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CCTV Recorders & Storage

A CCTV recorder stores the footage from the cameras on a system, and the drive or card inside it sets how long that footage can be kept. This page brings together network video recorders for IP cameras, DVRs and hybrid recorders for analogue coax cameras, recorder-and-camera kits and the storage that goes with them, such as surveillance hard drives and high-endurance memory cards, along with video decoders and lockable recorder enclosures.

Choosing CCTV Recorders & Storage

Match the recorder to its cameras, then size the storage and choose its location.

NVR, DVR or hybrid

An NVR records IP cameras over the network. The TP-Link VIGI NVR1004H-4P is a 4-channel NVR with four PoE+ ports and 4K HDMI output, and the HDview HC816R is a 16-channel NVR for 8MP cameras. A DVR records analogue cameras over coax, and hybrid models accept several signal types: the Comelit PAC AHDVR016A08A is a 5-hybrid DVR with 16 analogue and 8 IP video inputs.

Channels and camera power

Allow for cameras you may add later. Channel counts here reach 256 on enterprise rack units such as the Hikvision DS-96256NI-I16. A recorder with built-in PoE ports powers IP cameras down their network cable; the DS-7716NI-M4/16P has 16 PoE ports on a 200 W budget. Check the port count, because the iDS-7732NXI-M4/16P/X records 32 cameras but has 16 PoE ports.

Drives and cards

Recording time depends on the drive fitted. HDview recorders such as the HC816R come with the drive installed, in versions from 2TB to 16TB. For recorders sold without drives, surveillance disks include the ESP HD8000SA (8TB) and the Seagate SkyHawk AI ST12000VE001 (12TB), which has a 550 TB/year workload rating. Cameras and vehicle recorders record on cards such as the Hikvision AE-MW3SD1, a 512 GB high-endurance SD card.

Kits, decoders and enclosures

The RekorHD RC24KB4G kit pairs a 4-channel IP PoE NVR with four 2MP bullet cameras and 1TB of storage. Decoders such as the Hikvision DS-6910UDI(C) show IP streams on monitors. Haydon makes lockable powder-coated steel enclosures for recorders, including a fan-cooled model with two 12V fans to expel hot air.

Hikvision supplies the most products on this page, with recorders, memory cards and decoders among them.

TypeExampleKey detail
PoE NVRTP-Link VIGI NVR1004H-4P4 channels, 4K HDMI
NVR with driveHDview HC816R16 channels, 8MP, 2TB
Hybrid DVRComelit PAC AHDVR016A08A16 analogue and 8 IP inputs
Enterprise NVRHikvision DS-96256NI-I16256 channels, 16 bays, RAID
Hard driveSeagate ST12000VE00112TB, 7200 RPM
Memory cardHikvision AE-MW3SD1512 GB, high endurance

Related categories

Shop by recorder type in network video recorders (NVRs) and digital video recorders (DVRs), compare disks in CCTV hard drives and storage, add a screen from CCTV monitors, or start with CCTV kits and bundles. The wider CCTV and surveillance range has cameras and accessories.

Brands we stock in CCTV Recorders & Storage

Ajax, Aritech, Avigilon Unity, Axis Communications, Comelit PAC, Dahua Technology, ESP, Genie, Hanwha Vision, Haydon, Hikvision, HiLook, Honeywell Commercial Security, i-PRO, Kingston, Milestone Systems, Nitek, OpenEye, Seagate, Teledyne FLIR, TP-Link, Verint and Xtralis by Honeywell.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need an NVR or a DVR?

You need an NVR if your cameras are IP cameras and a DVR if they are analogue cameras on coax. Where a site mixes the two, a hybrid recorder takes them together, such as the Comelit PAC AHDVR016A08A with 16 analogue and 8 IP inputs or the Hanwha Vision HRX-1635 pentabrid DVR. Check the camera resolution the recorder supports before you buy.

How much storage does a CCTV recorder need?

Enough to hold footage for as many days as you need to keep it, which depends on camera count, resolution and recording mode. HDview NVRs such as the HC816R come with a drive fitted, in versions from 2TB to 16TB, and recorders sold without drives take SATA disks such as the ESP HD8000SA (8TB). Recording on motion rather than continuously makes the same drive last longer.

Why use a surveillance hard drive in a recorder?

A surveillance drive is designed for the constant writing a recorder does. The Seagate SkyHawk AI ST12000VE001 is engineered for always-on NVRs, with ImagePerfect AI firmware to minimise dropped frames and a 550 TB/year workload rating for sustained recording. Fit a drive size and number of drives the recorder supports: the Hanwha Vision HRX-1635 takes up to 8 SATA HDDs.

What is a PoE NVR?

A PoE NVR has network ports that carry power as well as video, so an IP camera can run on one cable back to the recorder. The TP-Link VIGI NVR1004H-4P has four PoE+ ports with a 53W budget, and the Hikvision DS-7716NI-M4/16P has 16 PoE ports on 200 W. Where a recorder has fewer PoE ports than channels, extra cameras need a separate PoE switch.

How can I protect a recorder from theft or tampering?

Put it in a lockable steel enclosure. The Haydon DVRBOX/PRO is powder-coated steel with a radial lock and interlocking hooked cam, vented on its sides, with a removable lid for access. Haydon’s fan-cooled enclosure can expel hot air with its two 12V fans. Leave space for the power and data cables.

What does a CCTV video decoder do?

A decoder takes camera or NVR streams from the network and shows them on local monitors or a video wall. The Hikvision DS-D6901UDI is a compact 1-channel decoder with HDMI, VGA and BNC outputs, and the DS-6910UDI(C) is a 10-channel decoding server with ten HDMI outputs for control rooms. Plan how many screens and camera views you need first.

  • Established 1975
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Written by the West Midlands Electrics technical team

Updated

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