Urgency: High

CCTV Not Recording or Showing Blank Feed — Causes, Fixes & Cost in KL

Your CCTV cameras show no live feed, are stuck on a static image, or the DVR/NVR won't play back recordings.

Estimated professional fix: RM 180–RM 850+ depending on system fault

A CCTV system that shows live video but records nothing is a storage or power fault, and it is easy to miss — the live view looks fine, so most people only discover the problem when they need footage for an incident or insurance report. The usual causes are a full or failed hard drive, a DVR/NVR power supply that drops under load, a loose cable, or a camera that has frozen and stopped sending frames.

Common causes

Hard drive full or failed

Power supply failure to the DVR/NVR

Network cable disconnected

IP camera firmware issue

Professional solutions

Test hard drive and replace if failed

Replace DVR/NVR power supply

Test and re-terminate network cables

Firmware update via manufacturer app

Safe DIY checks first

1Check the DVR/NVR menu for hard-drive status and free space — a full drive stops recording silently
2Check the recording schedule: some systems stop recording after firmware updates
3Reboot the DVR/NVR once — frozen recorders often resume after a clean restart
4Check all camera feeds individually; one frozen camera on the grid is easy to miss

When to call a pro

You need CCTV for insurance/incident report

Feed has been down more than 24 hours

You suspect intentional tampering

What affects the cost

A hard-drive or power-supply replacement with testing starts around RM180–RM400. A full 8-channel DVR + drive + install runs RM850–RM1,800; data recovery from a failed drive is quoted separately (RM350–RM1,200) depending on damage. We test the whole system before leaving so recording is confirmed working.

How to prevent it

Use surveillance-grade hard drives (WD Purple, Seagate SkyHawk) designed for 24/7 writes

Set the recording schedule to overwrite old footage automatically

Test playback monthly — check last week's recording, not just the live view

Put the DVR/NVR on a surge-protected socket; power failures corrupt drives

Related service

This problem usually connects to CCTV & Security Camera Installation. Review service scope, pricing, warranty, and process before booking.

View CCTV & Security Camera Installation

FAQs

How long do CCTV hard drives last?

Purpose-built CCTV hard drives (WD Purple, Seagate SkyHawk) typically last 4-7 years with 24/7 operation.

How much to replace a full 8-channel DVR system?

Full 8-channel DVR + hard drive + install: RM 850 to RM 1,800 excluding cameras.

Can you recover footage from a failed DVR?

For hard drive failures, professional data recovery can retrieve most footage — RM 350 to RM 1,200 depending on damage.

+60 11-1662 7349 WhatsApp us info@klservisrumah.myJalan Kiara, Mont Kiara, 50480 Kuala Lumpur