When setting up a CCTV system, especially one featuring network digital cameras or a digital video recorder (DVR), a pressing question often arises: what bitrate should be used for the camera’s video resolution or the DVR’s encoding settings?
You have two primary options:
- Use the default bitrate value: Most devices come with a preset bitrate setting. This default can serve as a solid starting point. However, it might not always deliver the best mix of video quality and storage efficiency. Adjusting from this baseline may be necessary to better match your specific needs.
- Adopt Hikvision’s recommended bitrate values: For a more tailored approach, consider the bitrate values recommended by Hikvision for various video resolutions and frame rates. These suggestions, detailed in the tables below (or found in Hikvision’s documentation), are based on comprehensive testing to balance quality and storage. Keep in mind that the perfect bitrate often depends on the scene’s complexity and lighting.
Additional Tip: A higher bitrate typically means improved video quality but also demands more storage space on your DVR. Balance your quality requirements against available storage when selecting a bitrate.
For DVRs offering the unique 1080N video resolution (960×1080), using similar bitrate values recommended for 1280×960 or 1280×720 could provide a good compromise between quality and file size.
- H.264 Recommended Video Bit Rates for CCTV cameras and recorders (by Hikvision)
- H.264+ Recommended Video Bit Rates for CCTV cameras and recorders (by Hikvision)
- H.265 Recommended Video Bit Rates for CCTV cameras and recorders (by Hikvision)
- H.265+ Recommended Video Bit Rates for CCTV cameras and recorders (by Hikvision)
For a deeper understanding of how H.265+ encoding reduces bandwidth and storage requirements, check out this document: