Looking for the best NVR? This guide will help you find the right one for you, help you through the jargon, and get your recorder at the best price.

NVR is short for Network Video Recorder, a device which acts as a hub for an IP-based security camera system. It is a storage and review point for your CCTV which means you don’t need to sign up to remote service to store your video.

That means, of course, it’ll need cameras, typically connected by power-over-ethernet (PoE) cables (see our guide to the best PoE cameras), and a storage medium like a hard drive.

Retailers often package the same NVR in several different bundles, mixing up the types and numbers of cameras and hard drives, or simply leaving this all to you. There are real bargains to be had with some of these all-in-one kits, and the only real downside is some spectacularly confusing product names.

An NVR, incidentally, is not quite the same thing as a DVR (or Digital Video Recorder), which appeared in the late 90s. They look similar and store video too, but a DVR is built to accept and digitally compress analogue or digital video via coax sockets; an NVR expects a digital input.

The advantage of an NVR-based security system is that, because the video is being compressed by the cameras, local processing power is available for AI functions like detecting movement. This, in turn, means you don’t need to dig into your wallet for a subscription service; both storage and AI analysis are provided by a device you own rather than a service you lease. 

Given that subscription services usually only store the clips their AI identifies as significant, having your own NVR may give you the power to review every moment yourself rather than being dependent on an algorithm to parse the events your camera sees. All the advantages of networking like remote access and – of course – the ability to work with all IP cameras, wired or wireless, remain.

We look at some of the key features in detail at the end, but something else to remember if you’re in the USA is the China trade war; major security player HikVision have already fallen victim to US internal bans on new products and may end up on the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list. 

Key features to look out for are remote access, PoE (Power over Ethernet), which can simplify wiring, hard drive capacity (indeed if any drives are included at all), the resolution limit, the number of channels or cameras it can handle, and if there are any means of backup. Remember that a 4K camera uses more data throughput than a 1080P one, so an NVR can handle fewer of them – this is where the compression method (e.g. H.264 or H.265) can make a big difference.

Best NVR in 2023

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(Image credit: Adam Juniper/Digital Camera World)

1: EufyCam HomeBase 3

The EufyCam HomeBase 3 and various bundles bring the glossy consumer experience of IP cameras like those from Google or Nest – including AI-like face detection – but don’t leave you paying every month. This device also has a home-friendly design so you can leave it on a countertop (good if you have limited space near your router).

Some security pros might not appreciate the non-traditional approach with only clips recorded when the cameras detect motion. The flip side is that the NVR is a more accessible experience. Even without adding a hard drive the 16GB included will likely capture a couple of months of ‘events’ (clips by triggered movement) from your cameras; add a drive and that can go up to a lifetime. It also means the cameras can be installed wirelessly, with battery power, meaning getting up and running is virtually painless. We especially liked the S330 eufyCam 3 bundle with solar-powered 4K cameras featuring floodlights and night vision

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(Image credit: Amcrest)

2: Amcrest 5 Series NV5232E-16P

Best DVR for multi-brand compatibility

While not everyone will need the 320Mbps throughput, if you’re looking for a powerful NVR which affords some flexibility when it comes to choosing your cameras (and don’t mind paying for that) then the Amcrest 5 Series seems to have that in the bag. Eight of the sixteen Ethernet sockets are PoE, likely enough for most customers though it seems a shame they weren’t all enabled.

We certainly can’t complain about the level of effort which seems to have gone into usability in what is not always the most user-friendly product category; a great example is the QR codes to bring up quick remote viewing via the Amcrest View app.

The device is certainly not the cheapest on this list, given the list price doesn’t’ include a hard drive and you’ll need at least one – likely two unless you opt for the motion detection mode. It does, however, offer some of the features of subscription services via the app and web features, as well as the advantages of a hardwired device; not to be sniffed at.

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3: Swann AllSecure650

Best NVR for uninterrupted security

Swann has always built innovative systems, and this is no exception. Adopting an elegant upright design, the NVR PowerHub is the basis of several new Swann packs including the AllSecure650. We like this system not only because of the elegant design, but because it offers so many options in a small package. It also, brilliantly, turns the main annoyance of battery camera systems to its advantage; an extra battery is included (total of 3 for a 2 camera bundle).

The extra battery lives in the hub, where it not only charges but offers backup power backup in case of an outage. When you need to swap a camera battery you have a spare, ready to go, so you can swap it with one – rather than two – trips up the ladder to the camera.

