Troubleshooting Aiphone's Lack of 24/7 Recording
Ensuring your Aiphone security system is recording continuously is fundamental for complete surveillance coverage. If you've noticed that your system is no longer recording 24/7, it's a critical issue that needs immediate attention. This guide is designed to help you methodically troubleshoot the common causes behind this problem and restore your system's constant recording function, ensuring you never miss a moment.
Identifying the Root Cause of Recording Failure
Several factors can interrupt the continuous recording feature on your Aiphone video intercom system. Understanding these potential causes is the first step toward a solution.
- Incorrect Recording Mode: The system might be set to record only on motion or specific events, rather than continuously.
- Storage Issues: The designated storage (SD card or Hard Disk Drive) could be full, corrupted, or physically disconnected.
- Overwrite Setting Disabled: If the storage is full, the system will stop recording unless it's configured to overwrite the oldest footage.
- Incorrect Scheduling: A recording schedule may be configured, limiting recording to specific times of the day or week.
- Network or Power Problems: Intermittent power or network connectivity can interrupt the recording process, especially if recording to a network video recorder (NVR).
A Step-by-Step Guide to Restoring 24/7 Recording
Follow these organised steps to diagnose and resolve the issue with your Aiphone system. You may need to access your system's settings via a master station or a web browser.
1. Verify Recording Mode and Schedule
The most frequent reason for a lack of 24/7 recording is a simple settings mix-up.
- Access System Settings: Log into your Aiphone master station's programming menu or use a PC to access the system's web interface.
- Navigate to Recording Settings: Locate the section for 'Recording', 'Schedule', or 'Storage' settings. This can vary slightly depending on your Aiphone model (e.g., IX Series, JP Series).
- Select Continuous Recording: Ensure the recording mode for the relevant cameras or door stations is set to 'Continuous' or 'Always'. If it's on 'Motion' or 'Event', this is the source of your problem.
- Check the Schedule: Look for a recording schedule. Make sure it is set to record 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Disable any schedules that might be limiting the recording times.
- Save Your Changes: Always remember to save and apply your new configuration before exiting the menu.
2. Inspect the Storage Medium
A problem with your storage device will directly impact recording.
- Check Storage Status: In the system settings, find the storage management page. It should show the status, capacity, and remaining free space of your SD card or HDD.
- Enable Overwrite Function: Verify that the 'Overwrite' or 'Recycle Recording' option is enabled. This allows the system to automatically delete the oldest footage to make space for new recordings. If this is disabled and the disk is full, recording will stop.
- Reformat the Storage: If the storage appears to be full despite overwrite being enabled, or if it shows an error, there might be a file system corruption. Important: Before reformatting, back up any crucial footage. Use the system's built-in format function to reformat the SD card or HDD.
- Reseat or Replace: If reformatting doesn't work, power down the system and physically reseat the SD card or check the HDD connections. If the problem persists, the storage medium itself may have failed and will need to be replaced.
3. Check Power and Network Stability
Consistent power and network connections are vital.
- Ensure Consistent Power: Check that the Aiphone station and any associated network switches or recorders are connected to a reliable power source. Consider using an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) to protect against brief power cuts.
- Verify Network Connection: If you are recording to an NVR, ensure the network connection between the Aiphone device and the recorder is stable. Check network cables and switch activity lights.
Further Assistance
If you have meticulously followed this guide and your Aiphone system still does not record 24/7, there could be a more complex software or hardware fault. In this situation, we recommend contacting your original installer or reaching out to Aiphone's official technical support for more advanced diagnostics.