CCTV Camera Inspections & Maintenance in Pretoria
Your CCTV cameras have stopped working, the footage looks terrible, the app no longer connects, or you are getting endless false alerts. We diagnose it, quote you honestly, and fix it. Servicing Waterkloof, Brooklyn, Monument Park, Faerie Glen, Garsfontein, Moreleta Park, Lynnwood, Centurion, Midrand and Johannesburg.
Quick Answer
A CCTV inspection from Easy CCTV costs R750 in Pretoria East including the first hour, or R950 in Centurion, Midrand and Johannesburg. After-hours callouts are R1,200. The fee is credited against any repair work booked within 30 days, so if you go ahead with the fix the inspection effectively costs nothing.
- What it covers: every camera checked physically, recorder diagnostic including hard drive health, network and mobile app test, detection zone audit, power supply audit, written report with itemised repair quote
- How long: 30 to 60 minutes on site for a 4 to 8 camera system, 1 to 2 hours for larger sites
- Booking: 1 to 2 working days in Pretoria East, 2 to 3 elsewhere. Same-day available for urgent commercial sites
- Brands: we inspect and repair any brand, including systems we did not install
Most faults are fixable. The common ones are detection misconfiguration, app or network problems, hard drive failure, power supply failure and weathered cameras. Roughly a quarter of inspections conclude that upgrading is cheaper than continuing to repair, and we say so plainly when that is the case.
“My CCTV Cameras Aren’t Working” – We Hear That a Lot
If you have landed on this page, something has gone wrong with your CCTV. The cameras have stopped recording, the picture has gone dark or blurry, the app keeps dropping the connection, the hard drive is making odd noises, or your phone is buzzing every couple of minutes with false alerts you have long since learned to ignore. You are not the only one. These are the exact problems we deal with across Pretoria East, Centurion, Midrand and Johannesburg every single week.
The good news is that most of these are fixable. Some need nothing more than a fresh configuration. Some need a part replaced. Some need a full upgrade because the original system has simply run its course. The only way to know which one you are looking at is one of our proper CCTV camera inspections: a hands-on diagnosis by someone who knows the equipment, the configuration software, and the kind of faults that come up in South African conditions.
That is what this page is for. Easy CCTV has been installing and maintaining Hikvision, TP-Link VIGI and IMOU systems across Gauteng since 2013, with over 7,500 installations and inspections between us. Walking into a property where the cameras have packed up and working out why is something we have done many, many times.
Common CCTV Camera Problems We Diagnose
If any of these sound familiar, what you need is one of our CCTV camera inspections. Not a whole new installation in most cases. The diagnosis takes 30 to 60 minutes on site and gives you a straight answer on what is wrong and what it will cost to put right.
Cameras Show “No Signal”
The recorder shows “Video Loss” or a black screen instead of camera footage. Usually a cabling, power or connector issue, and now and then the camera itself has failed.
Mobile App Won’t Work
Hik-Connect, VIGI or IMOU says the device is offline, or remote viewing has stopped working since the router was replaced or the network changed. Usually a port-forward, cloud registration or DDNS configuration issue.
Constant False Alarms
Your phone buzzes every five minutes from cats, leaves, headlights and shadows. You have learned to ignore the app. Usually a detection zone, AI classification or motion-sensitivity misconfiguration.
Night Footage Is Useless
Daytime is fine, but night-time footage is pitch black, washed out from IR overexposure, or so noisy it shows nothing usable. Usually an IR illuminator, lens, or camera-positioning issue.
Hard Drive Failure
The NVR or DVR is beeping, showing “HDD Error”, or playback only goes back a few days when it used to go back weeks. Surveillance-grade hard drives typically last 3 to 5 years and need scheduled replacement.
System Slow or Won’t Boot
The NVR takes ten minutes to start, hangs on the loading screen, or restarts itself for no reason. Usually a hard drive, firmware or power supply issue, sometimes a heat problem from blocked ventilation.
Footage Quality Has Degraded
Cameras have weathered, lenses are misted up, focus has drifted, or the original system was never high-resolution enough to be useful. Sometimes fixed with cleaning, sometimes a camera replacement.
Original CCTV Installer Has Vanished
The company that installed your system three years ago has closed down, changed phone numbers, or stopped answering. You need someone to take over support of an existing system you did not install. We do this often.
What CCTV Camera Inspections Include
A proper CCTV camera inspection is more than a quick look at the screen. We work through the whole system in order, the cameras, cabling, recorder, network, mobile app and configuration, and hand you a written diagnosis with a clear recommendation at the end.
