Already got coax cable in the building? A DVR is usually the cheaper way to upgrade.
Modern DVRs are much better than their reputation. This guide explains the Hikvision DVR range: what the model letters mean, which recorder suits which site, and some limits hidden in the datasheets.
Should I choose a DVR or an NVR?
It usually depends on what cable is already there.
DVR (this guide)
NVR
Cable
Coax (RG59), often already installed
Ethernet, usually a new run
Camera power
Separate supply, or PoC over the same coax
PoE from the recorder
Distance
Up to 800m at 1080p
100m without a switch
Where the AI runs
In the recorder
In the camera
Top resolution
8MP
32MP
Rewiring a building is the expensive part of any CCTV job. If coax already runs to every camera position, a DVR upgrade is usually a swap of recorder and cameras. Starting from bare walls, or want more than 8MP? Read our NVR buying guide instead.
Why buy a modern DVR?
On Hikvision's AcuSense (M-series) DVRs, the smart detection runs in the recorder, not in the camera. Motion Detection 2.0 is on by default on every analogue channel. It sorts what moved, picking out people and vehicles from leaves, headlights, rain and animals.
So your existing analogue cameras get people-and-vehicle filtering without being replaced. On an IP system you'd have to buy AcuSense cameras for the same benefit. Here the recorder does it, even for cameras ten years old.
If your site gets constant false alarms, the kind everyone mutes and then misses the one that mattered, swapping the recorder alone often fixes it. You can also search recordings by object or event, instead of scrolling through hours of footage.
How do I read the model number?
Hikvision packs a lot into a DVR model number. Once you can read it, the range makes sense:
Part
Meaning
iDS vs DS
iDS = AcuSense. Plain DS has no people/vehicle classification
72xx / 73xx / 90xx
Chassis family. 73xx and 90xx are the larger, rack-mount ranges
04 / 08 / 16 / 32
Coax channel count
HQHI
Records up to 3K / 5MP Lite
HUHI
Records up to full 5MP, accepts 8MP cameras
HTHI
True 8MP on every channel
M1 / M2 / M4 / M8
Number of drive bays
/P or /PXT
PoC: powers cameras over the coax
K-series
Older generation, no AcuSense
Are HUHI and HTHI the same for 8MP cameras?
No. This is the most expensive mistake people make in the DVR range.
Both HUHI and HTHI recorders are sold as handling 8MP cameras. They don't handle them the same way:
HUHI
HTHI
8MP recording
Channel 1 only, at 8 fps
Every channel, at 12–15 fps
Other channels
8MP Lite
Full 8MP
Bitrate ceiling
10 Mbps
16 Mbps
Pair four 8MP cameras with an HUHI recorder, and you get one true 8MP recording. The other three record at Lite: fewer pixels, same name.
It's a datasheet footnote, not a fault. But it decides which socket your most important camera goes into. If your cameras are 8MP, buy HTHI. If they're 5MP or below, HUHI costs less and does the job.
Which channels get perimeter protection on the 4-bay and 8-bay models?
On every /S model, advanced perimeter protection runs only on certain physical channels, not on any channel you choose:
Wire thirty-two cameras in order, and the ones on channels 5 to 8 get no perimeter checks at all. Nothing on screen tells you why those views behave differently.
Motion Detection 2.0 still runs on every analogue channel, so every camera gets some classification. It's the advanced line-crossing and intrusion checks that are limited to certain ports. Plan the channel map before you install. We're happy to do it with you.
What is PoC?
On a normal coax job, each camera needs a video cable and a power run back to a power supply. A PoC (Power over Coax) recorder sends 48V down the coax instead. That's one cable per camera: no power supply box, no fused spur, no socket at height.
If the coax is sound but the power runs are tired, this is the difference between a swap and a rewire. Two things to know:
It needs Hikvision PoC cameras. Ordinary HD-TVI cameras work on the video but still need their own supply.
The power set-up changes with size: the 4 and 8-channel PoC models use an external 48V brick. The 16-channel iDS-7216HUHI-M2/PXT runs straight off the mains.
Some PoC recorders carry audio over the coax too. The iDS-7204HTHI-M1/PXT supports AoC (Audio over Coax), so video, power and sound all travel on one cable per camera. With a camera that has a microphone, such as the DS-2CE72UF3T-LSYE, you don't need a separate microphone cable.
