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.
“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 CCTV 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 BNC connector issue, and now and then the camera itself has failed.
Hik-Connect App Won’t Work
The mobile app says the device is offline, or remote viewing has stopped working since the router was replaced or the network changed. Usually a port-forward 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, AcuSense, 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, Hik-Connect cloud status, mobile app login on your phone, push notification test, and remote viewing test from outside the network.
AcuSense & Detection Audit
Detection zone review on every camera, sensitivity threshold check, schedule verification, false-alarm pattern analysis, and AI classification audit if cameras support AcuSense. 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. Centurion, Midrand and Johannesburg from R950.
- Full physical inspection of every camera
- NVR / DVR diagnostic with hard drive health check
- Network and mobile app verification
- AcuSense and detection zone audit
- Written diagnosis with itemised repair quote
- Inspection fee deducted from any repair work booked within 30 days
Why we charge for CCTV camera inspections: a thorough diagnostic takes 30 to 60 minutes on site and another half hour to write up properly. The “free” inspections you see advertised are almost always followed by an inflated repair quote built to claw back the time given away. Our fee is fixed, it is upfront, and it comes off any repair you book, so if you go ahead with the fix the inspection effectively costs you nothing.
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 Turbo HD 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-R8,000 per intervention every 12-18 months, or upgrade to a modern Hikvision IP system that will deliver useful results for the next 5-10 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, see our tier options:
- Wired Hikvision Turbo HD specials from R7,500: a like-for-like upgrade of an older analogue system using the same cable runs
- AcuSense AI IP specials from R19,900: a step up to modern AI cameras with human and vehicle detection that ends the false-alarm problem for good
- 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
CCTV Camera Inspection FAQs
How much do CCTV camera inspections cost?
R750 in Pretoria East, R950 in Centurion, Midrand and Johannesburg. The inspection 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 non-Hikvision CCTV systems?
Yes. We install Hikvision exclusively, but we inspect and repair systems from any brand: Dahua, Uniview, Provision-ISR, AVTECH, Bosch, and various unbranded budget systems. For systems past useful service life, the inspection often leads to a Hikvision upgrade recommendation, but we will repair non-Hikvision systems where 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 CCTV brand do you recommend if my old system needs upgrading?
Hikvision, exclusively. We have been a dedicated Hikvision specialist since 2013 with over 7,500 installations completed. The product range delivers the best long-term reliability in South African conditions, the largest local distribution and parts network, and the most mature AI feature set (AcuSense, ColorVu, DeepinMind). For complete detail, see our Hikvision CCTV specialist page.
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.
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 (Hikvision, Dahua, Uniview, Bosch, AVTECH, Provision-ISR) 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.