CCTV Camera
Guide
A white bullet CCTV camera mounted under the eaves of a modern house at dusk

CCTV storage

How much hard drive does your CCTV need?

Answer five questions and see the hard drive size to ask for, so the recorder keeps the days of video you want. Free, and nothing is sent unless you ask.

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Storage calculatorTroubleshoot my CCTV
Cameras not recording right now?
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Stay safe first

Do not open a power supply box or a recorder. They are connected to mains power.
Do not climb a ladder or a roof alone to reach a camera. Call a technician instead.
Do not pull apart cable joints or weatherproof covers to "have a look". Water gets in.
Point cameras at your own property, not into a neighbour's home or garden.

What do you need?

Free quoteSend your details to WP Security

How much hard drive does your CCTV need?

Answer the five questions. You get the drive size to ask for, so the recorder keeps the days of video you want.

1. How many cameras?
2. How sharp are the cameras?

The megapixels (MP) are on the camera box or the data sheet. Not sure? Pick 4 MP.

3. When should it record?
4. Which video format?

Look for H.265 or H.264 on the recorder's settings page or the box.

5. How many days of video do you want to keep?

Your estimate

Answer all five questions to see your estimate.

Nothing is guessed for you. Once every question is answered, you will see the hard drive size to ask for.

0 of 5 answered

How we work this out

We use planning rules. With the newer H.265 format, a camera uses about 1 Mbps for each megapixel at typical factory settings (around 20 to 25 frames a second). H.264 uses about one and a half times that. One Mbps running all day is about 10.8 GB. Motion-only recording is counted as about half the day. We then add 20% for busy scenes, night mode and the space lost when a drive is formatted. Real use depends on your camera settings.

Read this as a planning estimate. Cameras on a busy street, with lots of movement or at a low frame rate, use more or less. Lowering the frame rate to 15 frames a second can roughly halve these numbers. Use a drive made for CCTV (often sold as a "surveillance" drive). A technician can check your real settings.

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Quick answers

How many days of video should I keep?

There is no single rule for a home. Many homes keep 14 to 30 days, and many businesses keep 30 days or more. The longer you keep it, the bigger the hard drive. The storage calculator shows the difference.

Is 4K (8 MP) always better?

No. A 4K camera needs about twice the hard drive of a 4 MP camera, and it only helps if the person is close enough to fill the picture. For most house and yard views, 4 MP is plenty. The camera distance guide shows how far each one reaches.

What is the difference between H.265 and H.264?

They are two ways of storing the video. H.265 gives about the same picture with roughly a third less data, so the same drive keeps more days. The recorder and the cameras both need to support it.

Why do I need a surveillance hard drive?

A recorder writes to the drive all day, every day. Drives sold for CCTV are built for that. A normal desktop drive may wear out sooner when it is used in a recorder.

Do I need a sign to say there are cameras?

It is good practice, and the rules on personal information (POPIA) expect people to be told when they are filmed, usually with a clear sign near the entrance. Point cameras at your own property. This is not legal advice, so ask an attorney if you are unsure.

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Ask WP Security about your CCTV

WP Security designs, installs and repairs CCTV in Cape Town. Send your details and they will contact you about your cameras.

Prefer to talk? Call 087 808 3665 or WhatsApp WP Security.

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