Differences Between DVR & NVR

In my opinion they are basically the same thing.

But I've always used DVR when referring to a recorder for analog cameras. And then NVR has been a recorder for IP Cameras. That's been the only difference to me. Long before I even touched an IP cameras we just installed analog cameras with DVR's, you could put them on the network for remote access, and had a defined amount of inputs, (4/8/16).

NVR, much the same. Some of the early ones we used you needed a seperate network switch for the cameras, but now many come with built in POE ports for cameras, in similar configurations as the older analog DVR's, (4/8/16 ports).

If I am wrong, well then I welcome being corrected.

The one fundamental difference is the way the units connect to video feeds:

• A DVR digitizes analog feeds (NTSC, PAL, TVI, CVI, AHD) that are physically connected to the unit.
• A NVR connects to IP video streams (whether from IP cameras or encoders) over a network.

DVRs typically also allow connecting to IP video streams in addition to digitizing analog feeds. In marketing, these are sometimes called 'hybrid' (i.e., can do both analog and IP) or 'pentrabrid' (i.e., can do IP, SD Analog, TVI, CVI, AHD).

Note: these terms are not 'standardized' so they are mostly a matter of industry people following convention.

There are not 10 differences between DVR & NVR. There are certainly many differences among different models of DVRs and NVRs but not 10 fundamental differences across the categories generally.

Here are a few and there isn’t a hard rule for any of them.

1.  Encoding

DVR in DVR

NVR in Camera

2.  Motion Detection

DVR in DVR

NVR in Camera (mostly)

3.  Analytics

DVR in DVR*

NVR in Camera*

*Streams from either can be processed after encoding

4. Sizing

DVR - Hardware at time of purchase 4,8,9,12,16,32 Typical

NVR - Expandable based on hardware/software capabilities and licensing 1 to 1 million

5. GUI

DVR - Typically embedded now, early versions were more PC based.  Usually not changable.

NVR - Change VMS software.