Hikvision DS-7204HGHI 4-Channel DVR + 2TB Recording

A 4-channel Hikvision DVR with a 2TB hard drive already fitted, ready to record from up to four 1080p CCTV cameras.

What it does

This is the recording box for a wired analogue CCTV system — it takes the video feed from your cameras, compresses it using H.265 (an efficient format that keeps file sizes down compared with older H.264 systems, so you fit more footage on the same drive), and stores it on the built-in 2TB hard drive.

What to check before buying

• Channel count — this unit handles 4 cameras maximum. If you have more, or plan to add more later, you'll need a higher-channel model instead.
• Resolution — built for 1080p recording; feeding it a higher-resolution camera won't give you a higher-resolution recording.
• Cabling — as a 1U DVR it's designed for standard analogue/HD-TVI style camera wiring rather than network (IP) cameras.
• Storage — 2TB is pre-installed, so there's nothing extra to fit; how many days of footage that gives you depends on how many cameras are recording and at what resolution.

Good fit for a small home or shop setup where four cameras cover the entrances and main areas, and you want footage stored locally rather than in the cloud.