Physical Camera Check
Every camera checked at the unit: physical damage, weather seal condition, lens cleanliness, focus alignment, IR illuminator function, mounting integrity and cable termination quality.
NVR/DVR Diagnostic
Recorder boot test, firmware version check, hard drive health using SMART data, channel verification, recording schedule audit, and configuration backup so we can restore your settings if needed.
Network & Mobile App Test
Router connectivity check, port-forward verification, cloud registration status, mobile app login on your phone, push notification test, and remote viewing test from outside the network.
AI Detection Audit
Detection zone review on every camera, sensitivity threshold check, schedule verification, false-alarm pattern analysis, and AI classification audit if the cameras support it. The main fix for “constant false alerts” complaints.
Power Supply Audit
Power supply voltage and amperage check, PoE switch port test, UPS battery condition, load shedding resilience verification, and surge protection review. Power issues cause about 40% of CCTV failures.
Written Diagnosis & Quote
Every inspection finishes with a written report listing every issue found, the fix for each one, and a quotation for repair or upgrade. No verbal-only diagnosis. No vague “you probably need a new system” upsells.
CCTV Camera Inspections Price
Standard call-out and diagnostic fee in Pretoria East, including the first hour. Centurion, Midrand and Johannesburg from R950. After-hours call-outs R1,200.
- Full physical inspection of every camera
- NVR / DVR diagnostic with hard drive health check
- Network and mobile app verification
- AI detection and detection zone audit
- Written diagnosis with itemised repair quote
- Inspection fee deducted from any repair work booked within 30 days
How a CCTV Maintenance Visit Works
From the first call to a working system, here is exactly what happens.
A quick description of the problem: what is happening, how long it has been down, and what brand of cameras you have. We give you our availability and confirm the inspection fee for your area.
Most Pretoria East site inspections happen within 1-2 working days. Centurion, Midrand and Johannesburg typically within 2-3 working days. Same-day call-outs available for urgent commercial sites.
30 to 60 minutes on site. Every camera checked, recorder tested, network verified, configuration audited. You are welcome to watch, and most people do, because they want to see exactly what is broken.
You receive a fully itemised written quotation for any repair or upgrade work needed. Hardware and labour quoted separately. No verbal-only estimates.
Once you accept the quote, repair work is scheduled at your convenience. Most jobs are completed within the same week. Workmanship warranty applies on any new work.
After repairs, every camera is tested live, mobile app is reverified, and you receive a fresh test push notification before we leave. The job is done when the system is genuinely working.
The Most Common CCTV Camera Repairs We Complete
Most of the inspections we run lead to one of the following repairs. Knowing what these typically cost helps you understand whether to fix or upgrade.
Genuinely unfixable systems are rare. The vast majority of “broken CCTV” complaints are resolved with one of the repairs above. We will always tell you honestly when a system has reached the point where replacement is cheaper than continued repair.
When Repair Becomes Upgrade, and Why It Is Often the Right Call
About a quarter of the CCTV camera inspections we run end on the same note: this system is past its useful life, and carrying on repairing it costs more than starting fresh. That is especially true of analogue systems put in before 2018. The cameras are low resolution, the DVR has no AI, the app no longer gets meaningful updates, and the hard drive has been running on borrowed time for six years or more.
In these cases we present both options honestly: keep repairing the old system at R3,000 to R8,000 per intervention every 12 to 18 months, or upgrade to a modern system that will deliver useful results for the next 5 to 10 years. The upgrade path normally retains existing cable infrastructure where possible, which significantly reduces the total cost compared to a full new-build.
For the upgrade route, all five of our fixed-price tiers are available:
- IMOU WiFi specials from R6,900: the cheapest route back to working cameras, and the only one needing no cable run to a recorder, which suits rentals and complexes with modification rules
- Wired Hikvision Turbo HD specials from R7,500: a like-for-like upgrade of an older analogue system using the same coax cable runs
- TP-Link VIGI AI specials from R10,900: AI human and vehicle detection, colour night vision and two-way audio at roughly half the cost per camera of the Hikvision AI range, on a 2-year warranty
- AcuSense AI IP specials from R19,900: Hikvision deep-learning detection that ends the false-alarm problem for good, on a 3-year South African warranty
- ColorVu AI specials from R24,900: the flagship tier, full-colour night vision plus AcuSense plus active deterrent, and our most-installed upgrade in Waterkloof, Brooklyn and Monument Park
Which tier is right depends on what the inspection finds and what you want the system to do. If the existing coax is sound and the budget is tight, Turbo HD is the sensible call. If the false alarms are what drove you to phone us, you need AI detection, and TP-Link VIGI gets you there for considerably less than Hikvision. Full pricing for every tier is on our CCTV installation prices guide.
