CCTV camera systems have become a necessity in homes and offices to monitor activities and record evidence in case of any mishappening. However, a CCTV camera needs a reliable storage device to secure the recorded footage. A camera can record events for an infinite time, but the footage can only be saved till the total capacity of the storage device runs out. Hence, it is highly essential to choose the right type of storage device with sufficient storage capacity.
A storage device can be an HDD or a cloud platform on which all the recordings are saved and can be accessed to monitor any time. Users can choose to watch the recordings later or stream the footage in real-time by app support. However, these storage devices are of various types that are installed as per the CCTV surveillance system. In this blog, we will discuss the different types of CCTV storage devices and how much storage capacity is sufficient for your system.
Various Types of Storage Devices Used in CCTV Security Systems
Hard Disk Drives or HDDs
HDDs are moderately faster storage devices that have a data transfer speed between 30 and 150 MB/Sec. These devices are mainly used in DVRs or Digital Video Recorders and NVRs or Network Video Recorders for saving the recorded footage from CCTV cameras. DVRs are commonly used for wired camera systems, and NVRs are used in wireless or IP camera systems.
SSDs or Solid State Drives
SSDs are the more advanced version of HDDs that can instantly transfer a lot of data with low power consumption. These devices are a bit expensive than the HDDs but are more reliable to transfer and transmitting data securely. However, they are only suitable for smaller or moderate-level security systems.
Network Attached Storage or NAS
NAS is the central storage device that can store massive amounts of security footage from multiple camera systems over a network connection or protocols. These storage solutions are best for large-scale CCTV surveillance systems in buildings or public places, or government facilities. Moreover, if you are expanding your business or property, then these devices can easily be upgraded.
Cloud Storage Platforms
Modern security systems can also send the footage directly to the cloud storage platforms instead of storing it in a physical drive. The uploaded footage can be streamed remotely using any device, like a smartphone or laptop. There are multiple benefits of storing the footage on cloud platforms, including security and reduced need for backup.
How Storage Capacity Should Your Device Have to Save CCTV Footage?
| Resolution | FPS | Days | Cameras | Approx. Storage |
| 1080p | 15 | 4 | 7 | 500GB |
| 1080P | 30 | 13 | 8 | 2TB |
| 4K | 30 | 30 | 16 | 16TB |
Reasons That Affect Your CCTV Storage Needs
When you can choose a storage device for a CCTV camera system, there are multiple factors that affect or define how much total storage capacity you will need. Let’s take a look at those important points:
Video Quality
The file size of the footage increases with the higher video quality. Meaning, recording the footage in higher quality, like full HD or 4K, will significantly increase the file size and the higher storage capacity device you will need. For instance, 720p uses less storage, but 1080p or 4K resolution can even fill the 1TB of HDD in a short time.
Frame Rate
Another important feature that affects your storage needs is frame rate or FPS. It shows how many frames per second your device is recording. A higher FPS may help you to record high-quality videos with smooth animations, but will require a higher storage capacity device. On average, a video recorded at 30 FPS is fairly smooth and requires less storage capacity.
Video Compression
Video recording devices that receive the footage from all the cameras and save it in storage compress the video for a smaller file size. They commonly use H.264 and H.265 HEVC technology to compress, which helps to save a lot of storage space. As per the use, H.265 can help save up to 50% storage without any quality issues.
Recording Hours and Number of Cameras
More cameras and recording time can increase the storage needs. The more cameras you will add to the security system and the higher the recording time, the more you will have to pay for storage needs. For instance, if four cameras are recording for 24 hours, then the recorder file size may exceed 500GB in a week (depending on the footage quality).
Why Choose the Right Storage Device Matters?
There various reasons why CCTV storage devices should be purchased carefully:
- Prevents data loss and corruption
- Ensures smoother playback and faster retrieval
- Extends the lifespan of your surveillance system
- Reduces maintenance and downtime
