Thanks for your video, I swapped out my HD and plugged back in, Power LED blinks. Went back to old HD and power LED still blinks. Any suggestions, Thanks.
I replaced my hard drive with a new one still comes up as no hdd I noticed you plugged the hdd cable to a different power source.. what is the purpose behind that if it was getting power form the cable in the front of the box?
only one power source can be connected to a drive at a time, I was swapping drives, testing different setups to see what was supported by the dvr, I was looking for a way to add a second harddrive, either internal or external - when I got to the point of making the video, that was the configuration I had, the power source is not important, the internal was working fine, I would recommend you reseat all the cables, and put your hand on top of the HDD while you turn on the dvr, you should feel the drive starting, it should be a smooth vibration, if it clicks, the drive is bad, if it is not powering up, the drive is bad, typically SATA drives are plug and play, if they don't come up and cables are fully seated, the drive is likely bad - try a different drive if you have one, and you can try the vibration test on the original drive for comparison, you can also switching the camera power supply with the camera power supply to see if that makes a difference, they are the same power supply, and i have seen the dvr power supply get 'weak' and not provide enough power, those are the things I would try - let me know how it goes - thanks for subscribing!
Can you please provide a link for the hard drive you bought for yours? Mine says it doesnt have HDD anymore & looking to replace when I came across your video. Thnaks.
way to many options, and I did not buy a harddrive, I had several 1-4 TB drives available that were pulled from my servers because they were too small (currently we are buying 22 TB to replace anything under 8 TB) - we being my son and I, but go to amazon and search for SATA 3 1/2 inch harddrive and buy one that looks like a good price - below $16 a TB is a good price, I put a 1.5 TB drive it this one, but you could get a 1-4 TB drive for a good price - I have tried a 4 TB and it works ok - SATA drives are all the same, price per TB being the only thing to affect your choice - but for the drive to mount into the existing mounting holes, it must be 3 1/2 inch drive, external USB drives will not work with this system - thanks for subscribing!
Question. My Cobra 8ch DVR system keeps going to black screen and a message to check source or HDMI cable. Neither has been touched. I end up having to un plug DVR. Sometimes it starts up some times is doesn't. Is this the power plug causing this or maybe the hard drive? Thank you for your time. I really appreciate it.
I am guessing this is caused by the power supply, you should switch the wall wart for the cameras with the wall wart for the DVR, that should confirm if it is the wall wart or not, when replacing a wall wart, you want to get one that outputs 12v, there are 2 types of wall warts, both will be labeled 12v, but 1 has the voltage regulator in the wall wart and outputs 12v, the other expects the voltage regulator to be in the equipment, not the wall wart and typically outputs about 16v, this system expects the voltage regulator to be in the wall wart - thanks for subscribing!
I would not recommend it, if you want to capture from a VHS, get this card - www.amazon.com/Hauppauge-610-USB-Live-Digitizer-Capture/dp/B0036VO2BI ($45) and capture to your computer via the USB port - there is software from that company to do the capture, you'll have to download and install it and its fairly easy to use - this is just about the only video capture device for the average person - if not this one, you are into the professional range, they do a lot more than just capture video but cost a LOT more - between my son and I, we have everything needed to setup a professional studio, if you need a VHS player, go to the local goodwill and get a VCR, or go to shopgoodwill.com - the shipping is high, but its still one of the cheapest ways to get a VCR - verify your recording before getting rid of the VHS tapes - thanks for subscribing!
@@snapwholeharborfreightreviews ill check into that video capture device These old home movies have already been copied once they were filmed on an millimeter camera We still have the camera and projector but theyre no longer working
@@snapwholeharborfreightreviews You were right, I bought a new drive and it formatted just fine, but now all (5) cameras are recording 100% of the time....?
I noted you stated to create a second account, something about getting locked out, but is this required that we create a second account or did I just misunderstand?
it is not required - but if only have 1 account and forget the password, there is no way to reset the password on the 1080p system, so you will be locked out - thanks for subscribing!
the cobra will not recognize external drivers, I've tried, see my setup video for the new 4K system and I demonstrate it there - better to but a large WD external and 'shuck' the case and install internal, search the internet for compatibility, lots of good info out there, a few manufacturers set for external only, I do this for server harddrives - odd but externals cost a lot more than externals, the trick is to do the research and make sure the exterals are really just internals in a case with a USBSATA adapter and a power supply - thanks for subscribing!
