Hikvision NRV Purchase - help me narrow down my options.

[Dickie]

Hi,
I'm not new to CCTV, but I need help selecting a Hikvision NVR to use instead of using my Synology NAS and its inbuilt Surveillance Station.

UK Based
Current Setup
Synology NAS running Surveillance Station
2 x Trendnet TV-IP310PI
Both Running as POE to a Switch in the Loft
Mobile App set up and works, all ports forwarded.

There are no real issues, but I feel a proper NVR will be just better. Also I intend to move to 4 cameras in the future. (not to discount the possibility I might go to 5 or more....)

So, I'm looking for probably an 8 port NRV with POE
The next cameras I buy will be similar to the current, but of course just newer and probably of better quality. I'd probably also be selecting Hikvision cameras around the £100-£150 mark. So they won't all be streaming super Duper HD at the same time or anything. (my network is GB switched).
One of the problems with the synology is that when I'm watching the live stream on my PC (of a decent quality) there is a kind of pause every second, so it appears as if every perp has a limp. When on playback it's smooth though, it's just watching the live stream is annoying. I want this to be smooth for at least 2 of the cameras on main stream. If I switch them to sub stream it's smooth, but even number plates are hard to make out. I'd like the NVR to be able to cope with main stream live feed smooth.

NVR would be in the loft which is where the camera RJ45 feeds in to.
My PC is on the otherside of the switch elsewhere in the house, but again, wired and on a decent network.
Am I going to suffer not having a monitor plugged straight into the NVR? Is it just fine watching several streams on a PC at the end of a GB wire?

I am assuming the Hikvision NRV app is good, Apple phone and Android Tablets.

Why can't I work this out myself? The Hikvision site has so many very similar models and I think I just need pointing a bit at one or two of them.

Thanks for reading my blurb

And if anyone says, actually, have you considered "this" instead of the Hikvision because.....
then i'm all ears.

Cheers
Dickie

 

[Kyle]

We now always recommend an I-Series NVR if you're planning to add new Hikvision cameras.
The 8 channel model from this series is the DS-7608NI-I2-8P which is probably our most popular model. It's the only series that is compatible with Hikvision's AcuSense cameras and the most stable when using multiple higher-resolution models, which where we have some of the older recorders struggle. It also still gets firmware updates, which are key for fixing bugs and adding features for compatibility with the newer Hikvision cameras.

Phil sums up why we recommend this NVR in his post here:

Which is the Best Hikvision NVR for 8 Cameras?

I am currently using my synology NAS which works very well with 2 cameras on H265+ but only came with 2 camera licences so I thought maybe switching to NVR is better but as above person said 265+ was useless on DS-7608NI-K2 I think I will stick to my Synology and buy another licence if needed...

www.use-ip.co.uk

This guide looks at the specs of the DS-7608NI-I2-8P in more detail and what they mean:

Which is the Best Hikvision NVR for 8 Cameras?

Which is the Best Hikvision NVR for 8 Cameras? DS-7608NI-K2/8P or DS-7608NI-I2/8P? There are currently 2 main choices for Hikvision systems with up to 8 cameras: DS-7608NI-K2/8P or DS-7608NI-I2/8P. The DS-7608NI-K2/8P is a -K series NVR and was designed to be a "middle level" product while the...

www.use-ip.co.uk

Your Trendnet TV-IP310PI cameras are on the ONVIF Conformant Products List, so will definitely work with a Hikvision NVR for streaming and recording. However, this is about as much as you are guaranteed as far as functionality (so analytics etc. may not work on those cameras through the NVR).
So, you should also make sure that you keep the manufacturer of your new cameras and NVR consistent to ensure you get access to all the features that you are paying for.

Hikvision's mobile app is Hik-Connect which works well. You can only add Hikvision devices to it, but when you add your NVR to it you will be able to view all of the connected cameras on it. Here's our guide for how to add the NVR to your Hik-Connect account and use the app:

How-to: - How to use Hik-Connect

Hikvision's standard App for use with their security cameras and recorders is called Hik-Connect. It is available for both Android and Apple's IOS based mobile devices, from the usual App stores. For Android devices, from the Google Play store here...

www.use-ip.co.uk

 

[Dickie]

Thanks for your help. I had read those articles which had set me off in the direction of that particular model. As it seemed to be an older model I wondered if it had been replaced. But seemingly still a popular option so I will go with it.
thanks again for the comprehensive reply.