Comparisons
DVR vs NVR
Choose a DVR for a small system with existing coaxial cable and short runs, and an NVR for higher resolution, long cable runs or a system you expect to expand. NVRs power cameras over the same network cable, so each camera needs one run instead of two.
Cabling
DVR needs coax plus a power run per camera. NVR needs a single network cable carrying both. On a large building that halves the labour, which is where the real money is.
Cost at small scale
For four cameras in a shop with short runs, a DVR system lands noticeably cheaper and performs perfectly well. The NVR advantage grows with size, not with ambition.
Expansion
Adding a camera to an NVR is a cable and a port. On a DVR it is a coax run and a power run. If growth is likely, that difference compounds.
DVR or NVR — which recorder should I buy?
Can I keep my old coax cable?
Often yes. Modern analogue cameras reach 5MP over existing coax, which saves a rewire. We test the runs first, because old cable is not always as sound as it looks.
Which lasts longer?
Neither type has an inherent advantage. Failures come from cheap power supplies, poor joints and unventilated recorder positions far more than from the recorder technology.
Need this doing?
IP cameras use network cable instead of coaxial, carry power over the same cable, and give higher resolution than analogue systems. They suit larger premises, longer cable runs and anyone who may add cameras later. A four-channel IP system starts around PKR 95,000 installed.
IP camera installation — what it costsRelated pages
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