We just upgraded our camera system to a 16 camera IP system and kept the old coax system online as a backup.
DVR and NVR are terms used interchangeably by people. NVR = Network Video Recorder DVR = Digital Video Recorder. Not all DVRs can be viewed remotely via a network connection so some smart person coined the term NVR. Most security focused DVRs can be viewed remotely so the terms have been used without distinction or difference.
You need to have power to each camera unless you want to change batteries often in a wireless camera. Coax with a power line or CAT5/6 are the standards. CAT5/6 is easier to install, offers slightly better quality than coax, and is becoming the standard since it is just plug and play.
We used AVERTX which is almost identical to LOREX as it was on sale a Costco. I called AVERTX after the purchase and before the hard drive was shipped by them to upgrade the hard disk to 8 or 16 TB (upgrade was about $700). 4k IP cameras, 16 of them, use a lot of hard drive to record. Alternative option is to get a Cloud storage plan which will probably become the standard in the near future since prices for cloud storage are becoming very cheap, can be expanded with the bush of an upgrade button, and are safe if your equipment room is broken into.
We only use 4K IP dome cameras as they are more tamper proof and do not show camera direction. With 4K we can zoom in and have much better pictures in the event we need to use the footage for some reason. Each camera took about 10-15 minutes to install and focus so I hired a local handyman for $20/hr to work with me to speed up the process. Installation was easy and the
app works nicely although all the products LOREX, AVERTX, etc should invest more into making the
Apps more useful.
So, DVR vs NVR differences seem to be:
1. Different cabling Coax and Power Vs. CAT 5/6
2. DVR wired to all Cameras. NVR can be connected to your wireless router to access wireless / IP cameras?
3. DVR perhaps more difficult to use Cloud storage than NVR?
4. Seems like NVR systems can now provide Higher resolution cameras?
Is the above correct? anything else?