CCTV System with Headless NVR - What should I buy?

[Mark Hobley]

i want to buy a CCTV system, but I want the NVR to be stored in a secure non-accessable location, so I need one that can be used in a headless configuration without a keyboard, mouse, or screen being needed. I would like to be able to use my Android based tabled to be able to view selected footage. I would like to be able to fast forward, rewind, and pause the viewing, and to be able to save selected footage to my android tablet, as needed. Ideally the system should be able to do motion detection recording and have a minimum of 8 cameras (Ideally more). I don't mind buying additional NVRs for the extra cameras, but I would like the NVRs to be accessible from my Android tablet without having to reconfigure as I switch between NVRs.
I am considering both POE or wireless camera solutions, depending on what NVR is needed and I am looking for guidance. What should I get?

 

[Dan]

We would recommend a DS-7608NI-I2/8P 8-channel PoE NVR as Hikvision offer their own Hik-connect app for viewing from a mobile or tablet, but you will be required to perform the initial setup of the NVR with a PC or a directly connected monitor, once set up and connected to the Hik-connect app then the majority of your access can be done from the app.

There is no professional IP surveillance system we are aware of that can be set up just using an app or mobile device.

If you want a larger system you can look at a DS-7616NI-I2/16P 16-channel PoE NVR

 

[Mark Hobley]

Assuming I borrowed a mouse and monitor for initial setup, and then moved the NVR to its location, would it give me everything I need with respect to viewing and downloading footage to the tablet or would I keep needing to plug the the mouse and monitor for such things? Do any models do away with the need for special software and maybe give me everything I want by just pointing a web browser on the tablet to the IP address of the NVR?

 

[Mark Hobley]

What I actually want to do is lock the NVR inside a metal safe in a small cupboard area. I could tolerate having a remote console, but it would be in a room away from the safe. It looks like I can get a USB VGA / KVM extender that carries keyboard, mouse, and video signals over Cat5e cabling. Maybe this widens my choice, if I don't have to access any buttons on the NVR itself. I looked at at NVR manual, and it said that the NVR had a builtin DVD recorder. Presumably, this is for saving footage. On the rare occasion that I need to do that, I guess I could just open the safe.
I haven't bought the safe yet, so I need to find one of an appropriate size that will let me drill holes for cables going into the safe for power, KVM, and I guess a remote antenna cable.

 

[Sonic007]

As long as the NVR is on your network then you can simply browse to the IP address of the NVR and login to it and configure it in there.
The initial configurations will need to be done hooked up to a screen though. After that just access it over the network.
Use the app on your tablet for viewing recordings and login via web browser when wanting to configure things.