Merkury Camera Not Recording? A Step-by-Step UK Troubleshooting Guide
It can be incredibly frustrating when your Merkury security camera stops recording. Whether it's missing motion events or failing to save clips to your SD card or the cloud, this guide will walk you through the most common causes and solutions in a clear, step-by-step manner. Let's get your camera back to protecting what matters most.
## First Steps: Essential Checks for Your Merkury Camera
Before diving into more complex troubleshooting, let's cover the basics. These simple checks often resolve recording issues without any fuss.
- Check Power and Connectivity: Ensure your camera is properly powered on. Look at the status light on the camera; a solid red or blue light typically indicates it's online and working. If the light is flashing, it might be having trouble connecting to your Wi-Fi network, which is essential for both cloud recording and sending notifications.
- Update the Geeni App: Make sure you are using the latest version of the Geeni app (which powers Merkury devices). Go to the App Store or Google Play Store to check for any available updates. An outdated app can cause compatibility issues.
- Confirm Firmware is Current: Camera firmware updates often include bug fixes that can resolve recording problems. In the Geeni app, select your camera, go to its settings, and look for a "Firmware Update" option to ensure it's running the latest version.
## Troubleshooting MicroSD Card Recording Issues
Many users rely on a microSD card for local storage. When this fails, it's usually down to one of these culprits.
### Check SD Card Compatibility and Health
Not all SD cards are created equal. Your Merkury camera requires a reliable card to function correctly.
- Card Type: Use a high-quality Class 10 or UHS-1 (U1) microSD card. Cheaper, slower cards can cause data corruption and recording failures.
- Card Health: SD cards have a limited lifespan and can become corrupted over time. If you suspect your card is faulty, try testing it in another device, like a computer.
- Correct Insertion: It might sound simple, but make sure the card is inserted correctly into the camera's slot until it clicks into place.
### Format the SD Card
Formatting the SD card erases all its contents and prepares it for use with the camera. This can resolve many common errors.
- Open the Geeni app and select your Merkury camera.
- Tap the settings icon (usually a gear or three dots).
- Find and select "SD Card Settings".
- Tap "Format SD Card" and confirm the action.
- Wait for the process to complete. The camera may restart.
Important: Formatting will delete all existing footage on the card, so be sure to back up anything important first.
## Resolving Cloud Recording Problems
If you subscribe to Merkury Secure Cloud storage and your clips aren't saving, work through these checks.
- Active Subscription: Double-check that your cloud subscription is active and associated with the correct camera. You can manage this within the Geeni app under your account settings.
- Stable Internet Connection: Cloud recording requires a constant, stable internet connection to upload footage. A weak Wi-Fi signal is a common cause of failure. Run a speed test near your camera's location to ensure it has sufficient upload speed (at least 2 Mbps is recommended).
- Router and Firewall Settings: In rare cases, router firewall settings can block the camera from accessing the cloud servers. Ensure your network doesn't have strict outbound traffic rules that might be interfering with the device.
## Fixing Motion Detection and Recording Schedules
Sometimes the camera is working perfectly, but its settings are preventing it from recording when you expect it to.
### Review Motion Detection Settings
- In your camera's settings within the Geeni app, navigate to "Motion Detection".
- Ensure the feature is toggled on.
- Adjust the "Sensitivity Level". If it's too low, it may not pick up movement. If it's too high, you may get false alerts. Test a medium setting first.
- Check the "Activity Zone" (if available). Make sure you haven't accidentally excluded the area where you expect to see motion.
### Check Your Recording Schedule
Some cameras allow you to set a schedule for when recording should occur.
- Go to your camera's settings in the app.
- Look for a "Schedule" or "Recording Schedule" option.
- Ensure you have not accidentally set the camera to stop recording during the times you've noticed gaps in your footage. For continuous recording, this should generally be disabled.
By systematically working through these steps, you can identify and resolve the vast majority of recording issues with your Merkury security camera.