DVR stands for Digital Video Recorder. DVR systems process the video data at the recorder, whereas NVR systems encode and process the video data at the camera, then stream it to the NVR recorder which is used for storage and remote viewing.

DVR is a device that records video from up to a dozen or more surveillance cameras onto a hard disk. The frame rate can be switched from real time to time lapse in order to save storage space. Digital recorders are more flexible than earlier analog VHS tape systems, and the video can be easily transmitter over a computer network.

DVR is a device that allows you to pause and rewind any broadcast, cable or satellite TV program as well as record and play back selected programs.

FAQs:

Q. What is DVR?

DVR records video in digital format that can be saved on a disk drive, SSD, SD memory card, or USB flash drive. It is like a basic VCR that uses hard drives instead of videotapes. It can pause like TV in real-time by recording the current show. For CCTV technology, the DVR converts analogue signals to digital in a compressed format. Without the DVR, IP Cameras can work independently, the same way a security camera will work with SD cards.

Q. What does the on screen display messages mean?

No Disk - It might be caused because the disk not fully inserted, or simply not available.

Disk Fail - Disk is not FAT32 format, or has failed.

No Video - Intermittent video connection or signal.

Disk Full - Recording memory full.

Q. What causes the picture to Pixellate (Pixellation)?

This can be caused if the memory card write speed is insufficient. Memory card speed is related to the byte locations, hence Pixellation will tend to be at the same location on the card. E.g. Pixellation occurs 5 mins from the start of the card.

Note: Static pictures are less likely to pixellate than a full action video picture, especially if recorded in Variable Bit Rate (VBR) mode.

Memory cards that have a wear-levelling scheme will pixellate at a different location each time a new file is created.

Q. Why is there no audio when playing back a recording?

If there is no audio when playing back a recording check to see that the audio settings for the channel are correct.

Q. Why doesn't motion detection work?

If the motion detection feature is not working either the setting is incorrect or the sensitivity is set too low.

Q. My security camera shows a flickering image. What can I do?

If your security camera shows a flickering image, move the camera or move any source of bright light away from the camera.

Other FAQs:

Q. The DVR does not boot up normally.

Possible reasons are as follows;

1 The power supply is not correct.

2 Switch power supply does not have a good connection.

3 The power lead to the power supply is damaged.

4 The firmware update procedure has failed.

5 The hard disk is damaged or the hard disk sata lead is damaged

6 The front panel is damaged.

7 The main board of the DVR is damaged.

Q. The DVR reboots automatically or stops working after boot up a few minutes.

Possible reasons are as follows;

1 The input voltage is not stable or too low.

2 The hard disk is damaged.

3 The power of the switch mode power supply is low.

4  video signal is not stable.

5 Bad heat dissipation to main board

6 The hardware of the DVR is damaged.

Q. System can not detect hard disk.

Possible reasons are as follows;

1 The hard disk power supply line is not connected.

2 The cables of the hard disk are damaged.

3 The hard disk is damaged.

4 The SATA port of main board is damaged.

Q. There are no video outputs in single channel, multiple channels and all channels.

Possible reasons are as follows;

1 The firmware is outdated. Please update the firmware

2 The image brightness is all set to 0. Please restore the default setup.

3 There is no video input signal or the signal is too weak.

4 The channel protection or the screen protection is set.

5 The hardware of the DVR is damaged.

Q. Real-time image problems such as the image color or the brightness distortion.

Possible reasons are as follows;

1 When using the BNC output, the option between the N mode or PAL mode is wrong and the

image becomes black and white.

2 The DVR is not matched the monitor impedance.

3 The video transmission distance is too far or the loss of the video transmission line is too

large.

4 The color and brightness setting of the DVR is wrong.

Q. I can not find the video files in local playback mode.

Possible reasons are as follows;

1 The data line of the hard disk is damaged.

2 The hard disk is damaged.

3 Update the different program with the origin program files.

4 The video files to look up are covered.

5 The recording is not on.

Q. The local video is not clear.

Possible reasons are as follows;

1 The image quality is too bad.

2 The reading program is wrong. Reboot up the DVR.

3 The data line of the hard disk is damaged.

4 The hard disk is damaged.

5 The hardware of the DVR is damaged.

Q. There is no audio signal in the surveillance window.

Possible reasons are as follows;

1 It is not an active tone arm.

2 It is not an active sound box.

3 The audio lines are damaged.

4 The hardware of the DVR is damaged.

Q. There is audio signal in the surveillance window but no audio signal in the playback

state.

