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SURVEILLANCE · COMPARISON

NVR vs DVR: What Is the Difference?

A DVR (digital video recorder) records analog cameras connected by coaxial cable, converting their video to digital inside the recorder. An NVR (network video recorder) records IP cameras over a network, with each camera encoding its own video. NVRs support higher resolutions and flexible camera placement, and PoE NVRs power cameras over the same cable.

01

The Short Answer

DVRs remain common where coax is already installed and cost matters. NVRs are the default for new systems: they scale more easily, place cameras anywhere on the network and, with an AI-capable processor, can analyze video as well as record it.

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    Existing coax A DVR or hybrid recorder reuses the cabling.
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    New installation An NVR with PoE simplifies wiring.
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    Higher resolution IP cameras on an NVR go further.
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    Analytics An AI NVR adds detection and alerts at the recorder.
02

Why It Matters

Our NVR FAQ and AHD FAQ explain each side, and our PoE surveillance guide covers wiring. See the station AI NVR case study and our industrial NVRs.