Camera Unexpectedly Not Recording
The Camera Unexpectedly Not Recording - SVR, Camera Unexpectedly Not Recording - Onboard, and Camera Unexpectedly Not Recording - SVR and Onboard trouble conditions appear when a camera fails to record to the associated SVR/CSVR or microSD card.
Camera Unexpectedly Not Recording - SVR
The Camera Unexpectedly Not Recording - SVR trouble condition occurs when a camera fails to record to the associated SVR/CSVR.
Trouble condition triggers and restorals:
There are different scenarios that can cause this trouble condition to appear and restore, depending on the model SVR/CSVR.
| SVR/CSVR Model | A lapse in communication between the camera and recorder | Recorder HD failure, recorder falling offline, or unexpected behavior with recorder |
|---|---|---|
|
As long as the SVR/CSVR is online, the Camera Unexpectedly Not Recording trouble condition will appear on the customer account if communication is not restored within 30 minutes. This trouble condition will restore after 30 minutes of continuous recording. |
The Camera Unexpectedly Not Recording trouble condition will appear on the customer account and restores at supervision as long as communication is restored. Note: Alarm.com verifies remote access for video devices every 8 hours. Manual tests for supervision will not clear this trouble condition. |
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The Camera Unexpectedly Not Recording trouble condition will appear on the customer account and restore at supervision as long as communication is restored. |
The Camera Unexpectedly Not Recording trouble condition will appear on the customer account and restores at supervision (approximately 8 hours) as long as communication is restored. Note: Alarm.com verifies remote access for video devices every 8 hours. Manual tests for supervision will not clear this trouble condition. |
Note: For more information about camera supervision, see How often does Alarm.com check the connectivity of the video cameras?.
How to resolve:
Note: The camera may not be able to communicate with the SVR because of a network issue or the camera may be unplugged. For installation guides, user guides, and frequently asked questions about SVR and CSVRs, see Stream Video Recorder (SVR) and Commercial Stream Video Recorder (CSVR).
- Power cycle the camera by disconnecting power and reapplying it. Wait for the camera to reboot fully.
- Verify the video device has a wireless or Ethernet network connection and that live video works. If live video does not work, see Unable to see live video from a camera.
- Verify the wireless video device settings match the SSID and wireless security settings in the router. If the settings were changed in the router, put the video device back into wired mode, update the video device's wireless settings, then put it back into wireless mode.
- Verify the video device is on the same local network as the SVR and has not been moved to a separate location.
Note: It may be helpful to simplify the network layout to test if recording is restored. Supported network diagrams are documented within the installation guide for all SVR and CSVR models. - Run a hard-drive check on the SVR to confirm the hard-drives are working correctly. For more information about this process, see Run a hard drive check on a Stream Video Recorder (SVR).
- If the factory reset has been performed on a camera, delete the camera and re-add it to the account.
Note: The affected device must communicate without interruption until its next automatic supervision, which occurs every 8 hours. Manual tests for supervision will not clear this trouble condition.
Camera Unexpectedly Not Recording - Onboard
The Camera Unexpectedly Not Recording - Onboard trouble condition indicates that there is trouble recording data to the microSD card with an active schedule, so the camera is currently not recording to the microSD card.
Automated Recovery
Automated Recovery for Onboard Recording is a feature that periodically checks for microSD card issues. If an issue is detected during an 8-hour check-in, the system will attempt to recover the continuous recording function up to three times. If the recovery fails after three attempts, we recommend the customer replace the defective microSD card.
Note: For more information about Onboard Recording and cameras compatible with this feature, see Onboard Recording (SD card) with Smart View for video devices.
How it works:
If a microSD card is not recording due to corruption, it will be automatically recovered by reformatting the microSD card so the camera can resume recording. Once the card recovers, the Camera Unexpectedly Not Recording - Onboard trouble condition will be cleared.
If the recovery attempt fails:
- The System will attempt to recover the continuous recording function up to three times within a 30-day window, starting from the first recovery attempt to reformat.
- If recovery fails after reformatting, the Camera Unexpectedly Not Recording - Onboard trouble condition will remain active, and the system will try again during the next scheduled check.
- If recovery is unsuccessful during the periodic check, the system will try again during the next scheduled check.
- If the card fails all 3 recovery attempts within the 30-day window, automatic recovery will not be attempted again until the window resets, and the Camera Unexpectedly Not Recording - Onboard trouble condition will remain active.