording clips of motion or not recording at all, it can be a major security concern.
This guide will explain the requirements for 24/7 recording with Abus cameras and how to configure your system correctly to ensure you have an unbroken video history.
Understanding the Requirements for 24/7 Recording
Continuous recording generates a massive amount of data. It is not a feature designed for standalone cameras recording to an internal microSD card.
- A Recorder is Essential: To achieve true 24/7 recording, you need an Abus Network Video Recorder (NVR) for IP cameras or a Digital Video Recorder (DVR) for analogue cameras. These devices contain a large-capacity hard disk drive (HDD) specifically designed for the constant writing of video data.
- MicroSD Cards are for Backup: A microSD card in a camera should be considered a backup for motion events or for use in case of a network failure. It does not have the capacity or endurance for continuous, round-the-clock recording for any significant length of time.
If your camera is not connected to a recorder, it is likely operating in a motion-detection mode only, which is why you are not getting 24/7 footage.
How to Configure Your Abus Recorder for Continuous Recording
The setup is done through the recorder's main interface, either by connecting a monitor and mouse directly to it or by accessing it through a web browser on your computer.
1. Access the Recording Schedule
- Log in to your Abus NVR or DVR.
- Navigate to the main menu and look for an option labelled 'Record', 'Storage', or 'Schedule'.
- This will typically bring up a screen showing a timetable grid, with hours of the day along one axis and days of the week on the other.
2. Set the Recording Mode to 'Continuous'
In the schedule menu, you will see different recording modes, often colour-coded. These usually include:
- Continuous (or Normal): Records everything, 24/7.
- Motion (or MD): Only records when motion is detected.
- Alarm: Records when an external alarm sensor is triggered.
- No Record: Recording is disabled.
You need to set the schedule to 'Continuous'.
- Select the 'Continuous' or 'Normal' mode.
- Apply this mode to the entire schedule grid for each camera that you want to record 24/7. There is usually a button to 'Copy' the settings to all days or all cameras to speed up the process.
- Save your changes.
3. Check Hard Drive Management Settings
A common reason for recording to stop is a full hard drive. You must configure the recorder to automatically manage its storage.
- Find the 'HDD Management', 'Disk Management', or 'Storage' section in your recorder's settings.
- Locate the hard drive and ensure it is formatted and showing a 'Normal' status.
- Find the setting for 'Overwrite' or 'Recycle Record' and make sure it is Enabled. This tells the recorder to automatically delete the oldest footage to make space for new recordings. If this is disabled, recording will stop as soon as the drive is full.
Troubleshooting: Why Has 24/7 Recording Stopped?
If you had continuous recording and it has stopped working, check these things:
- Hard Drive Status: Check the HDD Management screen. Does the hard drive show an error or 'Not Found'? If so, the drive may have failed and needs replacing.
- Overwrite Setting: Double-check that the 'Overwrite' setting is still enabled. A firmware update could have potentially reset this.
- Schedule Check: Go back into the recording schedule and ensure it hasn't been accidentally changed from 'Continuous' to 'Motion' or 'No Record'.
- Power Supply: Ensure both the cameras and the recorder have a stable power supply. A power interruption can sometimes reset recording schedules to their default (often motion-only) state.
By ensuring your system is correctly scheduled and the hard drive is properly managed, you can rely on your Abus system to provide a complete and continuous video record.