Technical support

Start with the cable and the link light. A PoE camera needs a live PoE port or an injector that matches the standard in its specification table, and the link light on the port should come on within 30 seconds of plugging in. If the link light is dark, swap the patch lead and try a different port before anything else.

Use a card rated for continuous recording, Class 10 or U3, from a brand that publishes endurance figures. Our cameras list the maximum supported capacity in the specification table, usually 256 GB. Format the card in the camera the first time you fit it, and replace it every 12 to 18 months on a camera that records around the clock.

Power the camera down, reseat the card until it clicks, then power up. If it still does not appear, format it on a computer as FAT32 or exFAT and try again. A card that worked for months and then disappears is usually at the end of its write life.

Remote access needs the camera or recorder to reach the internet and a way to find it from outside. On Wi-Fi models that is the manufacturer app, which needs no account for local viewing and a free account for remote viewing. On PoE and NVR systems it is a port forward, a VPN into your own network, or the recorder app. We use your own network either way: there is no account on this site and no cloud service of ours holding your footage.

Download the file for your exact model code from the product page or ask us for it, put it on a USB stick or the local web interface, and let the unit finish the update without cutting power. Firmware is model specific: a file for PV-C4T4K will not load on PV-C4B4K. If a unit works and you have no specific fault to fix, there is no need to update it.

Yes. Every lock we sell has a mechanical key override, and the keypad models have a backup code printed on the inside of the battery cover. Fit the key, open the door, then reset the keypad from inside. Send us the model code if the reset sequence is not in your manual and we will email the current instructions.

Turn off plain motion detection and use the person and vehicle detection instead, then reduce the sensitivity one step at a time. Draw the activity zone so it excludes the road, the pavement and moving foliage. On models with a schedule, restrict alerts to the hours that matter. A camera pointed at a busy street will always alert; aim it at the doorway instead.

The voltage and current are in the specification table for every model, and the supply that came in the box matches the unit. PoE models need an 802.3af or 802.3at port, not a passive injector with a different voltage. Using the wrong supply is the most common cause of a unit that dies in the first month, and it is not covered by the warranty.

Usually, if the NVR accepts ONVIF or RTSP streams and the camera speaks the same protocol. Resolution, compression and the number of channels have to match too. Tell us the NVR brand and model and the camera model code, and we will check the pairing before you order rather than after.