Possible reasons are as follows;

1 Setting issues: the audio option is not chosen.

2 The according channel is not connected with the video.

Q.  The time is wrong.

Possible reasons are as follows;

1 Setting is wrong..

2 The battery has a bad connection or the voltage is too low.

3 The oscillation is damaged.

4.Set NTP time

Q. The DVR can not control the PTZ

Possible reasons are as follows;

1 There is something wrong with the PTZ.

2 The setting, connection or the installation of the PTZ decoder is not correct.

3 The connections are not correct.

4 The PTZ setting of the DVR is not correct.

5 The protocols of the PTZ decoder and the DVR are not matched.

6 The address of the PTZ decoder and the DVR are not matched.

7 When multiple decoders are connected, the far port of the PTZ decoder line A(B) must

connect a 120 Ω resistance to reduce the reflection otherwise the PTZ control is not

stable.

8 The distance is too far.

Q. The motion detect is not working

Possible reasons are as follows;

1 The time range set is not correct.

2 The motion detect area set is not correct.

3 The sensitivity is too low.

4 Limited by some hardware edition.

Q. I can not login via web or CMS.

Possible reasons are as follows;

1 The system is windows 98 or win me. We recommend updating to windows 2000sp4 or

higher Version or installing the software for low edition.

2 ActiveX is hold back.

3 The version is not exceeded dx8.1. Update the display card driver.

4 Network connection failure.

5 Network setting issues.

6 Invalid password or user name.

7 The CMS is not matched the DVR program version.

Q. The image is not clear or there is no image in network preview state or video file playback state.

Possible reasons are as follows;

1 Network is not stable.

2 The user machine is resource limited.

3 Choose the play-in-team mode in the network setup of DVR.

4 The region shelter or channel protection is set.

5 The user has no surveillance purview.

6 The real-time image of the hard disk recording machine itself is not clear.

Q. Network connection is not stable.

Possible reasons are as follows;

1 Network is not stable.

2 IP address is conflicted.

3 MAC address is conflicted.

4 The net card of the DVR is bad.

Q. There is something wrong with the USB backup or writing a CD.

Possible reasons are as follows;

1 The rewritable machine and the hard disk are shared the same data lines.

2 The data is too much. Please stop recording and backup.

3 The data exceeds the backup storage.

4 The backup equipment is not compatible.

5 The backup equipment is damaged.

Q. The keyboard can not control the DVR.

Possible reasons are as follows;

1 The serial port of the DVR is not set correctly.

2 The address is not correct.

3 When multiple transformers are connected, the power supply is not large enough. Please

give each transformer individual power supply.

4 The distance is too far.

Q. Alarm can not be recessional.

Possible reasons are as follows;

1 The setting of the alarm is not correct.

2 The alarm output is turned on manually.

3 The input machine is damaged or the connections are not correct.

4 There are some problems for specific program edition, Please update the program.

Q. Alarm is not working.

Possible reasons are as follows;

1 The setting of the alarm is not correct.

2 The connection of the alarm is not correct.

3 The alarm input signal is not correct.

4 A alarm is connected with two loops synchronously.

Q. The remote controller is not working,

Possible reasons are as followed:

1 The remote control address is not correct.

2 The remote control distance is too far or the angle is too large.

3 The battery is used up.

4 The remote controller or the front panel of the recording machine is damaged.

Q. The storage time is not enough.

Possible reasons are as follows;

1 Camera quality is bad. The lens is too dirty. 

2 The hard disk capability is not enough.

3 The hard disk is damaged.

Q. The downloading files can not play.

Possible reasons are as follows;

1 There is no media player.

2 There is no DX8.1 software or higher edition.

3 There is no DivX503Bundle.exe file to play AVI video files.

4 The DivX503Bundle.exe and ffdshow-2004 1012 .exe files must be installed in the windows

xp system.

Q. I can not remember the advanced password or network code in the local menu operation.

Please contact the local service or call the HQ service. We will offer the service according the

machine type and the program edition.

Q. Can not see the preview picture the digital channel

Possible reasons are as follows;

1 Did not add device

2 The device of related channel was not enable

3 The device of related channel was not selected.

4 The selected device did not connect to video sources

5 The channel title of selected remote device is not exist.

6 Stream for remote channel was set by extra stream.

7 User name & password not matched

8 directly input with IP address or port No. incorrectly when adding device.

9. The resolution of added device is too large to display by the monitor.

Q. Click “search” why not search out any of the device.

Possible reasons are as follows;

1 There is no other device exist in the Local area network

2 The subnet mask setting incorrectly on Network settings.

Q. The snapshot at alarm function was enable, why not catch picture

Possible reasons are as follows;

1 HDD manage without partition for snapshot.

2 Partition for snapshot is 0

3 The snapshot function is not enable on record-> storage of related channel.

Q. The time shows on digital channel is not the same as local side:

Enable the time synchronous function of digital channel.

28. Can not see preview picture of analog channel

Possible reasons are as follows;

1 The camera did not connect to video interface

2 The device did not connect to video source

3 Video source is broken.

Q. Picture will be frozen when multi-connection and shift devices.

Picture come out from digital channel need few seconds, shift device means to show new picture, so

it needs several seconds to buffer.