Pick your camera format and the calculator estimates a typical bitrate, then sizes the total storage in terabytes for your retention and camera count. If you already know the bitrate, use the CCTV storage calculator instead.
How NVR storage is estimated
The bitrate comes from pixels x frame rate x bits per pixel, using about 0.064 bits per pixel for H.264 and half that for H.265. Storage is then the bitrate times recording time, retention, and camera count. These are typical figures; busy scenes and higher quality settings increase the bitrate, so add headroom.
Per camera, 30 days continuous (H.264)
| Resolution | Approx bitrate | 30-day storage |
|---|---|---|
| 2 MP (1080p) | ~4 Mbps | ~1.3 TB |
| 4 MP | ~7 Mbps | ~2.3 TB |
| 8 MP (4K) | ~16 Mbps | ~5.2 TB |
Frequently asked questions
How do I size NVR storage?
Derive per-camera bitrate from resolution, fps, and codec, then multiply by recording time, retention, and cameras. A 2 MP H.264 camera at 30 fps for 30 days is about 1.3 TB.
How much storage does a 4K camera use?
An 8 MP camera at 30 fps H.264 runs around 16 Mbps, roughly 5.2 TB per month continuous. H.265 or motion recording cuts that.
Does H.265 save storage?
Yes. H.265 is about twice as efficient as H.264, roughly halving bitrate and storage for the same quality.
How does frame rate affect storage?
Storage scales with frame rate. 30 to 15 fps roughly halves it, a common trade-off where smooth motion is not needed.
Is NVR different from CCTV storage?
Same math once you have a bitrate. NVR derives it from resolution and codec; the CCTV tool takes a bitrate directly.
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