4 Camera CCTV System: Price & Setup 2026

A 4 camera CCTV system is enough for most homes and small shops, covering the front door, rear garden, side access and driveway (home) or the entrance, till, back door and yard (shop). A 4-channel recorder has no spare input, so if a fifth camera is likely, start with an 8-channel recorder and fill only four channels. The cabling must also suit the camera type: PoE for IP cameras, coax for analogue HD. Total cost is set by the recorder, camera resolution, hard drive size and the cost of fitting. We sell the kit only, so fitting is down to your own electrician or installer.

What does a 4 camera CCTV system include, and is four enough?

A 4 camera CCTV system comprises four cameras, a recorder (NVR or DVR), a hard drive, power or PoE, and cabling. Kit contents vary by seller, so check whether the drive is included, because some recorders ship without one. A 4-channel NVR with built-in PoE ports, such as the Prolux 4-channel 8MP PoE NVR, lets one network cable carry both power and video to each IP camera.

Where the four cameras go

• Home: front door, rear garden, side access, driveway or garage.
• Small shop: entrance, till, back door or stockroom, one yard or external view.

For most terraced houses and single-unit shops, four covers the main entry points. A detached property with several approaches or a larger unit may need more.

The fifth-camera trap

A 4-channel recorder has four inputs and no spare. Adding a fifth camera later means replacing the recorder, so if you're pricing a "5 camera CCTV system", buy an 8-channel recorder from the start.

Our 8-channel hybrid XVR is a 4MP hybrid recorder with a SATA drive interface. Fill four channels now and the other four stay free for later cameras. Check the product page for which camera types and how many drives it supports before you buy.

Should a 4 camera system be PoE, coax or wireless?

PoE suits most new 4-camera installs because each camera needs only one network cable; coax or hybrid suits reusing existing cable, and "wireless" needs careful definition.

PoE (network cable only)

A PoE camera needs just a network cable, whereas a non-PoE camera needs separate data and power connections, as the Reolink RLK4-410B4 page explains. For four cameras that means four cable runs back to one recorder. The Prolux 4-channel PoE NVR has built-in PoE ports, so the cameras connect to it directly without a separate switch. The Hikvision 4K PoE kit is a bundled NVR option.

Coax and analogue-HD (reusing old cable)

If coax is already in the walls, a hybrid recorder lets you keep it. Our 8-channel XVR-3108AD-4MP is a hybrid recorder that records up to 4MP and accepts TVI, AHD, CVI, CVBS and IP cameras, which makes it a sensible bridge for a site upgrading in stages. Check its datasheet before you buy to confirm your existing cameras are compatible.

What wireless CCTV actually means

"Wireless" often describes only the video link. Many wireless cameras still need a power supply at the mounting point, so truly cable-free installation is rarer than the name suggests.

For a business or any site where footage must be dependable, a cabled system is the safer design choice. Have your own electrician or installer fit it, and check each product's datasheet for power requirements.

Which 4-channel recorder or kit should you pick?

Choose the Hikvision AcuSense kit for one box, the Prolux NVR for your own IP cameras, or the Dahua WizSense DVR for face recognition. The three differ most in what you still have to buy and how much analytics you want.

Product	What the listing states	Suits	Trade-off
Hikvision 4K PoE Camera System with AcuSense NVR	4K, human/vehicle detection, easy setup	A buyer who wants one box and may benefit from fewer false alerts	The description doesn't give the exact camera count or specs, so check the product page before ordering
Prolux 4-Channel 8MP PoE IP NVR	Built-in PoE ports, 8MP cameras, 4K HDMI/VGA output, H.265, ONVIF, video analytics	Someone choosing their own cameras, including third-party ONVIF models	It is a recorder only, so you buy the cameras separately
Dahua WizSense 4-Channel AI DVR	Face recognition (20,000 database), SMD Plus detection, penta-brid support, up to 10TB storage, 4K output	Buyers who want AI detection and large storage headroom	It is also recorder-only, and as a DVR it may not suit a PoE IP camera setup, so check which camera types the page lists

Face recognition is the feature to think about carefully. Matching faces against a database is biometric processing, so read the ICO's CCTV and biometric guidance before switching it on, particularly in a business setting.

