Whether to use a Synology NAS, a QNAP NVR or a manufacturer's own brand NVR?

[Phil]

Synology are the most agile - they keep up well with new camera launches, their boxes update easily, you can purchase a Synology NAS box for a reasonable price that is able to manage not just the number of cameras that you know you need now, but also has the future capability to manage all that you can envisage.
You just buy the more capable box, but only licence the number of cameras that you need now.

QNAP run Synology a close second.
If you need to direct-connect a monitor to your box, then buy a QNAP (PRO models offer a VGA connection, PRO+ models offer an HDMI connection).

NB QNAP NAS boxes are different to QNAP NVR boxes; the NVRs allow you to select from a MUCH greater range of compatible IP cameras.

Manufacturer's own-brand boxes e.g. HikVision or ACTi for example offer the simplest plug & play route to getting a system up & running.
However, they will tie you in to using their cameras only.

The QNAP & Synology boxes are open for use with many manufacturers.
Synology have just updated their Operating System to DSM5.0 (Beta), their Surveillance Station built-in CCTV App, and released a new Device Pack offering you connectivity to many of the recently released camera models such as HikVision's 2-line cameras. Synology now claim to have proven over 1700 IP cameras from more than sixty different manufacturers.

 

[Phil]

Synology Surveillance Station
BTW although Synology boxes are multi-functional i.e. you can back-up your PC data, stream your music, or keep your photos and videos on the box - they are serious about IP CCTV - Surveillance is top-centre on their own website:
http://www.synology.com/en-uk/surveillance/index

 

[Phil]

Synology Central Management System (CMS)
And another thing, if you should grow to a multi-site / multi-box system, there are few specialist providers that could compete with what Synology enable you to do in terms of central management functionality.
http://www.synology.com/en-uk/surveillance/camera_management_cms

Some competitors require you to purchase additional specialist boxes and /or software for the centre.
Synology scales nicely; same software everywhere, regardless of the size of box needed / camera count.

 

[Phil]

Just a note of further clarification on Synology camera licence packs:
You can buy Synology licence packs for 1 camera - 1 x key code
You can buy Synology licence packs for 4 cameras - 1 x key code for four cameras
We'd like a better value 10-pack, but there's no such thing yet

Every Synology box ships with a free licence on-board to allow you to test Surveillance Station with a single IP camera.

To add more licences you just type the licence codes you purchase into Surveillance Station.
If you should later replace or upgrade your box, you can detach these licence codes and apply them to your new box.

Synology camera licences are a physical product (a plastic credit card with a keycode printed on them), but if you are in a big hurry to add your extra licences you can just let us know and we'll email your code to you before shipping the physical key card.

Some competitors only provide NVRs with a fixed camera count and make you pay for all the cameras you can ever connect to that box on day one. And, if you need to go one beyond say the 8-channel NVR you purchased, you'll need to buy another box.

We think it's quite a fair and flexible model ...