Basic Query - If you have a NVR is there any point/benefit in also using a SD Card?

[Snaffy]

Title says it all really.

If you don't wish to, for some reason, or can't afford to purchase a dedicated NVR, then having an SC Card slot in a security cam is a great option.
However, if you do have a NVR which all your camera's connect to. Is there any benefit/reason to also having a SD Card fitted in your camera's
Or is such a setup totally pointless?

Thanks.

 

[macman]

I think it might be convenient to record specific things to an SD card, such as smart alerts, while recording continuously to the NVR.

But since I don't want to record continuously, I take the opposite stance. SD cards are fine for motion or smart alerts so why would I need an NVR? (I also suspect that the video is better quality when using just the SD card, ie without any additional processing by the NVR.)

 

[Snaffy]

As a beginner, I was not aware you could do that.
Alerts to SD card and constant video to the NVR.

I will admit, I am surprised with the idea than video quality would be better on an SD Card, as I'd assumed if anything the opposite was true given the read write speeds of a HDD.
Perhaps some experts here, who have studied footage from both storage mediums could comment?

I'm probably in a similar camp as you when it comes to 24/7 recording, and perhaps many are for private use.
There is probably little point in recording nothing happening in your garden/driveway all day and night, and only a movement based event would be a reason to start recording.
I guess it depends how quick the recording will start based on motion event, and what types of motion will trigger an event.

My reason for selecting HikVision is to replace some very cheap, but to be fair, they have been reliable camera's.
But as with most of them, they will trigger with any movement, so given the wind and rain recently in the UK it's a constant stream of notifications.

Also due to the weather, I've not been able to mount my new camera up, to see how HikVision handles this.

 

[macman]

I fly a drone which records 4K video at 60fps to an SD card so they can cope fine with most CCTV cameras. Here's some drone footage recorded on the same SD card I use in my cameras.

I'm still playing with the settings of my new Hikvision cameras - and still getting too many false alarms, rain or shine. But I'll figure it out once I get to grips with the line crossing feature and intruder detection, both of which are likely to be more controllable than regular motion detection, especially when combined with the clever stuff which allows you to set thresholds for the size of a moving object and the length of time it hangs around for.

You can decide how quickly recording should start. My cameras are set to start recording 5 seconds before the alarm (which is clever stuff as I'm not continuously recording). Cheaper cameras, especially wi-fi ones, often miss most or all of the action in my experience whereas my Hikvision cameras deliver everything I would want.

That said, I have one of their products - the Video Intercom - which is either very bad or faulty, in my view; and their half-hearted support for MacOs is shameful.

 

[David]

I record continuously to NVR and intrusion events to SD card, makes things easier for me. Hikvision support for Mac is woeful.

 

[Kyle]

The only thing that hasn't already been mentioned (unless I've missed it), is that some people will choose to record continuously to both NVR and SD card, using the SD card as a backup option for any footage that might not be recorded to the NVR during some sort of hard drive/power failure.

 

[Snaffy]

Thanks for the information. Very interesting.
I was just wondering if it's worth purchasing high write tolerant spec'd SD cards, if I had a NVR.
I can see it would be useful in the event a HDD goes bad, though I suspect they are generally very reliable, and hopefully there is some way of being notified when errors are starting to be encountered.

All good stuff to know

 

[fullboogie]

I wonder why you'd bother to invest time and money into an NVR if you're only going to record on an SD card? Take advantage of the NVR's capabilities and massive storage and record 24/7. Storage is a big part of what you're paying for, right?

 

[Snaffy]

I wonder why you'd bother to invest time and money into an NVR if you're only going to record on an SD card? Take advantage of the NVR's capabilities and massive storage and record 24/7. Storage is a big part of what you're paying for, right?

If this is directed at me?
My query was not that I wanted to only use an SD Card, which I know you can if you wish.
I was wondering if you have invested in an NVR for mass storage, is there any additional benefit in also fitting a SD card into the camera itself, or if it was a waste of time to do that, and an SD card is really only for those without an NVR.

 

[JB1970]

The simplest reason for using an SD card as well as NVR is in the domestic installation, where you install your NVR using the TV as the monitor. CCTV systems are great until the intruder you were trying to capture evidence of, steals your NVR....

 

[Snaffy]

The simplest reason for using an SD card as well as NVR is in the domestic installation, where you install your NVR using the TV as the monitor. CCTV systems are great until the intruder you were trying to capture evidence of, steals your NVR....

Thanks for pointing that out, for some reason I'd only ever thought of camera's being messed with, not the NVR getting stolen.
You make a good case, as if the NVR can be easily seen (or they wonder where all that noise is coming from!) and locate it, then it may be one of the items on their "lets take this as well" grab.

If I think about it, there's probably more chance of that happening, than them getting up a ladder with a screwdriver and messing with the actual camera.
Certainly given me something to think about. Thanks.

