Hi new to this and theres so much to take in the nvr i was thinking of going for is the DS-7716NI-14/16P to run 10x 8mp cameras 3 running 24/7 the other 7 triggered via movement i had read that 2x hdd's are better than running just the one is this correct? Also would 2x 4tb hdd's be sufficient for this? Note i may add a few extra cameras at a later date too so want the capacity to do this though they maybe small covert cameras just thinking of future proofing. The only thing that i am still unsure of camera wise is colorvu or acusense. So to begin with i am thinking of purchasing one of each to enable me to evaluate them and decide on positioning. I have read that its posible to run these cameras without the nvr. What i would like to know is since i am new to this is it going to be easier for me to run the cameras with the nvr or on there own to work out the best position for me to place them in, do i need any additional equipment and how easy is it to do this. It feels like i am taking ages to make my choices here but i want to try and get this right from the begining.
Hikvision nvr advice and camera choice
- Thread starter anadol
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Hi @anadol
You've made a good start
We would also recommend a 7716-I4/16P 16-channel NVR and 8TB of storage should be fine for your current recording plans (the NVR is future-proofed as it actually supports up to 4 HDDs), you can use this Western Digital Storage calculator to give you an idea of the capacity used by different combinations of cameras. For example, the 3 x 8MP cameras you mention above that would be recording continuously would use roughly 2TB of storage for 7 days of continuous recording if set to the highest quality, H.265+ compression, and the recommend 15fps.
It is often a good idea to test multiple cameras, our personal opinion about whether to use AcuSense or ColorVu really comes down to night performance and for each location which technology is better. So in the case of residential properties we only usually recommend ColorVu cameras if you have existing lighting in place (e.g. street lights, floodlights, etc...) because although the cameras have a built-in light it is very bright and it stays all the time it is dark enough to be needed and if there is ambient light in the scene you can dim or disable the built-in light.
If the camera is in a pitch-black or moonlight-lit location then we would recommend an IR LED camera like the AcuSense models as they will give you a clearer image at night with almost no visible light emitted. (the IR LEDs do give off a small red/pink glow but at a distance this barely noticeable)
You are also correct about running without an NVR, one of the key advantages of an IP system is that the cameras can be run independently. To do this you simply need to connect the camera to your local network, either directly into a port on your router or any other network access point on your local network like a wall port or network switch, and then you also need to provide power which can be done with a traditional PSU or by using PoE (Power over Ethernet).
PoE has basically become the standard for IP systems now as most NVRs have PoE ports built-in and it simplifies the install to just a single cable, but to provide a single camera with PoE you will need to connect a PoE Injector between the camera and the router or network access point that will combine the power and data together and send it to the camera over one network cable.
You've made a good start
We would also recommend a 7716-I4/16P 16-channel NVR and 8TB of storage should be fine for your current recording plans (the NVR is future-proofed as it actually supports up to 4 HDDs), you can use this Western Digital Storage calculator to give you an idea of the capacity used by different combinations of cameras. For example, the 3 x 8MP cameras you mention above that would be recording continuously would use roughly 2TB of storage for 7 days of continuous recording if set to the highest quality, H.265+ compression, and the recommend 15fps.
It is often a good idea to test multiple cameras, our personal opinion about whether to use AcuSense or ColorVu really comes down to night performance and for each location which technology is better. So in the case of residential properties we only usually recommend ColorVu cameras if you have existing lighting in place (e.g. street lights, floodlights, etc...) because although the cameras have a built-in light it is very bright and it stays all the time it is dark enough to be needed and if there is ambient light in the scene you can dim or disable the built-in light.
If the camera is in a pitch-black or moonlight-lit location then we would recommend an IR LED camera like the AcuSense models as they will give you a clearer image at night with almost no visible light emitted. (the IR LEDs do give off a small red/pink glow but at a distance this barely noticeable)
You are also correct about running without an NVR, one of the key advantages of an IP system is that the cameras can be run independently. To do this you simply need to connect the camera to your local network, either directly into a port on your router or any other network access point on your local network like a wall port or network switch, and then you also need to provide power which can be done with a traditional PSU or by using PoE (Power over Ethernet).
PoE has basically become the standard for IP systems now as most NVRs have PoE ports built-in and it simplifies the install to just a single cable, but to provide a single camera with PoE you will need to connect a PoE Injector between the camera and the router or network access point that will combine the power and data together and send it to the camera over one network cable.
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Buy the best NVR you can afford. I see so many threads from guys who go cheap on the NVR then later regret the lack of features and performance.
