Professional IP Video Storage & Infrastructure Calculator
Plan your security infrastructure with precision. Our professional calculator helps system integrators and IT leads determine exact HDD requirements, RAID configurations, and PoE power budgets for large-scale deployments. Optimized for H.265+ compression and high-resolution industrial projects.
Book a Technical AssessmentCCTV Storage Calculator
Calculate disk capacity, RAID, bandwidth and compare storage options
| Disk size | Units needed | Total capacity | Coverage |
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Edit names, capacity and prices for your market. Prices are reference only.
* Reference prices. Verify with your local supplier before purchasing.
Key Factors for Accurate CCTV Storage Estimation
1- Resolution and Bitrate (The Quality vs. Space Trade-off)
In modern digital security, resolution (720p, 1080p, 4K) determines the level of detail your system captures. However, higher resolution directly increases the Bitrate, which is the amount of data processed per second.
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- 1080p (Full HD): The industry standard for clear, reliable identification.
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- 4K (8MP): Essential for large industrial sites or maritime monitoring where zooming into distant objects is required.
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- Strategic Tip: Balancing bitrate ensures you get the forensic detail you need without overspending on unnecessary storage.
2- Compression Standards: The Power of H.265+
Compression is what makes long-term recording affordable. While older systems use H.264, SmartEye Solutions specializes in H.265+ (HEVC) integration.
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- Efficiency: H.265+ can reduce storage and bandwidth requirements by up to 50-70% compared to H.264.
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- Cost Impact: This technology allows you to store twice as much video on the same hard drive, effectively doubling your retention days for free.
3- Frame Rate (FPS) & Motion Activity
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- Frame Rate: For most commercial applications, 15 FPS provides fluid motion while saving significant space. High-traffic areas may require 30 FPS for full-motion capture.
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- Motion factor: Configuring your NVR to record only during “Motion Events” can extend your storage capacity by weeks, focusing only on relevant activity rather than empty hallways.
Advanced Infrastructure: Reliability by Design
Why Surveillance-Grade HDDs are Non-Negotiable
We exclusively recommend drives like Western Digital Purple or Seagate SkyHawk. Unlike standard PC drives, these are engineered for:
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- 24/7 Write Cycles: Designed to handle constant data streaming from multiple IP cameras simultaneously.
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- Heat & Vibration Resistance: Built to survive the high-temperature environments of server rooms and NVR enclosures.
Understanding Power over Ethernet (PoE) Budget
Power over Ethernet (PoE) simplifies installation by sending power and data over a single Cat6 cable. However, every network switch has a maximum PoE Budget.
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- Calculation: If your switch budget is 130W and you connect 10 cameras pulling 15W each, your system will experience intermittent blackouts.
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- Our Approach: We calculate your total wattage overhead to ensure 100% system uptime, even during IR (night vision) peak loads.
RAID: Protecting Your Evidence
For our industrial and maritime clients, losing video evidence due to a single disk failure is unacceptable.
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- RAID 1 (Mirroring): Data is written to two disks simultaneously. If one fails, the system continues without loss.
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- RAID 5/6 (Striping with Parity): High-performance redundancy that allows the system to survive the total failure of one or two disks. This is the standard for high-security corporate environments.