Digital Video Recorders (DVRs) have many search and recording features for increased capabilities and ease of use. Some models have Ethernet connectivity for control and remote storage over a network or internet. DVRs allow instant access to any time frame, without rewinding a tape. They have built-in motion activation, alarm triggering, and multiple recording speeds and screen sizes to balance recording time and detail. Models with larger or removable disk drives are available for multiple-camera

systems, greater image detail, and longer recording times. DVR video is stored on hard drives. The number of hours that can be stored is a function of the number of cameras in use. Adjusting the video frame rate, using data compression, reducing screen resolution, programmable scheduling, and motion activation can be used to increase the storage capacity. In typical continuous use, an 80GB hard drive will store about 370 hours of recorded video, a 160GB will store about 780 hours, and a 300GB will store about 1500 hours.

Quad splitters allow the signals from up to 4 cameras to be displayed on a single monitor and either viewed sequentially or simultaneously in individual quadrants. Multiplexers allow the signal of up to 16 cameras to be viewed on 1 screen while recording full-screen images on a

VCR. Viewing may be full-screen or multiscreen with adjustable dwell time. These components are not needed when using a Digital Video Recorder as most DVRs include these features.

A small monitor can be used where the person viewing the monitor is nearby and the image shows a single camera image at a time. Use a larger monitor for multiple camera split screen viewing or where the monitor is farther away, i.e. across the room.