"true" NVR specs?

[SpacemanSpiff]

Not sure how to ask this, so bear with me. I read at one point that some of the ratings on some all-in-one NVRs are misleading. They'll make the claim that it is a 16 channel 4K NVR, but if you connect 16 4K cameras, it will not result in all channels recording in 4K. This sounding anything like a coherent thought to anyone? Or am I simply giving the impression that I've been drinking the kool-aid.

In the meantime... I'm going to continue my search for the info I had read at one point.

 

[wittaj]

That is true...and is one of the many reasons why many here go to Blue Iris...an $80 NVR off Amazon will not cut it nor will that all-in-one box kit from Costco LOL....but for several hundred dollars just for the NVR you can start to get capable NVRs.

I'd recommend you consider a Blue Iris/computer combo as an NVR. Keep in mind an NVR is a stripped down computer after all....and isn't true plug-n-play like people believe. You still have to dial the cameras into your setting. Once you do that, might as well go with something that has the best chance of working with many different camera brands. And I have found Blue Iris to be more robust and easier than an NVR. As always, YMMV...

When I was looking at replacing an existing NVR, once I realized that not all NVRs are created equal, and once I priced out a good one, it was cheaper to buy a refurbished computer than an NVR. You don't need to buy components and build one.

Many of these refurbished computers are business class computers that have come off lease. The one I bought I kid you not I could not tell that it was a refurbished unit - not a speck of dust or dents or scratches on it. It appeared to me like everything was replaced and I would assume just the motherboard with the intel processor is what was from the original unit. I went with the lowest end processor on the WIKI list as it was the cheapest and it runs my system fine. Could probably get going for $200 or so. A real NVR will cost more than that.

A member here just last month found a refurbished 4th generation for less than $150USD that came with Win10 PRO, 16GB RAM, and a 1TB drive. Blue Iris has a demo, so try it out on an existing computer and see if you like it.

Keep in mind that NVRs from the box units like a Amcrest and Lorex cap out incoming bandwidth (which impacts the resolution and FPS of the cameras). The Lorex and Amcrest NVR maxes out at 80Mbps and truly only one or a couple cameras that will display 4K. My neighbors was limited to that and he is all upset it isn't 4K for all eight channels and he was capped out at 4096 bitrate on each camera so it was a pixelated mess.

There is a big Blue Iris or NVR debate here LOL. Some people love Blue Iris and think NVRs are clunky and hard to use and others think Blue Iris is clunky and hard to use. I have done both and prefer Blue Iris. As with everything YMMV...

And you can disable Windows updates and set up the computer to automatically restart in a power failure. These also tend to be more secure as antivirus software is updated way more frequently than NVR firmware.

 

[mat200]

Not sure how to ask this, so bear with me. I read at one point that some of the ratings on some all-in-one NVRs are misleading. They'll make the claim that it is a 16 channel 4K NVR, but if you connect 16 4K cameras, it will not result in all channels recording in 4K. This sounding anything like a coherent thought to anyone? Or am I simply giving the impression that I've been drinking the kool-aid.

In the meantime... I'm going to continue my search for the info I had read at one point.

HI @SpacemanSpiff

"4K" - most NVRS do a decent job recording the streams.. however, the big thing they may not do well is decoding the streams for displaying.

Do check the bandwidth rating.. that I find is the key one to look at.

 

[SpacemanSpiff]

...

Keep in mind that NVRs from the box units like a Amcrest and Lorex cap out incoming bandwidth (which impacts the resolution and FPS of the cameras). The Lorex and Amcrest NVR maxes out at 80Mbps and truly only one or a couple cameras that will display 4K. My neighbors was limited to that and he is all upset it isn't 4K for all eight channels and he was capped out at 4096 bitrate on each camera so it was a pixelated mess.

...

Myself? I will be assembling a BI system at some point in the near future. However, at times I help out folks that are not that savvy, and simple is better for some. Is it the nature of the beast that they all cap the incoming bandwidth, or are there some out there that are less (or not) restricted?

Not sure if Andy tunes in to all the threads here ('tho it seem like he is quite attentive)... Does EMPIRETECANDY have any NVR with less restrictions?

 

[wittaj]

Myself? I will be assembling a BI system at some point in the near future. However, at times I help out folks that are not that savvy, and simple is better for some. Is it the nature of the beast that they all cap the incoming bandwidth, or are there some out there that are less (or not) restricted?

