Switch vs NVR

So I am looking at getting a 16 channel PoE system. I have been doing a lot of research, some on here and some exploring the web.

I was looking at getting a NVR which from what I am gathering is pretty much is a DVR but set up for PoE.. Is that correct?

I was looking at ethernet switches to power the camera. What my boss is looking for is something he can view live from a TV screen via hdmi and also his phone. No so much preview recorded footage on his phone, but will need to be able to via the TV screen. Thats where his prev DVR came into play at.. Will an ethernet switch allow for live viewing on a TV sccreen, be able to go back and look at footage and all that? He will have a desktop with internet near by if that helps at

Im not sure how exactly a switch works but I know how a NVR/DVR works and he is used to having it setup where he can go back and look at footage from that tv screen via the DVR..

Is an ethernet switch any cheaper then the NVR setups?

Thanks

Hi,

As you said, the NVR (Network Video Recorder) is like a DVR. It provides the following functionality :

1. Disk storage for the video data from the cameras

2. Monitor Interface to view the cameras, either LIVE or RECORDED)....typically HDMI to the monitor or TV

3. Small processor to run the NVR operating system

4. Network Interface (Ethernet). Can be from a single Ethernet connection to a connection for each camera (POE).

The SWITCH just allows you to connect multiple Ethernet connections onto your network. The SWITCH does not provide any NVR capabilities. SWITCHes come in many flavors but typically have 4 or 8, or more ethernet connections. The ETHERNET connections can be either standard or support POE.

For any system you will need an NVR and possibly some SWITCHES. The simplest system has an NVR (no SWITCHES) with a POE ETHERNET connection to each of the cameras. So, if you have 16 cameras, you will need an ETHERNET cables running from each of the CAMERAS to the NVR, a total of 16 ETHERNET cables.

A more concenient network design would be to use SWITCHES between the NVR and CAMERAS. The CAMERAS connect to the SWITCH and the SWITCH to the NVR. You can group your CAMERAS and locate the SWITCHES close to the CAMERA grups.

Note that there could be bandwidth issues if you use SWITCHES with 16 CAMERAS operating at HD datarates. Make sure that you use 1Gb/s SWITCHES.

In my home system, my NVR was in an upstairs bedroom and most of the CAMERAS were at the fromt of the house. So I located a SWITCH to connect to 5 cameras and then a single ETHERNET connection to the upstairs bedroom. My NVR only has a single ETHERNET connection to connect it to my network. There is a schematic of this setup on P6 of the link.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/88mgezntfoco45r/Surveillance%20Cameras%20redacted.pdf?dl=0

Bottom line is that SWICTHES adds cost to the system but simplifies the wiring.

Hope that helps. Please post of any questions.

Brian