Ajax NVR Recorders

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Ajax NVR Recorders

NVRs (Network Video Recorders) receive streams from IP cameras, record them to disk, and manage playback. This is the device that determines how many cameras you can connect, how long you can store footage, and how quickly you can retrieve it.

How many channels?

The number of channels corresponds to the number of connectable cameras. The Ajax range covers 8, 16, and 32 channels.

8 channels — a home, a small business. Four to six cameras installed, two channels spare.
16 channels — a medium-sized business, a building, a warehouse. This is the best-selling format.
32 channels — a multi-building site or an installation designed for future growth.

Always plan for two free channels. Expansions always happen, and changing NVRs costs more than choosing a slightly oversized one initially.

With or without PoE?

A PoE NVR powers cameras via the network cable: a single Ethernet cable per point, instead of a network cable plus a 12V power supply. For an eight-camera installation, the time saved during installation is considerable.

Models without PoE are justified when a PoE switch already exists, or when cameras are distributed across several technical rooms distant from the NVR.

Pay attention to the total PoE budget, not just the number of ports: a camera consumes 5 to 12 W, more if it has hybrid illumination or is motorized.

Drive bays and retention

H2D models have two hot-swappable drive bays. Two bays serve two purposes: doubling capacity — and thus retention time — or mirroring drives to survive a failure.

As a general guideline for H.265, continuous recording: approximately 1 TB for two 5 MP cameras for one week. Four 5 MP cameras for thirty days therefore require around 6 TB; the same in 8 MP, roughly double. Recording on detection often halves these volumes.

Use a surveillance-grade drive, designed for continuous 24/7 writing — an office drive will fail much faster in this use case.

Baseline or Superior?

Baseline NVRs cover recording, playback, and remote viewing. Superior NVRs add embedded AI analytics: human and vehicle detection, line crossing, zone intrusion. Practically, this filters out unnecessary alerts — a cat, a branch, a change in light — and makes searching archives much faster.

Good installation practices

Place the NVR in a ventilated, locked room: a stolen recorder takes the evidence with it. Add a UPS — a sudden power outage during writing can corrupt the file system and result in the loss of several days of recording. Finally, check the date and time after each intervention: an incorrect timestamp makes a sequence difficult to use.

Frequently asked questions

Can I connect cameras from another brand?
Yes, via ONVIF. However, advanced analytics functions remain optimal with Ajax cameras.

What happens when the disk is full?
The oldest recordings are automatically overwritten. Your retention period is therefore set by the installed capacity, not by a setting.

Do I need a subscription for remote viewing?
No. Remote access is included; only cloud archiving requires a license.