It does not, however, ditch all the functionality of a traditional NVR as it attempts to blend into the home or small business. While you can control nearly everything via the app, as well as enjoy remote access, there is also a mouse socket and HDMI port for use with a monitor. The supplied 1TB storage will also manage 2 years of clips by Swann’s reckoning, after which you can opt for Dropbox or USB transfer. 

Best NVR camera systems 2023

Read More : Best Night Vision Security Cameras

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(Image credit: Synology)

4. Synology Deep Learning DVA1622

Best AI NVR for homes and small businesses

Synology offer multi-drive RAID storage systems – many which can take on a little monitoring on the side – and devices like this built with it front and center. There is the power to drive AI on up to 16 streams of video including separating people from animals, intrusion detection and even license place recognition. Businesses can even use the AI system to detect whether face mask rules are being complied with. This AI also helps distinguish threats in poor lighting thanks to the GPU power. Recording can be backed up across drives or both can form a single volume

As well as HDMI connection for a monitor, the device can be reached remotely via iOS and Android apps and on virtually any computer via a browser interface. The USB 3.2 ports (front and back) offer keyboard and mouse connection.

This is a great choice for smaller installs, but bigger businesses might need something like the 4-drive FVA3221.

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(Image credit: Reolink)

5: Reolink RLK8-800

Best DVR for reviewing video history

Despite having only one SATA bay, the Reolink system makes a lot of room for storage by adding an eSATA socket at the back. The system is also typically bundled with its preferred Reolink 4K cameras which provide stand-out sharp footage which is easy to review thanks to the fresh modern interface. Reolink also offer a great variety of cameras and a doorbell.

Built-in operating systems can be a tad clunky, but connect the supplied mouse to the NVR and the Reolink interface, whether on 4K TV or VGA screen, is a bit clearer. The 24/7 recording is accompanied by a timeline which highlights events (people or vehicles) and can be filtered as you browse. While it doesn’t sound a lot, in practice most CCTV reviewing is for these things.

When connected to your local network via the LAN socket, assuming an internet connection, the system can use the same alert tech to send specific activity alerts to your devices.

(Image credit: Annke)

6: Annke 4K 8CH PoE NVR

Best NVR for affordable plug-and-play

Clearly built for practicality, the Annke H800 makes connecting a USB drive easy without re-positioning by adding an extra USB socket at the front as well as the rear one for the mouse.

The in-built OS isn’t beautiful, but actually very smart; you can choose to disable motion detection by zone on each camera view and, even as you refine the detection, you see a handy live view of where the algorithm is spotting action. Other handy features include quotas for individual cameras to prioritize some recordings drive vapacity.

The system includes event-driven or “Smart” timeline review of recorded video, the latter allowing you to search video for movement within areas you specify – a handy tool for finding if someone went into a specific corner of the shot after the fact.

Phone integration for Android or iOS also brings notifications though only one user account can be connected.

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(Image credit: Swann)

7: Swann SRNVR-88580H

Best DVR for AI features

What shines out with the Swann system is the more advanced facial recognition tools which put person/vehicle recognition in the shade. Yes, generalized person or vehicle alerts are still very useful, but Swann allows the known faces can be named. That makes specific alerts possible if, say, one of the kids gets near the treats. That is the kind of benefit consumer smart cameras offer, built on with integrations with Alexa and Google Assistant, but without the cost of a subscription.

A third USB socket covers mouse, backup drive and downloading to a USB stick
without needing to unplug anything – usability plus. 

On the down-side, pet detection does require a cloud subscription (perhaps that just feels a worrying threshold to cross). In reality the fact Swann offer a cloud option – and secure backup using it – will be a handy option for some, even if it does bring with it a monthly fee. Swann’s Enforcer Kit system also has a number of 4K CCTV cameras with red and blue flashing LEDs and sirens built in which can be acquired in a bundle with the NVR for an effective deterrent system. 

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(Image credit: Lorex)

8: Lorex D861A82B 4K DVR

Best NVR for smart home integrations

This elegant-looking NVR actually has the same sockets as most other 4K 8-channel systems from the back, but is chic enough to sit comfortably under a living room TV. There the central panic button, which triggers all lights & sirens built into connected cameras, could end a home invasion.

