Raw capacity target
—Independent CCTV planning tool
CCTV Storage, HDD Capacity & Recording-Retention Planner
Plan mixed camera groups using actual or explicitly assumed bitrate, recording schedules, retention and exact NVR HDD limits.
Bitrate controls storage—not megapixels alone. Estimate mode is planning-only. Actual retention changes with scene complexity, compression, motion, audio and analytics.
Step 2
Storage and retention plan
Add camera and NVR details to calculate storage, capacity options and estimated retention.
Installed retention check
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- Total recording data
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- Current cameras
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- Planned future cameras
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- Usable capacity required
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- Installed usable capacity
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- Current-only retention
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- Separate evidence-copy storage
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Valid matched-drive combinations
Equal-capacity drives; raw summed capacity only. RAID is not assumed and is not backup.
How the calculation works
Per-camera GB/day = total stream bitrate × recording seconds ÷ 8 ÷ 1000. Each group uses its own quantity and retention. Raw target applies entered reserve and overhead. A single installed-retention day estimate is shown only when all included groups use one retention target; mixed targets must be checked using required versus installed capacity. All TB values are decimal.
Important limits
This planner does not guarantee retention. Resolution, codec, FPS and activity document assumptions but do not secretly change entered bitrate. Verify actual average bitrate and exact NVR/HDD compatibility.
Retention is not backup
Recorder storage is normally overwritten. Evidence-copy storage is separate. RAID or disk redundancy is not independent backup.