Once you really get around 6 cameras you will want to jump to an i7. If you are planning for 2-4 cameras or so I would go with an i5 at a minimum (assuming you plan to run 1080p and 30fps). After doing a few of them I got a pretty good feeling for what to use in residential systems with 1-8 cameras or so and spec'ing a PC that wasn't always complete overkill for the job. The main unknown I faced for a bit with the custom builds is knowing how the PC would perform with X number of cameras (at XX fps, resolution, etc). I feel that the flexibility that BI offers exceeds more valuable to me than an appliance-type NVR. I've built multiple PCs for dedicated NVR use - basically a Windows PC running BlueIris software. If I go home built, what would be the cost to built to this requirement? drvnbysound, I know you have a preference for this, so looking for your input. If I go the branded NVR route, any other make/model suggestions? Hikvision comes to mind of course, but the other brands are unknown. Problem is there are no reviews around to get a feel for quality and operability. The operating wattage is 166W running 2 HDD and full 100W of POE, so this seems much lower than a PC. I have reviewed the manual and there are many key features included, but of course not as flexible as Blue Iris. So for a system of 6-8 cameras, is a branded NVR “good enough” if the system is just for an average home use? In looking around I found a unit by Samsung that feature wise looks pretty nice. If I was building a mega cam system, the PC built unit would be no question. My question is about initial cost to build and cost to operate, factoring in the size of the system. Not that I am afraid of building, as I have always built my home PCs and family’s PCs. I appreciate all the input on that thread so far and I feel confident on my camera direction.ĭebating the use of a branded NVR versus a home built unit. I am spawning off this NVR topic from my other post about getting a system, since that one was more focused on the camera layout.

Sighthound software zmodo