Here are a few of the many differences between these devices.
– The NVR connects to the computer network and so does all the IP cameras. This allows you to take advantage of the existing network infrastructure instead of running wires from a “home base” location to all the cameras.
– The DVR uses coax connections to each of the analog cameras
– The NVR supports high resolution megapixel cameras
– The DVR supports only cameras with VGA resolution
There are many more differences between systems that use analog cameras and those that use IP cameras. To learn more take a look at our article that compares an analog system to the new IP camera systems.
The DVR is a device that records video from analog cameras to one or more hard drives. The term DVR is also used by the consumer TV market. The DVR used in the security market has a fixed number of BNC connections to attach cameras. DVRs are available with 4, 8 16, 32 and 64 channels (or connections). This means that you have a maximum number of cameras that can be supported by one unit. Once you exceed the number of connections available on the DVR, you will need to add another DVR to your system. Some DVRs connect to the network and can be viewed using a Windows computer. These were very popular in the 1990s.