NVR Storage Calculator

Find out how much hard drive space your security cameras need, and which Silarius recorder and drives fit. Change any number and the answer updates.

How the storage is worked out

Every camera sends a steady video stream to the recorder. The higher the resolution, the bigger the stream. The calculator multiplies each camera's stream by the hours it records and the days you keep, then adds about 10% so the drive never runs completely full.

Camera	Stream (H.265)	Per day, 24/7	30 days, 24/7
2MP (1080p)	2 Mbps	21.6 GB	0.65 TB
4MP	2.5 Mbps	27 GB	0.81 TB
5MP	3 Mbps	32.4 GB	0.97 TB
8MP (4K)	6 Mbps	64.8 GB	1.94 TB

These are typical figures for a busy scene at full frame rate. A quiet hallway uses less; a road with traffic or trees in the wind can use more. H.264 needs about twice the space of H.265.

Tips to keep more days for less

• Record on motion where nothing happens most of the day, such as a back door or a storage room.
• Use H.265. Every Silarius camera and recorder supports it.
• Keep a copy off-site. If the recorder is stolen, the video goes with it. Silarius Cloud keeps IP camera video in the cloud from $6.99 per camera per month.

Questions

How many days of video should I keep?

For a home, 14 to 30 days is common. Businesses usually keep 30 to 90 days, because incidents are often reported a few weeks later. Some insurers and leases ask for a set number of days, so check yours.

Can I add more drives later?

Yes, if the recorder has an empty bay. Silarius 1-bay recorders take one drive up to 24 TB, the 2-bay models up to 48 TB, and the 64-channel recorder holds 8 drives, up to 192 TB.

Does motion recording miss things?

It records from just before motion starts, so normal events are caught. For entrances and cash areas, 24/7 recording is the safer choice.

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