NVR recorders

How to choose an NVR

The NVR is the heart of a camera system: it writes the IP camera streams to a drive, shows the picture on a TV or phone and sends motion alerts. Choose it by the number of cameras, their resolution and archive length.

• Number of channels. 4 channels cover a flat or small house, 8 a detached house with a garden, 16 a business, 32–64 a warehouse or apartment block. Keep 30–50% spare for growth.
• PoE ports. Built-in PoE (models marked -P, -8P, -16P) powers the cameras over the same cable with no separate switch — the simplest install for up to 16 cameras.
• Resolution and bandwidth. Check how many megapixels per channel the recorder supports (Dahua EI series up to 16 MP) and its incoming bandwidth: 8 cameras at 4K need at least 80–100 Mbit/s.
• Drive bays and capacity. 1 bay takes up to 16–20 TB, 2 bays (Dahua NVR42xx, NVR52xx) double the archive, the Ubiquiti UNVR-Pro holds 7 drives with RAID. The drive is usually not included — choose a surveillance-series drive built for 24/7 writing.
• Software and AI. Dahua WizSense tells a person from a car to avoid false alarms from cats and trees. Check ONVIF support if the cameras are from another maker.
• Power and placement. The Ajax NVR DC runs on 12 V and fits an alarm system's backup power; fanless models are silent and suit a hallway cabinet.

NVR recorders in our range

Most of the range is Dahua: 4-channel NVR2104 and NVR4104 (4KS3 and EI series, -P versions with 4 PoE ports) and the NVR1104HS-W for Wi-Fi cameras, 8-channel NVR2108, NVR4108 and NVR4208 with two bays and 8-PoE variants, 16-channel NVR4116, NVR4216 and WizSense NVR5216 with up to 16 PoE ports and 8K HDMI, and 32- and 64-channel NVR4232, NVR5232, NVR5432 and NVR5464 for business. Ajax offers 8- and 16-channel recorders including low-voltage DC versions; Ubiquiti the UNVR, UNVR Instant and 7-bay UNVR-Pro for UniFi Protect cameras; TP-Link VIGI the NVR1004H-4P and NVR1008H-8P with PoE+ ports; Axis the S3008 Mk II with a 2 TB drive and Imou a 10-channel NVR for the home.

Brands

Dahua is the standard in professional CCTV: the widest model range, WizSense and WizMind analytics and zero-setup compatibility with its own cameras. Ajax puts the NVR and the alarm system in one app — especially handy if the alarm is already Ajax. Ubiquiti UniFi Protect is elegant, licence-free and suits a house whose network already runs on UniFi. TP-Link VIGI is the cheapest way to build a 4–8 PoE camera system, Axis the choice for a demanding business.

Related products

Pair the recorder with IP cameras and internal hard drives rated for 24/7 writing. For a larger system see PoE switches, for a quick home setup wireless cameras. The full selection is in video surveillance.

Frequently asked questions

Is a hard drive included? Usually not — the Axis S3008 is the exception. Choose a surveillance-series drive, as a regular desktop drive is not made for continuous writing.

How big a drive do I need? One 4 MP camera with H.265 writes about 30–40 GB a day on continuous recording. Four cameras and a 30-day archive need 4–5 TB; motion-triggered recording cuts that by 3–5 times.

Does a Dahua NVR work with other cameras? Yes, most IP cameras connect over ONVIF, but the AI functions and automatic setup only work fully with Dahua cameras.

Can I watch on my phone? Yes, each maker's app (Dahua DMSS, Ajax, UniFi Protect, VIGI) shows live view and archive and sends motion alerts with no monthly fee.

How quickly does the recorder arrive? Smaller models reach an Omniva, DPD or Venipak parcel locker in 1–2 working days; rack models come by courier.