Recorders (NVR/DVR)

Night Owl recorders provide local storage and advanced features for your surveillance system.

NVR Systems (Network Video Recorders)

Night Owl 8-Channel 4K NVR

  • Channels: 8 PoE ports

  • Resolution: Up to 4K per channel

  • Storage: Up to 8TB HDD (2TB included)

  • Simultaneous Playback: 4 channels

  • Features: HDMI/VGA output, USB backup

Night Owl 16-Channel 4K NVR

  • Channels: 16 PoE ports

  • Resolution: Up to 4K per channel

  • Storage: Up to 16TB (2x HDD bays)

  • Simultaneous Playback: 8 channels

  • Features: Dual monitor output, RAID support

Night Owl 32-Channel 4K NVR

  • Channels: 16 PoE + 16 network ports

  • Resolution: Up to 4K per channel

  • Storage: Up to 32TB (4x HDD bays)

  • Simultaneous Playback: 16 channels

  • Features: Enterprise-grade, redundant power

DVR Systems (Digital Video Recorders)

Night Owl 8-Channel DVR

  • Channels: 8 BNC inputs

  • Resolution: Up to 4K-Lite

  • Storage: Up to 4TB HDD

  • Compatibility: Analog and HD-TVI cameras

  • Features: Coaxial cable support

Night Owl 16-Channel DVR

  • Channels: 16 BNC inputs

  • Resolution: Up to 4K-Lite

  • Storage: Up to 8TB HDD

  • Compatibility: All Night Owl analog cameras

  • Features: Hybrid mode (analog + IP)

Hybrid Recorders

Night Owl Hybrid XVR

Supports multiple camera technologies:

  • Analog (CVBS)

  • HD-TVI

  • AHD

  • CVI

  • IP Cameras

Perfect for upgrading existing systems gradually.

Storage Recommendations

Cameras

Resolution

Retention

Recommended Storage

4

1080p

14 days

2TB

4

4K

14 days

6TB

8

1080p

14 days

4TB

8

4K

14 days

12TB

16

1080p

14 days

8TB

16

4K

14 days

24TB

Tip

Motion-based recording can reduce storage requirements by 50-70%.

Setting Up Your Recorder

Initial Setup

  1. Connect power to the recorder

  2. Connect to your router via Ethernet

  3. Attach monitor via HDMI

  4. Follow on-screen setup wizard

  5. Create admin password

  6. Connect cameras

Connecting to Night Owl Protect

  1. Open Night Owl Protect app

  2. Tap + to add device

  3. Scan QR code on recorder

  4. Wait for connection

  5. Name your recorder

Recorder Features

Local Viewing

  • Connect monitor directly

  • Mouse navigation

  • Multi-camera grid view

  • Instant playback

Remote Access

  • View via Night Owl Protect

  • Web browser access

  • No subscription required

  • P2P connection

Smart Features

  • Human detection

  • Vehicle detection

  • Line crossing

  • Area intrusion

  • Object left/removed

Next: Learn about Adding Devices to expand your system.