@@snapwholeharborfreightreviews thank you very much . Other question If I Save recording videos in external hard drive instead flash drive , do you think will work? Or if I add 10 TB to the system , do you think will work? Thank you.
My cobra system is starting to shut down around 8p and doesn't allow us to turn back on till 6a or so. I replaced the power supply and camera supply cord. Is the hard drive a good idea to replace?
when the harddrive goes bad, the system still boots, but won't record, what lights does it have on the front panel when it works and when it shuts down down, have you see it shut down? does it give a message on the screen? have you tried powering it off for a minute and back on at about 6p, does it appears hot? you can open the case and unplug the harddrive from the system board and see it that changed the behavior, while doing that, check the system board for obvious scorch marks, there is almost nothing in the system but a small control board (about 1/2 the size of the interior space) and the harddrive, an other thing to try is to disconnect all the cameras from the system at about 6p and see if that changes the behavior, self powering down and back on is usually a sign of something getting hot, but that is a long power off period for heat, you might try leaving the cover off and turning a fan on the inside of the unit, you are looking for a cause of the heat and a change in behavior, is the drv in a confined space where the heat can't be dissipated away from the unit? you can also test the wall warts for voltage within a minute of the power off, it should 12v to 12.4v, higher or lower is bad, I recommend you want the troubleshooting videos I posted, they are in the cobra 8 channel system playlist ( if you have not tried that yet) - the voltage from the wall wart is explained in the no boot video, please let know how this goes, I'm interested in what you find
Update, seems to be random shutting down, shows "no signal" on monitor while power (green) and record (red) alternate on and off. The DVR sits on a tray made for DVR or DVD player on top of the monitor. I thought a while back that maybe having all 8 cameras hooked up was the cause for the first shutdown for a few days about 2 years ago. Going on 3rd year with these cameras.
@@1986_glock_shooter_ have you investigated for a source of heat? you should try a wall wart from another source, make sure the output it within 0.5 volts of 12 volts, I had a similar problem with a power supply, tested ok, but failed under load - you can test it under load by testing inside the case, I recommend disconnecting all the camera and see if that changes the behavior, do you use 1 or 2 wall warts for 8 cameras? that behavior points to the DVR attempt to start up and failing, you can attempt disconnecting the harddrive, do you have the auto reboot option turned on? if not, i recommend you set it to the shortest time period and see if that changes the behavior - let me know what these options do
@@1986_glock_shooter_ is it still powering off? do you have motion activated recording turned on? or does it record all the time? if you have doubts about the harddrive, you can format it and then see how much recording you get
the only number they mention is 1TB, I put a 1.5 TB in as a replacement - normally I would say hook it up, it will probably work, its linux under the hood, but it is possible the system linux kernel is 32bit, which normally means it supports up to 2TB, which means the 10TB drive will register as less that 2TB, a 32bit linux system has a 2TB limit, so after 2 TB it wraps, same for 4TB, 6TB, 8TB, and since the last count is less than 2TB, that is what it will register as to the system - I recommend you try it, but remember that system was designed to be used as a DVR appliance, and basically never be changed or used for anything else, and it was designed a long time ago, and they might have used a 32bit processor to save money, these were designed as cheap throw away systems, but they are not sold that way - if you try it, please post the results here, other people will be interested - there you go, more information than you asked for...... thanks for subscribing!
I have several 4TB drives that are too small to use, I'll hook one up via USB and see what it registers as and post the results here - thanks for subscribing!
Can I do 4tb hard drive I’m putting up 6 cameras. 4 cameras with 1tb gives me about 1week of recording but would like to keep recordings save a bit longer. What do you think?