The main Lorex NVR software also allows you to set up effective deterrence rules using person and vehicle detection and features area search for easier review.

There is a similar level of design polish in the remote access app save for one thing; if you do connect wireless and wired cameras you’ll need to tidy up the alerts yourself to avoid duplicates. 

We also appreciated that the Apple TV wasn’t forgotten; and smart home fans will love the ability to add sensors (like gate or door opening) as well as cameras via a Lorex Sensor Hub.

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(Image credit: Synology )

9. Synology DS923+

A RAID system with security-friendly extras

As well as dedicated NVRs, Synology are synonymous (sorry!) with all sizes of data storage devices. While many entrust their data – especially with limited amounts of it – to the cloud, there are many reasons to have a physical backup system. Hot-swappable drives mean every piece of information can be backed up within the device, and a network connection means it is available via your home network, or remotely.

Since the machine is essentially a small computer, it can run apps on its own OS, from Mail Server to (more relevant here) Synology Surveillance Station. This lets you use some of your overall drive space to store video from your connected security cameras.

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(Image credit: CanaKit)

10. CanaKit Raspberry Pi 4

For those who want to make security a hobby experience

Make no mistake, this is not the same approach as the other products on this list. This isn’t a ready-made box with all the necessary PoE sockets to connect a series of cameras to but, since an NVR is essentially just a computer in different clothes, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the enthusiast community is continuously refining software to power NVRs.

If you feel motivated to build your own, why not start with a Raspberry Pi 4? Unless you’re only using USB cameras, you’ll also need a PoE Ethernet Switch (like the BV-Tech) and certainly some kind of storage (it’s unlikely the microSD card slot in the Pi will cut it for long, but many folk already have a spare external hard drive lying around). From there it’s simply a matter of choosing an OS and a piece of software; Shinobi is available for free and supports ARM architecture, as does ZoneMinder, so there are two good starting points. 

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(Image credit: Amcrest)

11. Amcrest 4K NV4216E-AI

Best NVR for big multi-camera set-ups

If you need a more powerful NVR – with greater camera capacity – than the NV4108E above, then Amcrest have you covered; the 4216E-AI supports up to two 8GB drives inside and has 16 PoE ports for cameras on the back, all capable of 4K resolution. The system is happy with H.265 and H.264 and has a high-speed throughput of 200Mbps, dropping to 80Mbps when the on-board AI functions are active. This sacrifice buys you human and vehicle detection (and search in recordings), offering functionality to compete with the subscription services from Google Nest and Amazon Ring among others. Amcrest’s App is similar in scope. The machine even has microphone sockets for two-way-talk from the NVR.

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(Image credit: xmartO)

12. xmartO WNQ28

Wi-Fi NVR which can keep your CCTV separate from home network

If you’d like to install a CCTV system with some of the advantages of your own NVR, but aren’t interested in undertaking the cabling, then the WNQ28 seems a rational choice. It eschews the PoE network switching components in favor of two antenna to create its own wi-fi network which you can connect cameras and viewing devices to. xmartO also include their “G3 Auto WiFi Relay” feature which can use cameras to extend the network.

With or without this, the advantage of this device is that it keeps CCTV cameras on a different frequency from your home’s potentially already heavily taxed wi-fi (an issue many of us are starting to notice as high-speed broadband becomes more common). On the down-side it offers a fairly generic Linux-based OS and doesn’t have high bandwidth, while it definitely prefers xmartO cameras. Nevertheless it definitely helps keep things separate when building your network, so we can see some DIY fans strongly preferring this.

How to choose an NVR system

Selecting an NVR forces you to think about the very heart of your security system, and the choice you make will depend on whether you’re starting from scratch or you already have cameras you need to connect to. In either case, make the right choice and it’ll offer years of use even though you add and swap cameras and hard drives.

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We offer ONVIF for the users who want an alternative to our free cloud service.

Precondition:

1. ONVIF only works in the local network, i.e. the PC/smartphone and camera must be within the same network.

2. The camera must be online, i.e. the setup via the HiKam app is already complete.

3. Camera firmware must be higher than 13.0.0.61, go to HiKam App: My Camera -> Setting -> Update Device

From firmware 13.0.0.90 the camera also offers 720p HD via ONVIF interface. However, when HD is running over ONVIF, HD on HiKam App doesn’t work anymore (SD only).

