Security installer calculators
Surveillance HDD storage calculatorEstimate recording capacity, bandwidth and retention for an NVR.
Surveillance storage calculator
Configure camera groups and storage redundancy to estimate recording capacity.
Camera groups
Auto is a rough planning estimate. Use the camera's configured bitrate when known.
Retention and headroom
RAID and storage configuration
Installed drives determine configured usable capacity. Bays set the recorder limit; target drives power the reverse retention estimate. Enter hot spares as part of both the installed and target drive counts; they provide no recording capacity.
Storage estimate
The usable recording capacity needed with headroom. RAID overhead and hot spares increase the installed drive capacity needed.
The same figure in the units your NVR's operating system will actually display.
Total data streaming in from all cameras, check your NVR and network can handle this load.
The calculated recording storage before headroom or RAID overhead is applied.
Total manufacturer-rated HDD capacity needed after RAID overhead, excluding hot spare drives.
The real usable capacity from your selected drive count, size and RAID configuration.
Estimated days for the chosen drives after applying the selected headroom margin.
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More installer calculators
Six quick checks for camera coverage, power, cabling and backup. Enter manufacturer specifications where available; results are planning estimates.
12/24 V DC voltage dropCheck cable loss to a lock, intercom or access controller.
Uses outgoing and return copper conductors and temperature-adjusted resistance. This constant-current estimate may understate voltage drop for devices that draw more current as supply voltage falls. Check start-up current, actual conductor size and the device's permitted input voltage.
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PoE power budgetCheck ports, per-port standards and total switch power.
Add groups of devices using the same PoE standard. Use the maximum device draw, including IR, heater or other peak loads.
This calculation reserves the full PoE class at every port, then adds another 20% headroom. Switches allocating actual negotiated draw may need less total budget. Check the device-side power limit, switch allocation, cable losses and datasheets before choosing a model.
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Cable run checkerCheck Ethernet channel distance before installation.
A 100 m total channel is the standard copper Ethernet planning limit. For longer runs, assess a suitable PoE extender or intermediate switch, or use fibre. An extender's power budget and supported distance must be checked for the exact equipment.
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UPS runtime estimateEstimate backup time for an NVR, PoE switch and other equipment.
Enter the Ah rating of the complete battery bank: batteries in series increase voltage, not Ah. Enter load and UPS output rating in watts, not VA. The default usable-capacity assumption is a rough allowance, not a measured discharge curve. Battery discharge rate, age, temperature and inverter behaviour can change runtime substantially. Confirm the exact UPS model against its manufacturer runtime chart at your actual load before quoting.
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Lens and DORI calculatorEstimate horizontal coverage and pixels per metre at the target distance.
DORI limits are line-of-sight distances at the selected camera field of view, using the IEC 62676-4:2014 pixel-density planning model for a human subject. Ground distance and the difference between camera and target heights determine line-of-sight distance. Use the datasheet HFOV at the selected resolution and zoom, or enter active sensor width and focal length for an ideal-lens estimate. Coverage is on a plane perpendicular to the viewing direction, not ground footprint; tilt and perspective change actual coverage. The 2025 edition uses a newer performance framework. Distortion, crop, compression, focus and lighting affect results. Pixel density does not guarantee face or number-plate identification; verify on site.
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Solar power estimator for CCTV and gatesIndicative off-grid solar, battery and gate motor planning.
Important: No load, solar, battery or motor values are supplied as defaults. Enter your own documented values and explicit design criteria; even these cannot predict every weather event or guarantee operation. This is a preliminary estimate, not a system design. Do not order or install equipment from this figure alone. A competent solar/electrical installer must verify local winter and prolonged overcast conditions, shading, panel orientation, battery performance and charging temperature, gate motor starting demand, protection and all equipment ratings. A power failure could disable CCTV or an automatic gate.
Indicative array including battery recovery—Use winter irradiation on the plane of the actual panel, at its chosen tilt and direction, not horizontal-surface data. Record a source and month suitable for commercial use. NIWA's public SolarView explains tilted-panel irradiation, but its published help says results may not be used commercially without permission: NIWA SolarView guidance. Winter figures are historic averages, not a guarantee through a prolonged overcast period. The shading allowance divides by the remaining yield; avoid double counting shade or cloud losses already included in the source figure. The battery-to-load factor applies to daily use and recovery energy. Enter 24-hour average CCTV power with night IR, heaters, NVR and PoE equipment included; use the separate night peak for simultaneous motor starting load. A gate cycle includes opening and closing. Lower the yield factor for PWM controllers or panel voltage mismatch; MPPT and PWM are not interchangeable. The current shown is an ideal minimum at nominal voltage. Low battery voltage, inverter losses and motor transients can make actual BMS, fuse and cable current substantially higher. Have the final design checked by a competent solar/electrical installer.
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