How long will the system record for (retention time)?

Recording time, also known as retention, depends on a few things:

  • Number of cameras
  • Camera resolution (for example 6MP, 8MP)
  • Recording mode (continuous 24/7, motion only, or a mix)
  • Frame rate and bitrate settings
  • The hard drive size fitted to your recorder

As a rough guide, higher resolution and 24/7 recording will reduce retention. Motion based recording can greatly increase retention, but it depends on how busy the scene is.

We generally specify our systems to give you a retention period of 21 days.