Resolution 1280×720: rtsp://192.168.xxx.xxx:554/onvif1 

Resolution 320×180: rtsp://192.168.xxx.xxx:554/onvif2

We have verified the following software that can be used to access the camera. If you need support for other software, please let us know and we’ll be happy to test it for you.

1. PC: ONVIF Device Manager

http://sourceforge.net/projects/onvifdm/

After the installation start the program.  The program should be able to detect the camera automatically.

Unfortunately, pan/tilt does not work with this software.

2nd PC: iSpy

http://www.ispyconnect.com/

To add camera, go to Add -> Onvif Camera -> select “RTSP” and “Scan Network” -> select camera -> OK. After that you can see the picture.

iSpy offers you multiple configuration options for Alarm, Pan/Tilt (pan and tilt), FTP, SMTP, Cloud…

Click Add > ONVIF Camera

Go to the “VLC Plugin” tab > Download VLC. You will be taken to the page where you can download VLC. Select a suitable download pack here, as in the example “vlc-2.2.4-win64.zip”. Unzip the files into the directory as below by clicking on the link. You might have to create a folder yourself. Please make sure that libvlc.dll is located directly under the VLC64 folder. Close the “Video source” window. Go back to “Add” > ONVIF Camera > VLC Plugin. In the VLC URL, please enter rtsp://your_camera_ip:554/onvif1 and click OK. In the pop-up window click on “Exit”. Now you can see the video image from the camera.

In order for the audio transmission to work, please click on the speaker button.

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3. iOS: IP Cam Viewer

You can download the app from the App Store.

Add Camera -> Generic URL -> Type: Generic RTSP over UDP -> URL: rtsp://192.168.1.xxx:554/onvif1

ATTENTION: You must read the IP address of the camera from the router or via PC software such as ONVIF Device Manager.

 

 

 

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4. Android: tinyCam Monitor

You can download the app on Google Play.

Add Camera -> ONVIF, enter IP address, port 5000, RTSP over UDP

ATTENTION: You must read the IP address of the camera from the router or via PC software such as ONVIF Device Manager.

 

 

 

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5.Mac: SecuritySpy

http://www.bensoftware.com/securityspy/

ATTENTION: You must read the IP address of the camera from the router or via the “M-Sight” app.

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6. Synology

Please update Synology Surveillance Station to 7.2.3 (08/09/2016) first, then read on.

IP address: You must read the camera’s IP address from the router or via PC software such as ONVIF Device Manager.

Connection: 554

Brand: Custom

Video format: H.264

Source path: /onvif1

Username and password can be left blank.

Warning: Videos can be saved to Synology, but sound track cannot be decoded yet. We’re still working on it.

Control Panel -> Security -> Advanced -> TLS/SSL Cipher Suites -> Intermediate Compatibility

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7. Qnap

IP address: You must read the camera’s IP address from the router or via PC software such as ONVIF Device Manager.

Why Home Assistant?

Here we show you how we can add Yoosee cameras to Home Assistant. Home assistant can integrate diversify smart devices from different manufacturers/brands. For example, using Home Assistant, I’m able to use both XiaoMi and Tuya smart devices. I’m able to create automation for these devices, and they also can interact each other to achieve sophisticated and customized home automation scenes. Using Home Assistant App, I’m able to use almost all smart devices from different suppliers, all these devices will communicate locally with the Home Assistant, no cloud/remote communication is involved. If you want cut the Internet connection for your smart IoT devices, this is a solution.

Adding Yoosee cameras to Home Assistant

Using the default ONVIF component, users can easily add the Yoosee cameras to Home assistant. However, this method encounters a serious flaw, the playing video stream will experience high latency/delay/lag up to 10 seconds. This is not acceptable for many users. In this tutorial we show you adding the camera through WebRTC Camera custom component.

Depends on when you have bought the Yoosee cameras. If you recently bought the Yoosee camera, you can go to camera’s settings and turn “Enable to connect” on page of NVR connection. Just like picture shows below:

The next you need to install WebRTC Camera custom component either from HACS (HACS > Integration > Plus > WebRTC > Install) or manually copy the WebRTC folder to the custom_component folder of your Home Assistant.

After installation, you should restart your Home assistant, hence it becomes available, then setup a new integration by searching “WebRTC Camera” .