PoC models also tend to have more: 12TB disk support instead of 10TB, alarm inputs and outputs fitted as standard, and USB 3.0. They often cost under £10 more than the non-PoC version.
Where does each tier get 4K and gigabit?
4K output, gigabit networking and 256 Mbps of bandwidth don't arrive at the same point in every tier. That catches people who compare on channel count alone:
HQHI: only at 16 channels (iDS-7216HQHI-M1/XT). The 4 and 8-channel models have 1080p output on a 10/100 port.
HUHI: from 8 channels (iDS-7208HUHI-M1/X), about £30 more than the 4-channel, for a much better machine.
Can I add options later?
No. Where a Hikvision datasheet says a feature is optional, a suffix on the model number shows which options are fitted. The iDS-7208HUHI-M1/XT/4A+8/4ALM is the standard M1/XT with 4 audio inputs and 8/4 alarm I/O built in.
These are fitted at the factory and can't be added afterwards. If the system needs to start recording from an alarm panel, PIR or door contact, order the version with the options. Saving twenty pounds on the standard model means replacing the recorder later.
iDS-6716HUHI-M: 16 channels, with AcuSense, two bays and alarm I/O
Neither has an HDMI or VGA output. You manage them over the network, not from a screen.
How much storage do I need?
Drive bays decide how long you keep footage, not channel count. Eight 8MP cameras make roughly four times the data of 1080p. So a single-bay recorder that suits a 1080p system fills up in days at 8MP.
Every recorder here comes without disks. Use CCTV-rated drives such as WD Purple. Desktop drives aren't built for recording all day and fail early. Work out what you need with our CCTV storage calculator.
A rule of thumb: two bays across sixteen cameras gives weeks; four bays gives months. If a licence sets how long you must keep footage, work back from that.
What are they like to use?
Worth knowing, because it decides whether a system gets used or ignored:
A five-step setup wizard gets a recorder running without a manual
Plug and play for cameras: they're found and set up automatically
Live view and playback in a browser with no plug-ins, so no ActiveX or Java
Password recovery and reset without sending it back, useful when a site changes hands
Firmware updates over the internet (OTA), instead of a USB stick at each site
Hik-Connect for phone access, and Hik-Partner Pro for installers looking after many sites
Common questions
Can I use my existing coax cable with a Hikvision DVR?
Usually yes, and that is the main reason to choose a DVR. HD-TVI runs over the same RG59 as older analogue systems, so an upgrade is normally a recorder-and-camera swap rather than a rewire.
Will my old analogue cameras still work?
Yes. Every BNC input self-adapts to HD-TVI, AHD, HDCVI and CVBS, so you can mix old and new cameras and replace them gradually.
What is the difference between HQHI, HUHI and HTHI?
They are resolution tiers. HQHI records up to 3K or 5MP Lite, HUHI handles full 5MP and accepts 8MP cameras, and HTHI records true 8MP on every channel.
Do I need AcuSense cameras for AcuSense to work on a DVR?
No, and this is the key difference from an IP system. The classification runs in the recorder, so ordinary analogue cameras on a BNC channel get people and vehicle filtering with no camera upgrade.
How many cameras can a Hikvision DVR take in total?
More than the model number suggests. Most take IP cameras as well as coax. The 32-channel iDS-7332HUHI-M4/S accepts up to 64 IP cameras on top of its 32 coax channels, for 96 in total.
Does a DVR come with a hard drive?
No. Every recorder is supplied without disks, so budget for surveillance-rated drives separately. Use drives built for continuous writing rather than desktop drives.
What does PoC mean on a DVR?
Power over Coax. The recorder powers the cameras through the same cable that carries the video, so each camera needs one cable and no separate power supply. It requires Hikvision PoC cameras.
Can I view my DVR on my phone?
Yes, through the Hik-Connect app, over broadband or a mobile connection. No fixed IP address is needed.
What about the rest of the range?
The letters above are only part of it. Hikvision model numbers explained covers the whole alphabet across cameras, recorders, alarms and access control.
Still not sure?
Tell us how many cameras, what resolution they are, what cable is in the building, and how long you must keep footage. That's enough for us to name the right recorder and work out the storage. We'll also tell you if a cheaper model would do.