CCTV Camera Inspection FAQs
How much do CCTV camera inspections cost?
R750 in Pretoria East including the first hour, R950 in Centurion, Midrand and Johannesburg, and R1,200 for after-hours call-outs. The fee covers a full 30 to 60 minute on-site diagnostic plus a written report with itemised repair quotation. If you proceed with any repair work within 30 days, the inspection fee is deducted from the repair invoice, so the inspection effectively becomes free if you go ahead with the fix.
How long does a CCTV camera inspection take?
30 to 60 minutes on site for a typical 4 to 8 camera residential system. Larger commercial sites or systems with 12+ cameras can take 1 to 2 hours. The written diagnosis report is delivered same day or next morning, depending on what time the inspection finishes.
Do you inspect systems from brands you do not install?
Yes. We install Hikvision, TP-Link VIGI and IMOU, but we inspect and repair systems from any brand: Dahua, Uniview, Provision-ISR, AVTECH, Bosch, Ezviz and various unbranded budget systems. For systems past useful service life the inspection often leads to an upgrade recommendation, but we will repair systems from brands we do not stock wherever it makes economic sense.
Can you fix my CCTV cameras the same day as the inspection?
Sometimes, depending on what is found. Simple configuration fixes (detection zone setup, app reset, mobile viewing setup) we usually complete on the spot. Hardware replacement (cameras, NVR, hard drive) requires sourcing the part, which typically adds 1 to 3 working days. We will tell you immediately if a same-day fix is possible.
My CCTV system is not working: how urgent is it?
That depends on your situation. For commercial sites where uninterrupted recording matters for insurance compliance, we offer same-day call-outs. For residential properties where you have lost recording capability but still have other security measures (alarm, electric fence, beams), 1 to 2 working days is typical. Tell us the urgency when you call and we will work around it.
Do you offer CCTV maintenance contracts?
Yes. For commercial sites and large estates, we offer scheduled maintenance contracts that include quarterly inspections, hard drive health monitoring, firmware updates, detection zone re-tuning, and priority response on faults. Pricing varies by camera count and contract length, so contact us to discuss what you need.
What brand do you recommend if my old system needs upgrading?
It depends on the property and the budget, and we will say which after the inspection rather than before. Hikvision is our primary range and the one we recommend when the budget allows: the deepest product range, the strongest low-light imaging through ColorVu, and a 3-year South African warranty. TP-Link VIGI is the value option, with AI detection and two-way audio from R10,900 installed on a 2-year warranty, and it is often the right answer when the existing system had too few cameras rather than the wrong ones. IMOU covers the cases where running new cable is not practical. What we will not do is put two brands on one system.
Do you carry out CCTV camera inspections in Waterkloof, Brooklyn and Monument Park?
Yes, these established Pretoria East suburbs are where we run the most inspection-to-upgrade jobs. Heritage homes in Waterkloof, Brooklyn, Monument Park, Lukasrand, Menlo Park and Hazelwood typically have 10 to 15 year old DVR-era systems reaching end of life. The pattern is consistent: existing analogue cameras have weathered, the recorder no longer supports mobile viewing reliably, false alerts have rendered the system unusable.
Our inspection diagnoses the actual state, and the upgrade quote reuses the existing cable runs to keep the cost reasonable.
Will you take over support of a system another company installed?
Yes, and it is a large part of what we do. Installers close down, change numbers or simply stop answering, and clients are left with hardware nobody will touch. We inspect the system, document what is there, correct the configuration and take it on from that point. You do not have to have bought anything from us for us to maintain your system.
What happens if the CCTV camera inspection shows nothing is fixable?
That has happened maybe twice in 12 years. In both cases the system was a no-name budget brand with no firmware support, no parts availability, and cameras that had physically failed. We were honest about it: replacement was the only path. For any branded system and most generic budget brands, there is almost always a fix. The inspection gives you the information to make the decision yourself.
Ready to Get Your CCTV Cameras Working Again?
Free quote within 24 hours of the CCTV camera inspection. Repairs are typically scheduled within the same week.
Rates last reviewed 11 August 2026 by Easy CCTV, CCTV installation and maintenance specialists in Pretoria since 2013.