The Challenge of Large Video Data
When setting up a home video surveillance system, it is important to have a place to store the recorded footage. SmartVision allows users to connect all their cameras to a computer and store the recordings on a hard disk inside the recorder. This ensures that the footage is always available for viewing at a later time.
Overcoming Hard Disk Overflow
A common problem is the overflow of hard disk storage due to continuous recording. It's crucial to be aware that you can't just keep storing data indefinitely; you'll eventually run out of disk space. Some surveillance software, including SmartVision, allows for the automatic deletion of old footage to make space for new recordings. This feature ensures that the most recent footage is always available.
Storage Duration Considerations
One important consideration when setting up a surveillance system is how much footage should be stored and for how long. The amount of storage required will depend on the number of cameras being used and how often they are recording. Typically, it is recommended to store footage for no more than 2-3 weeks. This is because any incidents that occur are likely to be discovered within this time frame, and there is usually no need to keep footage for longer.
Calculating Disk Space for Video Archive
The cost of the hard disk required for storing the footage will depend on its capacity. It is advisable to select a hard drive with enough storage to last for 2-3 weeks of recording. This ensures that there is enough storage without incurring unnecessary costs.
Estimated Disk Space Required for Different Camera Resolutions
Let's consider a few examples for different camera resolutions. We'll assume continuous recording for 24 hours a day for one month.
Storage required (in GB) = Bit rate (in Mbps) × 3600 × 24 × 30 / 8000