Is Your Annke System Not Recording Continuously?
One of the most fundamental features of a robust security system is 24/7 continuous recording. This ensures that you have an uninterrupted record of all activity, not just the moments when motion is detected. If you've discovered gaps in your Annke system's timeline, leaving you without crucial footage, it's a problem that needs to be addressed immediately.
This troubleshooting guide is here to help you diagnose why your Annke DVR, NVR, or camera is failing to record continuously and provide you with the solutions to ensure it's capturing everything, all the time.
Common Symptoms of Recording Failure
You can tell your system isn't recording 24/7 if you notice any of the following:
- The playback timeline has noticeable gaps in the footage, often appearing as blank or greyed-out areas.
- Your system is clearly only recording motion-triggered events, and not the periods in between.
- The 'Record' icon (often a small green camera) is missing from the live view screen or shows an error symbol.
- The system's hard drive (HDD) or microSD card shows plenty of free space, but the recording has simply stopped.
- The system seems to be overwriting old footage far too quickly, suggesting it's not using the full capacity of the drive.
- You set the system to continuous recording, but the setting reverts back to motion detection on its own.
- When you try to play back a specific time, you receive a 'No Video' or 'File Not Found' error.
How to Fix Annke Continuous Recording Problems
Let's systematically work through the potential causes to get your 24/7 recording back on track.
1. Correctly Configure Recording Schedules
This is the most common reason for a lack of continuous recording. By default, many systems are set to 'Motion Detection' to save storage space. You need to change this manually.
- Access the Schedule Menu: Log in to your Annke NVR/DVR's interface directly using a connected monitor, or via the web interface on a computer. Navigate to the 'Record' or 'Schedule' section in the main menu.
- Select the Camera: Choose the specific camera you want to configure.
- Change the Recording Type: You will likely see a colour-coded grid representing the hours of the day and days of the week. By default, it might be set to 'Motion' (often yellow) or 'Alarm'. You need to select 'Continuous' or 'Normal' (often green) and apply it to the entire grid for every day.
- Save and Apply: Make sure to save your changes for each camera. The system should begin recording continuously immediately.
2. Check Hard Drive / SD Card Status
The recording medium itself could be the source of the problem.
- Ensure it's Initialised: A new hard drive must be initialised or formatted by the Annke system before it can be used for recording. You can find this option in the 'Storage' or 'HDD Management' menu. This will erase all data on the drive.
- Check Health Status: Modern NVRs include S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) tools to check the health of the hard drive. Run a health check to ensure the drive is not failing.
- Verify it's Seated Correctly: If you installed the hard drive yourself, power down the system, open the case, and double-check that the SATA and power cables are securely connected to both the drive and the motherboard.
3. Ensure Adequate and Stable Power
Continuous recording puts a constant load on the system, making it sensitive to power issues.
- Use the Original Power Adapter: Always use the power adapter that came with your Annke NVR/DVR. Using an underpowered adapter can cause the hard drive to fail, leading to recording interruptions.
- Avoid Overloaded Power Strips: Plug the system directly into a reliable wall outlet or a surge protector. An overloaded power strip can cause intermittent power drops that disrupt recording.
4. Update Your System's Firmware
Firmware bugs can sometimes interfere with core functions like recording schedules.
- Check for Updates: Visit the official Annke support website and search for your model number to see if a newer firmware version is available. Follow their instructions carefully to perform the update, as an incorrect procedure can damage the device.
5. Verify Camera and NVR/DVR Synchronisation
The time and date settings must be aligned for the schedule to work correctly.
- Check Time Settings: Ensure that both your NVR/DVR and your IP cameras are set to the correct time and date, including the correct time zone. Enable NTP (Network Time Protocol) to automatically sync the time with an internet server for best results.