We sell the equipment; your own electrician or installer fits it, using each product's datasheet or installation guide. For help matching a recorder to your cameras, call +44 20 8153 4657 or ask about trade pricing.

How much does a 4 camera CCTV system cost?

A 4 camera CCTV system's cost breaks down into four components: the recorder, the cameras, storage and power, and cabling. Kit totals vary by brand and camera type, so check the live product page for the current price.

The formula is simple: recorder + 4 cameras (or a ready-made kit) + hard drive + power supply or PoE + cable and connectors + your own installer or electrician. We sell equipment only, so fitting is a separate cost that you arrange yourself.

For a sense of the recorder end, our unbranded 8-channel hybrid XVR (XVR-3108AD-4MP) is £79.82 including VAT. It records up to 4MP and has a SATA interface for the hard drive. For a complete kit, see the Hikvision 4K PoE AcuSense NVR kit. All our prices include 20% VAT.

Costs that catch buyers out

• Hard drive: not every recorder arrives with one, so check the listing. The Dahua WizSense 4-channel DVR accepts up to 10TB, which shows how far capacity can scale.
• Longer cable runs: more cable, plus connectors, adds to the total.
• PoE switch: you need one if the NVR lacks enough PoE ports. The Prolux 4-channel NVR has built-in PoE ports, so no separate switch is needed.
• External-grade cameras: these cost more than indoor models.

Our PoE switch and cabling guides cover these items in more detail.

How much storage, and what does UK law expect?

Work out storage with cameras × bitrate × seconds of retention ÷ 8, then check your recorder's drive limit; UK law adds signage and a purpose for business use.

Storage

With the bitrate in bits per second, the formula gives bytes. Multiply by the number of cameras and by the seconds in your retention window (the number of days you want to keep footage, times 86,400). Use each camera's real configured bitrate rather than a brochure maximum.

Using 2 Mbps per camera as an example: four cameras × 2,000,000 bits/s × 604,800 seconds (7 days) ÷ 8 comes to roughly 605 GB. Your own bitrates will differ.

Compression changes the answer. The Prolux 4-channel NVR lists H.265 compression for more efficient storage use. Real savings vary with the scene and settings.

Check drive capacity too. The XVR-3108AD-4MP hybrid DVR has a SATA interface for internal storage, while the Dahua WizSense 4-channel DVR is listed for up to 10TB. Our hard drive guide and surveillance HDD guide cover choosing a drive.

The legal side (general guidance only)

This is general guidance, not legal advice. A home camera that captures public space or a neighbour's property may fall under UK GDPR. Business use brings expectations around signage, a stated purpose and a retention policy. For the specifics, read the ICO's CCTV guidance.

Shop versus home

A shop records customers and staff, so clear signage and a named person responsible for the footage matter. A home system may carry fewer obligations. That is not the same as no rules applying, especially if a camera faces the street.

Buying for a business? Shop at CCTV Master or ask about trade pricing. Orders placed before 4pm are dispatched the same working day.

Related products

Related products from our own range:

• Hikvision 4K PoE Camera System | AcuSense NVR Kit — Get crystal-clear 4K surveillance with a Hikvision PoE camera system. Includes AcuSense NVR for smart human/vehicle detection & easy setup.
• Prolux 4-Channel 8MP PoE IP NVR with 4K Display — 4-channel IP NVR with built-in PoE ports for 8MP cameras, 4K HDMI/VGA output and H.265 compression. Supports ONVIF third-party cameras and intelligent video analytics.
• Dahua WizSense 4-Channel AI DVR with Face Recognition — 4-channel Dahua WizSense AI DVR with face recognition (20,000 database), SMD Plus detection, penta-brid support, up to 10TB storage and 4K output.