NVR vs. DVR security camera systems

NVRs save video files from IP (Internet Protocol) cameras, while DVRs digitise analogue video. Here's how each video recorder works.

On the surface, it doesn't seem like there's much difference between a network video recorder (NVR) and a digital video recorder (DVR). After all, both devices record HD video footage from multiple security cameras on a hard drive for you to watch later—making you feel like a bona fide security guard.

But if you dig a little deeper, it turns into a battle between analogue and digital cameras. Each video recorder has distinct features, types of cameras, and costs—with NVRs offering more advanced tech and DVRs generally costing less.

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But it has some limitations:

• Power and video require separate cables. If you look closely at the back of an analogue camera, you'll notice two connections: one for video and one for power. While most analogue cameras bundle these with a combined cable, you still need a separate power adapter because the DVR security system can't power the camera through the video cable.
• The analogue signal's power drops with distance. The longer the cables, the more the signal decreases. So cables over 100 metres won't work as well.
• There's no audio. With an analogue security camera, there's no way to add audio to the video feed without running yet another cable. Some DVRs and analogue cameras offer audio connections but don't have enough audio ports for every camera.

Ethernet cameras are the most popular IP camera used with NVRs because they use Power Over Ethernet (PoE). This means your surveillance camera gets everything it needs from a single cable that plugs directly into the back of the NVR: video, power and audio.

Because NVR cameras have built-in processors and advanced hardware, they can send more information than an analogue video feed. It's much easier to find NVRs and accompanying IP cameras that support audio recording, two-way audio, and smart motion detection that can differentiate between people, cars, and animals.

Plus, the video data is less susceptible to interference. As long as all the ones and zeros of the video file make it to the NVR, the video quality won't degrade. Although the physical signal strength decreases with distance, like on analogue cameras, you can renew the signal as it passes through Ethernet switches.

Unlike the specialised coaxial cables on a DVR, an NVR works with PoE-compliant CAT6 Ethernet cables readily available at your local hardware store.

Recording multiple security cameras isn't easy without an NVR or DVR. While both recorders achieve similar results, an NVR's performance and convenient features win out in the end. You'll pay extra for an NVR camera system, but we think it's worth the price.

Contributing writer: Katie McEntire

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