The Yoosee camera RTSP URL path shows as below:

rtsp://admin:onvif150@192.168.1.141:554/onvif1
rtsp://admin:onvif150@192.168.1.141:554/onvif2

RTSP URL path explanation:

• Admin: default username, can’t be changed
• Onvif150: NVR connection password (devices produced after 2021), Yoosee camera password (before 2020)
• 192.168.1.141: local IP address of your Yoosee camera
• Onvif1/onvif2: onvif1 main stream (1920×1080 or 1280×720), onvif2 sub stream (640×480).

Modifying the example code, replacing the URL patch with your own, click “Add” to complete the integration. The code example for Yoosee camera shows as below:

type: custom:webrtc-camera
url: rtsp://admin:onvif150@192.168.1.141:554/onvif1

Do not copy and paste this code, you should manually edit the code. If you copy and paste this code, you may encounter some errors. After done this, you’re able to watch the real-time video from your Yoosee security camera.

Overview

Surveillance Station is a security monitoring application that allows you to manage IP cameras to safeguard your home and office environments. To link your IP camera to Surveillance Station, you first need to make some simple settings.

1. Launch IP Camera

To launch IP Camera, do either of the following:

• Launch Surveillance Station and click IP Camera.
  
• Launch Surveillance Station and go to Main Menu > IP camera.
  

2. Add a camera

To add a camera to Surveillance Station, choose one of the following options:

• If there are no connected cameras, click Add in the dialogue to activate Add Camera Wizard.
• In the top-left corner, click Add > Add Camera to activate Add Camera Wizard.
  

3. Set up the IP Camera

1. In Add Camera Wizard, choose between Complete Setup and Quick Setup. Complete Setup allows you to configure device information, video settings, recording settings, and schedule settings. With Quick Setup, you only need to set the necessary device information and can edit advanced settings in the Advanced page later.
   
2. Select a server.
   

3.1 Set up the camera information

1. Under Information, click the search icon to the right of IP address to open the Camera search result window. Surveillance Station will automatically search for connectable devices in the domain.
   
2. Select a camera and click OK. The device Name, IP address, Port, Brand, Camera model, default Username and Password¹, and other settings will be loaded automatically. You can also enter your device information and let Surveillance Station help you with the default user name, password, and other settings.
   
3. Some cameras also support Firmware, TV standard, Mount type, Video channel, and UPnP functions. To use the functions, make sure to enable them on your camera first.
   
4. Finish the Information setting, and click Test Connection to make sure Surveillance Station is connected to your device². If you are now connected to your device, a green check will appear and you can see the live feed in the box to the right³.
   
5. If you chose Complete Setup, more video settings will be shown in the next page. If you chose Quick Setup, Surveillance Station will complete the action with default settings.

3.2 Set up video settings

Adjust the Video format, Audio format, Streaming profile, Resolution, Frame rate, Bitrate control, and Image quality⁴. Depending on the camera, up to three streams can be set up simultaneously.

3.3 Set up recording settings

Adjust the Pre-recording time before an event and Post-recording time after an event. You can configure Keep the files within (days) and Limit the archive folder up to (GB) to manage recordings, and set up Customize archive folder names, Customize file name prefix, and Recording storage.

3.4 Set up a schedule

1. Determine what time to start continuous recording and what time to enable event detection⁵.
2. Click on the boxes above the timetable to choose a recording mode, and drag your mouse across the timetable to apply the settings.
   
3. Click Finish. Surveillance Station will try to set up the camera accordingly.

4. Make sure the camera is set up correctly

Once settings are complete, cameras will appear in the list with their status shown after the device name.

• It may take up to minutes for Surveillance Station to set up and connect to the camera. Meanwhile, the status will be “Activating“.
• If Surveillance Station cannot connect to your camera and obtain video streams, the status will read “Disconnected” and prompt possible reasons.
• If the camera is later connected, the prompt will be hidden while the video stream thumbnail appears. Click the thumbnail to access your camera and play the footage.

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¹ Always load the default username and password. If the username or password is changed, Surveillance Station may not be able to find your camera.
² Even if the test connection is successful, some cameras may not function properly. See this article for more information.
³ Some cameras do not provide snapshots, so snapshots may not be displayed properly.
⁴ If Bitrate control is set as Variable, you can choose the Image quality you want. If Bitrate control is set as Constant, you can adjust the bit rate.
⁵ After setting up your IP Camera, you can find Event detection and I/O Port in the left panel and edit settings.