Based on my tests, a 4tb should work fine, I put a 4tb in the 4K version of this system and it worked fine, and this 1080p system and the 4K system are based on the same system - it has to replace the internal harddrive and you will need to format ithe drive once installed - thanks for subscribing!
switch the power support for the dvr with the power supply for the cameras, they are the same and the one on the dvr might be having a problem providing enough power - thanks for subscribing!
A sata drive - I recommend 2 TB or less, I used a 1.5 TB, and it comes with a 1 TB, the name brand is not important, find the cheapest one that is NEW on amazon - search for 1 TB 3.5 inch harddrive, anything up to 2 TB, large will work, but likely will only show 2 TB usable - when I search for 1 TB, a 2 TB showed for $49, and a 1 TB for $39 - thanks for subscribing!
you should replace the HDD, but a 1tb off amazon, any SATA drive will work - turn on the wireless on your phone, connect to your home wifi and see if the phone connects to your system, the problem is with your ISP router, check if uPNP is enabled in the network settings, if you can't connect using your home wifi, check the ethernet cable that connects your dvr/nvr to your ISP router - thanks for subscribing!
the systems works without the harddrive, it just won't record without harddrive, I am guessing the problem is in the cabling, check the power supply to the cameras, what comes on? the system display? the bnc connectors can be a little picky about how they are connected, recommend you check the cabling, especially the power, apply power to the camera, and check them in the dark to see if they turn on their night vision light - check on my playlist for this system, there is a video showing how the night vision light looks at light, that will verify the cameras are getting power - thanks for subscribing!
Is it ok to use a 3tb drive?
Thanks for your video, I swapped out my HD and plugged back in, Power LED blinks. Went back to old HD and power LED still blinks. Any suggestions, Thanks.
when the HD is changed, it sets an error condition in the system that can not be cleared, very strange and misleading.... thanks for subscribing!
I replaced my hard drive with a new one still comes up as no hdd
I noticed you plugged the hdd cable to a different power source.. what is the purpose behind that if it was getting power form the cable in the front of the box?
only one power source can be connected to a drive at a time, I was swapping drives, testing different setups to see what was supported by the dvr, I was looking for a way to add a second harddrive, either internal or external - when I got to the point of making the video, that was the configuration I had, the power source is not important, the internal was working fine, I would recommend you reseat all the cables, and put your hand on top of the HDD while you turn on the dvr, you should feel the drive starting, it should be a smooth vibration, if it clicks, the drive is bad, if it is not powering up, the drive is bad, typically SATA drives are plug and play, if they don't come up and cables are fully seated, the drive is likely bad - try a different drive if you have one, and you can try the vibration test on the original drive for comparison, you can also switching the camera power supply with the camera power supply to see if that makes a difference, they are the same power supply, and i have seen the dvr power supply get 'weak' and not provide enough power, those are the things I would try - let me know how it goes - thanks for subscribing!
Can you please provide a link for the hard drive you bought for yours? Mine says it doesnt have HDD anymore & looking to replace when I came across your video. Thnaks.
way to many options, and I did not buy a harddrive, I had several 1-4 TB drives available that were pulled from my servers because they were too small (currently we are buying 22 TB to replace anything under 8 TB) - we being my son and I, but go to amazon and search for SATA 3 1/2 inch harddrive and buy one that looks like a good price - below $16 a TB is a good price, I put a 1.5 TB drive it this one, but you could get a 1-4 TB drive for a good price - I have tried a 4 TB and it works ok - SATA drives are all the same, price per TB being the only thing to affect your choice - but for the drive to mount into the existing mounting holes, it must be 3 1/2 inch drive, external USB drives will not work with this system - thanks for subscribing!
Question. My Cobra 8ch DVR system keeps going to black screen and a message to check source or HDMI cable. Neither has been touched. I end up having to un plug DVR. Sometimes it starts up some times is doesn't. Is this the power plug causing this or maybe the hard drive? Thank you for your time. I really appreciate it.
I am guessing this is caused by the power supply, you should switch the wall wart for the cameras with the wall wart for the DVR, that should confirm if it is the wall wart or not, when replacing a wall wart, you want to get one that outputs 12v, there are 2 types of wall warts, both will be labeled 12v, but 1 has the voltage regulator in the wall wart and outputs 12v, the other expects the voltage regulator to be in the equipment, not the wall wart and typically outputs about 16v, this system expects the voltage regulator to be in the wall wart - thanks for subscribing!