 

[scottda]

The only thing that hasn't already been mentioned (unless I've missed it), is that some people will choose to record continuously to both NVR and SD card, using the SD card as a backup option for any footage that might not be recorded to the NVR during some sort of hard drive/power failure.

sorry, old thread but how do you configure doing this. i.e. is it just as simple as setting up the SD card in the storage management section of the camera and will it overwrite as needed? And assuming you have it set to notify surveillance centre its going to record to the NVR as well?

 

[JB1970]

sorry, old thread but how do you configure doing this. i.e. is it just as simple as setting up the SD card in the storage management section of the camera and will it overwrite as needed? And assuming you have it set to notify surveillance centre its going to record to the NVR as well?

The NVR would be set up as normal with regard to recording (the NVR recording schedule requests the main stream from the camera according to the schedule set in the NVR). 'Notify surveillance center' should not be altered, it has no effect on recording schedule.

To use the SD card, you would access the cameras menu directly using a browser (using virtual host when the cameras are connected directly to the NVR, camera 3 would be accessible at http://NVR_IP_address:65003 (camera 1 at 65001 etc). After inserting and formatting a suitable SD card in the camera, you would just set the recording schedule in the camera to suit. The camera would then record to it's internal SD card, while the NVR would still request the stream and record according to its own schedule.

 

[paccmx]

LOSS OF POWER OR NETWORK CONNECTION ON YOU NVR, I SUPPOSE THE CAMERA WOULD CONTINUE RECORDING ON THE SD CARD.

 

[JB1970]

LOSS OF POWER OR NETWORK CONNECTION ON YOU NVR, I SUPPOSE THE CAMERA WOULD CONTINUE RECORDING ON THE SD CARD.

Not if the cameras are connected directly to the PoE ports. In that instance when the NVR loses power so do the cameras, and so recording would stop.

 

[paccmx]

Not if the cameras are connected directly to the PoE ports. If that instance when the NVR loses power so do the cameras, and so recording would stop.

You are correct, I have cameras installed in different locations, with different power sources, so this works for me.

 

[scottda]

The NVR would be set up as normal with regard to recording (the NVR recording schedule requests the main stream from the camera according to the schedule set in the NVR). 'Notify surveillance center' should not be altered, it has no effect on recording schedule.

To use the SD card, you would access the cameras menu directly using a browser (using virtual host when the cameras are connected directly to the NVR, camera 3 would be accessible at http://NVR_IP_address:65003 (camera 1 at 65001 etc). After inserting and formatting a suitable SD card in the camera, you would just set the recording schedule in the camera to suit. The camera would then record to it's internal SD card, while the NVR would still request the stream and record according to its own schedule.

Thanks for the response, but have now confused myself.

I set the recording schedule on the cams themselves via a direct web connection. I set them to continuous. Are you saying that this only applies to any local storage (i.e. to an SD card) and that any schedule set on the NVR what controls what is being recorded to the NVR? (I thought the NVR pulled this from the camera settings anyway).

I am probably just confusing myself, but just wanted to get this clear in my head.

Re the 'notify surveillance center', what does this actually do. Is that what writes the events? The reason for asking is that since snooping round my own settings that have been in place ok for a while, i have inadvertently done something that now means my hikconnect app is getting every motion event notified to my iphone now for just one camera. I have checked all my cam settings and this one cam looks the same as the other 4 but seems to be generating events to my phone now :-(

Thanks for all the help here

 

[JB1970]

I set the recording schedule on the cams themselves via a direct web connection. I set them to continuous. Are you saying that this only applies to any local storage (i.e. to an SD card) and that any schedule set on the NVR what controls what is being recorded to the NVR? (I thought the NVR pulled this from the camera settings anyway).

Correct. If the NVR is doing the recording then that's the schedule in use. The NVR is set to record the main stream (or both streams depending on NVR and setting). It just records what it's sent. The NVR 'pulls' the settings from the camera such as video parameters, image settings, event settings etc for display in the NVR GUI, but they're stored on the camera not the NVR. We (the Royal 'we' that is) always recommend carrying out all possible settings via the NVR interface. Then and only then, additional settings (those that are not available in the NVR interface) can be modified on the camera directly. That ensures the display in the NVR GUI accurately reflects the settings in the camera.

Re the 'notify surveillance center', what does this actually do. Is that what writes the events?

Nope. 'Notify surveillance center' is the alarm action that communicates the event to the Hik-Connect server, which in turn pushes the event to devices logged in to the associated Hik-Connect account (your phone).

i have inadvertently done something that now means my hikconnect app is getting every motion event notified to my iphone now for just one camera.

Again thats because you're messing around in the camera settings. 'Notify surveillance center' will do sod all when set on a camera that is connected to an NVRs PoE ports. The NVR and the camera are on different network segments and the camera only has access to the NVR NOT the internet. Event settings and actions should be carried out via the NVR and that's where 'Notify surveillance center' should be checked.