Network Video Recorders (NVRs)

A network video recorder records and plays back video from IP cameras over a network, storing it on internal drives. Many have built-in PoE ports, such as the four on the HiLook NVR-104MH-K/4P, so the cameras plug straight in and draw power from the recorder. Footage is viewed on a monitor over HDMI or, on models that support it, through a phone app.

An NVR records IP cameras over network cable, while a DVR records analogue cameras over coax. An IP system usually carries power and video on one cable through PoE, and an IP camera encodes its own video; an analogue system needs coax plus power, or power over coax. Choose by the cameras: IP cameras need an NVR, HD analogue cameras a DVR.

One channel per camera, plus spare channels for cameras added later. Recorders here have between 4 and 256 channels: the HiLook NVR-104MH-K/4P has 4, the TP-Link VIGI NVR1016H 16, the Hikvision DS-7732NI-M4/16P 32 and the DS-96128NI-I24 128. Check the incoming bandwidth too if the cameras are high resolution.

Not for as many cameras as it has PoE ports, because the built-in ports power them. The Hikvision DS-7616NXI-I2/16P/S(E) powers sixteen cameras from a 200 W budget, so check the total draw of the cameras against it. Beyond the ports, or with a non-PoE recorder such as the DS-7732NI-M4, add a PoE switch.

Enough to hold the recording period required, which depends on camera count, resolution, compression and whether recording is continuous or on motion. H.265+ compression, supported by recorders such as the HiLook NVR-104MH-K/4P, reduces the space needed. Multi-bay models such as the Hikvision DS-7716NI-M4/16P take four SATA drives up to 64 TB in total.

Yes, within the maximum camera resolution the recorder accepts. ESP HDview NVRs such as the HC816R are rated for 8MP cameras, as is the TP-Link VIGI NVR1008H-8MP, and Dahua recorders such as the DHI-NVR5216-16HP-XI/Pro support IP cameras up to 32MP. The HDMI output is a separate figure, such as the 8K output on the Hikvision DS-7616NI-M2/16P.

Deep-learning analytics that separate people and vehicles from other motion, so alarms and searches return fewer false results. Hikvision AcuSense NVRs such as the DS-7732NXI-I4/S(E) do this on the recorder, DeepinMind models such as the iDS-7716NXI-M4/X add facial recognition, and the Hanwha Vision XRN-426S-2T is an AI NVR.

A rack-mount recorder with many drive bays and RAID. The Hikvision DS-96256NI-I24 records 256 channels on 24 bays with RAID, the DS-9664NI-M16 64 channels on 16 bays, and the Milestone Husky IVO 1000R is a 2U appliance with 64 TB across eight bays. Axis rack recording servers such as the 02541-001 carry AXIS Camera Station licences and RAID options.

Yes, Ajax NVRs connect to an Ajax security system, so video surveillance and intrusion protection are managed together with quick access to the video archive, even on the go. Versions include 8, 16 and 32 channels, such as the 127051.122.BL 8-channel model powered by a low-voltage supply and the 160673.122.BL1 32-channel AI recorder with two hot-swappable drives.

Yes, the Hikvision AE-MN7083 is an 8-channel mobile NVR with a 1TB SSD. The AE-MN7083 connects IP cameras through PoE interfaces, records with H.264 or H.265 compression at up to 5MP per camera, and has a built-in GPS module that records the location of the vehicle, with plug-in 4G and Wi-Fi modules for sending data.