Where did you bought your new hard drive
I went to amazon and searched for 2 TB internal SATA 3 1/2 inch drive - they are all about the same, lowest cost wins - thanks for subscribing!
Can that dvr unit be used to record vhs movies to an sd card i have some old vhs home movies that i would like to preserve digitally
I would not recommend it, if you want to capture from a VHS, get this card - www.amazon.com/Hauppauge-610-USB-Live-Digitizer-Capture/dp/B0036VO2BI ($45) and capture to your computer via the USB port - there is software from that company to do the capture, you'll have to download and install it and its fairly easy to use - this is just about the only video capture device for the average person - if not this one, you are into the professional range, they do a lot more than just capture video but cost a LOT more - between my son and I, we have everything needed to setup a professional studio, if you need a VHS player, go to the local goodwill and get a VCR, or go to shopgoodwill.com - the shipping is high, but its still one of the cheapest ways to get a VCR - verify
your recording before getting rid of the VHS tapes - thanks for subscribing!
@@snapwholeharborfreightreviews ill check into that video capture device
These old home movies have already been copied once they were filmed on an millimeter camera
We still have the camera and projector but theyre no longer working
I put a 500 mb drive in it but about 75% through the format it stops, it's a used drive from the office that may be bad or could it be the size....?
the size it not important, if it starts formating, the system sees it, so it is not the size, probably a bad drive - thanks for subscribing!
@@snapwholeharborfreightreviews You were right, I bought a new drive and it formatted just fine, but now all (5) cameras are recording 100% of the time....?
I noted you stated to create a second account, something about getting locked out, but is this required that we create a second account or did I just misunderstand?
it is not required - but if only have 1 account and forget the password, there is no way to reset the password on the 1080p system, so you will be locked out - thanks for subscribing!
Can we add external hard drive to cobra?
the cobra will not recognize external drivers, I've tried, see my setup video for the new 4K system and I demonstrate it there - better to but a large WD external and 'shuck' the case and install internal, search the internet for compatibility, lots of good info out there, a few manufacturers set for external only, I do this for server harddrives - odd but externals cost a lot more than externals, the trick is to do the research and make sure the exterals are really just internals in a case with a USBSATA adapter and a power supply - thanks for subscribing!
@@snapwholeharborfreightreviews thank you very much . Other question
If I Save recording videos in external hard drive instead flash drive , do you think will work? Or if I add 10 TB to the system , do you think will work?
Thank you.
My cobra system is starting to shut down around 8p and doesn't allow us to turn back on till 6a or so. I replaced the power supply and camera supply cord. Is the hard drive a good idea to replace?
when the harddrive goes bad, the system still boots, but won't record, what lights does it have on the front panel when it works and when it shuts down down, have you see it shut down? does it give a message on the screen? have you tried powering it off for a minute and back on at about 6p, does it appears hot? you can open the case and unplug the harddrive from the system board and see it that changed the behavior, while doing that, check the system board for obvious scorch marks, there is almost nothing in the system but a small control board (about 1/2 the size of the interior space) and the harddrive, an other thing to try is to disconnect all the cameras from the system at about 6p and see if that changes the behavior, self powering down and back on is usually a sign of something getting hot, but that is a long power off period for heat, you might try leaving the cover off and turning a fan on the inside of the unit, you are looking for a cause of the heat and a change in behavior, is the drv in a confined space where the heat can't be dissipated away from the unit? you can also test the wall warts for voltage within a minute of the power off, it should 12v to 12.4v, higher or lower is bad, I recommend you want the troubleshooting videos I posted, they are in the cobra 8 channel system playlist ( if you have not tried that yet) - the voltage from the wall wart is explained in the no boot video, please let know how this goes, I'm interested in what you find
Update, seems to be random shutting down, shows "no signal" on monitor while power (green) and record (red) alternate on and off. The DVR sits on a tray made for DVR or DVD player on top of the monitor. I thought a while back that maybe having all 8 cameras hooked up was the cause for the first shutdown for a few days about 2 years ago. Going on 3rd year with these cameras.