Not sure if Andy tunes in to all the threads here ('tho it seem like he is quite attentive)... Does EMPIRETECANDY have any NVR with less restrictions?

The all-in-one box kits with cameras for the most part have limitations.

Most of the NVRs Andy sells are fully capable, but they are not in a box set with cheap cameras and the NVR itself starts at several hundred dollars. That is the difference.

Many of the folks here that love NVRs are running the NVRs that Andy sells because they are capable units.

 

[wittaj]

This is a very capable NVR, but it costs more than some people buy a whole all-in-one box kit for (but they are getting what they pay for in either case)!

https://www.amazon.com/EmpireTech-16Channel-Network-Recorder-NVR5216-16P-4KS2E/dp/B07BKV7Z97/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=nvr&m=A329YQ83EBQGJF&qid=1620850753&s=merchant-items&sr=1-3

 

[SpacemanSpiff]

The all-in-one box kits with cameras for the most part have limitations.

The NVRs Andy sells are fully capable, but they are not in a box set with cheap cameras and the NVR itself starts at several hundred dollars. That is the difference.

The folks here that love NVRs and are very capable are running the NVRs that Andy sells because they are capable units.

I'm realizing my 'all-in-one' reference in my initial post was a bit ambiguous. It was intended to ID the category (or class) of NVR I was alluding to. Much to your point, for quite some time I've seen little value in the (lorex, qsee, etc) NVR and camera box-kits that seem to be available at <insert store name here>. Customer's budget permitting, I would be starting with the $300-$400+ NVR, and add the cameras often spoke of here, based on the customer requirements and site limitations. When they do not require simple... Blue Iris it is

 

[wittaj]

I'm realizing my 'all-in-one' reference in my initial post was a bit ambiguous. It was intended to ID the category (or class) of NVR I was alluding to. Much to your point, for quite some time I've seen little value in the (lorex, qsee, etc) NVR and camera box-kits that seem to be available at <insert store name here>. Customer's budget permitting, I would be starting with the $300-$400+ NVR, and add the cameras often spoke of here, based on the customer requirements and site limitations. When they do not require simple... Blue Iris it is

In that case you would be fine then! Looking at bandwith and number of channels capable of a certain resolution and you should be fine!

 

[SpacemanSpiff]

In that case you would be fine then! Looking at bandwith and number of channels capable of a certain resolution and you should be fine!

So, using the specs of a system I was reviewing:

Recording bit rate: 16Kbps ~ 20Mbps Per Channel
Seems to be fairly wide range... but at 16 channels that's 320Mbps max

Display decoding Capability: 4-ch@8MP(30fps), 16-ch@1080P(30fps)
I understand the math... 4-ch times 8MP(4K) = 32 total, 16-ch at 1080P (2MP) also equals 32
Is it safe to surmise that decoding w/ 8 active channels active will result in 4MP, w/12 channels 3MP, etc?

 

[Parley]

So, using the specs of a system I was reviewing:

Recording bit rate: 16Kbps ~ 20Mbps Per Channel
Seems to be fairly wide range... but at 16 channels that's 320Mbps max

Display decoding Capability: 4-ch@8MP(30fps), 16-ch@1080P(30fps)
I understand the math... 4-ch times 8MP(4K) = 32 total, 16-ch at 1080P (2MP) also equals 32
Is it safe to surmise that decoding w/ 8 active channels active will result in 4MP, w/12 channels 3MP, etc?

You also need to look at the FPS. Those are rated at 30FPS. So theoretically if you were to cut that to 15FPS then the capacity should be close to doubled. On my cameras I usually run on average of 15FPS. Some a little less a couple of them a little more.

 

[SpacemanSpiff]

You also need to look at the FPS. Those are rated at 30FPS. So theoretically if you were to cut that to 15FPS then the capacity should be close to doubled. On my cameras I usually run on average of 15FPS. Some a little less a couple of them a little more.

Great point, I typically set fps between 10-15, depending on the respective cameras role.

For the display decoding capability, does the MP value drop proportionally in relation to the increase in number of channels displayed? Or should this be taken at face value, and having 5-15 channels will remain 'unknown'?

 

[wittaj]

Typically they will drop the resolution with more cameras being seen as for most, when you see 16 on a screen, they don't need to be 4k because the images are smaller. Many of them at some point will pull the substream after a certain number of cameras being displayed.