How long CCTV footage stays available depends mainly on storage capacity and how the system is configured.
There’s no universal “30-day” rule for every CCTV system.
What Determines Recording Time?
The biggest factors include:
- Number of cameras
- Camera resolution
- Frame rate
- Video compression
- Recording quality
- Hard-drive capacity
- Continuous vs event recording
A four-camera system recording at a moderate resolution will have very different storage requirements from a large 4K commercial CCTV system.
What Happens When Storage Is Full?
Most CCTV recorders can be configured to automatically overwrite the oldest footage when storage becomes full.
This creates a rolling recording period.
For example, if your configuration provides roughly three weeks of recording, the oldest footage will progressively be replaced as new footage is created.
How Much Storage Should You Install?
Start with the result you need.
If you want a particular retention period, storage can be selected around the number and specification of cameras being installed.
Businesses may also have different requirements from residential properties.
CCTV Installation & NVR Setup Melbourne
Aussie Vision provides CCTV installation and NVR configuration across Melbourne.
We consider storage as part of the system design rather than simply installing whatever hard drive happens to come with a camera package.
