NVR vs DVR: How CCTV Recorders Differ

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DVR in short

A DVR typically takes analogue or analogue-HD cameras on coaxial (or similar) inputs. The recorder does the encoding. Channel count is physical: sixteen BNC sockets means sixteen cameras of that type, unless the unit is a hybrid.

NVR in short

An NVR records IP cameras. Cameras encode on the device and send streams over the network. Ports on the NVR or a PoE switch, plus licences on some brands, set how many cameras you can add. Expanding later is easier if the switch and disk were sized with headroom.

Disks and RAID

Footage lives on hard disks. Enterprise or surveillance-rated disks last longer in 24-hour write cycles than desktop disks. RAID can protect against a single disk failure; it is not a backup of last month’s incident if someone deletes the volume. Keep spare capacity and a replacement plan.

Hybrids exist

Some recorders accept both coax and IP. They are useful during a staged upgrade. CapeCore will say which recorder matches the cameras on the walls rather than mixing incompatible brands for convenience.

Related reading

Analogue HD · IP systems · CCTV