CCTV Security DVRs (Digital Video Recorders) are designed to record video from security cameras. Most types of security DVRs store the video on a hard drive, just like a computer; some specialized DVRs record instead to an SD card. All security DVRs provide the ability to search for recorded video by date and time, and by individual camera. Recording can be activated by video motion detection, which records only when there is movement in the frame, maximizing available storage space, and saving time when searching for a specific event. You can also record on a preset schedule, or continuously.

Video can be viewed on a professional monitor or a standard TV, and in some cases a PC monitor; some DVRs come with a built-in LCD monitor. Professional security DVRs, in most cases, can be controlled (monitor, search, playback) from anywhere, over a local network, or the internet. We also carry a variety of special-purpose DVRs for mobile, wireless, and hidden recording. See more...

A stand-alone DVR, sometimes called an 'embedded' DVR, is a professional hardware-based recorder with a hard drive, video and audio inputs and outputs, and in most cases, networking capabilities, which means it can be set up to be viewed remotely over the internet, with password protected user privileges. Unlike PC-based DVRs, a stand-alone DVR is a hardware-based recorder, designed for a single purpose, with a built-in control keypad, and sometimes a remote or mouse as an additional input device. For the most professional features and reliable operation, a commonly available 4-channel, 8-channel, or 16-channel stand-alone DVR is the best choice. See our Stand-Alone DVRs.

Network DVRs, also called NVRs, are similar in operation and functions to stand-alone DVRs and PC-based DVRs, but instead of standard analog video signals transmitted from the cameras, an NVR uses signals encoded as IP (Internet Protocol) packets, which can be sent over any computer network. This technology allows an ethernet or wireless IP network to carry the video, which may be more cost-effective than running video cables to each camera, especially where there is already a network in place. Another advantage of an IP surveillance system is that a single cat5 network cable can carry signals from multiple cameras connected to that segment of the network, which cannot be done with standard video cable. There are a few recorders on the market called 'Hybrid NVRs' which support both analog and IP video. See our NVR IP Solutions.

A PC-based DVR is a PC running Windows, with a card installed that supports using the PC as a video recorder with standard analog cameras. Rather than providing a button panel, the system is controlled via the software program that is installed for it. There are many PC-based DVRs on the market, and some offer features and performance comparable to stand-alone DVRs, but since they rely on the Windows operating system, reliability and consistent performance may be affected by typical system issues, especially if the PC is also used for other purposes. See our PC-Based DVRs.

There are several different types of DVRs with wireless capabilities. We offer portable wireless DVRs that can be used with our large selection of 2.4GHz and 5.8GHz wireless cameras, allowing you to build your own custom wireless spy kit. We also have some mobile DVRs for fleet vehicles which can syncronize via WIFI with their base of operations. See our Wireless DVRs.

Mobile DVRs are stand-alone DVRs that are designed specifically for use in trucks, buses, taxis, and other fleet vehicles. In addition to offering a complete selection of mobile DVRs, we also carry driving recorders, which not only provide video of the vehicle's travels, but also GPS mapping and acceleration, braking, and speed statistics. See our Mobile DVRs.

There are several kinds of portable DVR which can be connected to one or more cameras. These 'pocket DVRs' are battery-operated, and may record to an SD card, or for longer recording, a hard drive. This type of DVR usually has a small LCD screen built-in, and can also be connected to a monitor or TV to view the video. Some types of portable DVR have a built-in camera; these can be found in the Spy Cam Systems section of our catalog. See our Portable DVRs.