Network Video Recorder
Encyclopedia
A network video recorder (NVR) is a software program that records video in a digital format to a disk drive, USB flash drive
, SD memory card
or other mass storage
device. NVRs are similar to DVRs but with several distinct differences. NVRs take video input over a network, as opposed to directly connecting to the NVR via a video capture
card or tuner
. The main distinction being that video on a DVR is encoded and processed at the DVR, while video on an NVR is encoded and processed at the camera, and streamed to the NVR for storage or remote viewing.
An NVR contains no dedicated video capture
hardware. However the software is typically run on a dedicated device, usually with an embedded operating system
, so NVRs are often mistakenly called DVRs. There are hybrid systems which incorporate functions of both an NVR and a DVR. These are usually also referred to as NVRs.
USB flash drive
A flash drive is a data storage device that consists of flash memory with an integrated Universal Serial Bus interface. flash drives are typically removable and rewritable, and physically much smaller than a floppy disk. Most weigh less than 30 g...
, SD memory card
Memory card
A memory card or flash card is an electronic flash memory data storage device used for storing digital information. They are commonly used in many electronic devices, including digital cameras, mobile phones, laptop computers, MP3 players, and video game consoles...
or other mass storage
Mass storage
In computing, mass storage refers to the storage of large amounts of data in a persisting and machine-readable fashion. Devices and/or systems that have been described as mass storage include tape libraries, RAID systems, hard disk drives, magnetic tape drives, optical disc drives, magneto-optical...
device. NVRs are similar to DVRs but with several distinct differences. NVRs take video input over a network, as opposed to directly connecting to the NVR via a video capture
Video capture
Video capture is the process of converting an analog video signal—such as that produced by a video camera or DVD player—to digital video. The resulting digital data are computer files referred to as a digital video stream, or more often, simply video stream...
card or tuner
TV tuner card
A TV tuner card is a kind of television tuner that allows television signals to be received by a computer. Most TV tuners also function as video capture cards, allowing them to record television programs onto a hard disk much like the Tivo digital video recorder does.-Variants: The interfaces for...
. The main distinction being that video on a DVR is encoded and processed at the DVR, while video on an NVR is encoded and processed at the camera, and streamed to the NVR for storage or remote viewing.
An NVR contains no dedicated video capture
Video capture
Video capture is the process of converting an analog video signal—such as that produced by a video camera or DVD player—to digital video. The resulting digital data are computer files referred to as a digital video stream, or more often, simply video stream...
hardware. However the software is typically run on a dedicated device, usually with an embedded operating system
Embedded operating system
An embedded operating system is an operating system for embedded computer systems. These operating systems are designed to be compact, efficient, and reliable, forsaking many functions that non-embedded computer operating systems provide, and which may not be used by the specialized applications...
, so NVRs are often mistakenly called DVRs. There are hybrid systems which incorporate functions of both an NVR and a DVR. These are usually also referred to as NVRs.