@@1986_glock_shooter_ have you investigated for a source of heat? you should try a wall wart from another source, make sure the output it within 0.5 volts of 12 volts, I had a similar problem with a power supply, tested ok, but failed under load - you can test it under load by testing inside the case, I recommend disconnecting all the camera and see if that changes the behavior, do you use 1 or 2 wall warts for 8 cameras? that behavior points to the DVR attempt to start up and failing, you can attempt disconnecting the harddrive, do you have the auto reboot option turned on? if not, i recommend you set it to the shortest time period and see if that changes the behavior - let me know what these options do
@@snapwholeharborfreightreviews no heat but noticed that the recording has lessened to 3 days of recording
@@1986_glock_shooter_ is it still powering off? do you have motion activated recording turned on? or does it record all the time? if you have doubts about the harddrive, you can format it and then see how much recording you get
Do you know the limit to this system? If I bought a 10tb wd purple would it work?
the only number they mention is 1TB, I put a 1.5 TB in as a replacement - normally I would say hook it up, it will probably work, its linux under the hood, but it is possible the system linux kernel is 32bit, which normally means it supports up to 2TB, which means the 10TB drive will register as less that 2TB, a 32bit linux system has a 2TB limit, so after 2 TB it wraps, same for 4TB, 6TB, 8TB, and since the last count is less than 2TB, that is what it will register as to the system - I recommend you try it, but remember that system was designed to be used as a DVR appliance, and basically never be changed or used for anything else, and it was designed a long time ago, and they might have used a 32bit processor to save money, these were designed as cheap throw away systems, but they are not sold that way - if you try it, please post the results here, other people will be interested - there you go, more information than you asked for...... thanks for subscribing!
I have several 4TB drives that are too small to use, I'll hook one up via USB and see what it registers as and post the results here - thanks for subscribing!
Any updates?
Can I do 4tb hard drive I’m putting up 6 cameras. 4 cameras with 1tb gives me about 1week of recording but would like to keep recordings save a bit longer. What do you think?
Based on my tests, a 4tb should work fine, I put a 4tb in the 4K version of this system and it worked fine, and this 1080p system and the 4K system are based on the same system - it has to replace the internal harddrive and you will need to format ithe drive once installed - thanks for subscribing!
My drv keep shutting of and on randomly ant advice?
switch the power support for the dvr with the power supply for the cameras, they are the same and the one on the dvr might be having a problem providing enough power - thanks for subscribing!
@@snapwholeharborfreightreviews i did and still doing it
What kind of hard drive is this you used?
A sata drive - I recommend 2 TB or less, I used a 1.5 TB, and it comes with a 1 TB, the name brand is not important, find the cheapest one that is NEW on amazon - search for 1 TB 3.5 inch harddrive, anything up to 2 TB, large will work, but likely will only show 2 TB usable - when I search for 1 TB, a 2 TB showed for $49, and a 1 TB for $39 - thanks for subscribing!
My dvr won't read the hdd and it stopped connecting to my phone what do I do
you should replace the HDD, but a 1tb off amazon, any SATA drive will work - turn on the wireless on your phone, connect to your home wifi and see if the phone connects to your system, the problem is with your ISP router, check if uPNP is enabled in the network settings, if you can't connect using your home wifi, check the ethernet cable that connects your dvr/nvr to your ISP router - thanks for subscribing!
put new hard drive in. using power to camera it comes on but it will not get video. video loss
the systems works without the harddrive, it just won't record without harddrive, I am guessing the problem is in the cabling, check the power supply to the cameras, what comes on? the system display? the bnc connectors can be a little picky about how they are connected, recommend you check the cabling, especially the power, apply power to the camera, and check them in the dark to see if they turn on their night vision light - check on my playlist for this system, there is a video showing how the night vision light looks at light, that will verify the cameras are getting power - thanks for subscribing!
Is it ok to buy a 3tb? It’s the same price as a 2tb I found but the 2tb is refurbished and has less reviews