How many days the recorder's hard drive records
With 4 1080p cameras in H.265 recording all day, a 1 TB drive holds about 14 days. A 2 TB one holds 29 days. Recording only on motion, the same 4 cameras fit about 48 days in 1 TB.
The math
GB per day = Mbps × 10.8 × hours ÷ 24 × share recorded
days = TB × 931 ÷ total GB per day
The 931 turns a 1 TB drive as sold into GB the recorder can use. A 1080p camera in H.265 uses about 1.5 Mbps; a 4K one, 4 Mbps.
Days of recording table
1080p cameras, H.265, continuous recording:
| Hard drive | 2 cameras | 4 cameras | 8 cameras | 16 cameras |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 TB | 29 | 14 | 7.2 | 3.6 |
| 2 TB | 57 | 29 | 14 | 7.2 |
| 4 TB | 115 | 57 | 29 | 14 |
H.265, H.264 and motion recording
In H.264 files are about {h264} times larger, and the days drop in the same proportion. Recording only on motion, the planner counts 30% of the day as recorded; a busy spot records more. Change the value in the Recording card.
Wi-Fi cameras with a memory card
Wi-Fi cameras record to a microSD card inside each camera. A 128 GB card holds about 7.4 days of a 1080p camera recording all the time; a 256 GB one, 15 days.
The numbers in this guide come from the planner's model: pixel density per the DORI standard, each lens's typical field of view and average bit rates. Real cameras vary; check your model's data sheet.
Frequently asked questions
How big a hard drive do I need for 30 days?
With 4 1080p cameras in H.265 recording all the time, 30 days take about 2.1 TB, so the drive is 4 TB. The planner's shopping list suggests the smallest drive that holds 30 days with your cameras.