CCTV Buying Guide: Choosing Cameras, Recorders, and Resolution

How many CCTV cameras do you need?

Start with camera count. Most homes cover the essentials with 4 cameras: front door, back door, driveway, and one wide-angle camera for the garden or side access. Larger properties and commercial premises typically need 8 or 16 channels to cover every entry point and blind spot. Buy a recorder (DVR or NVR) with two more channels than you need now. Adding a camera later costs little. Replacing an undersized recorder costs more.

Quick recommendations

• Best budget choice: Hilook 2MP IR 20m Camera (THC-T120-MS). The cheapest capable option in our range at £22.36, with a built-in mic for audio capture.
• Best for a longer driveway or garden: Hilook 2MP IR 40m Camera (THC-T220-MS). Same budget tier with double the infrared night-vision range (40m against 20m) for spotting movement further from the house.
• Best for sharper detail at distance: Dahua 4K 8MP Turret Camera (T289-HT). 8MP resolution reads number plates or faces at range, plus 2-way audio.
• Best for a from-scratch IP/PoE install: Hizone Pro Smart Hybrid PoE Camera 8MP. A true PoE IP camera. One network cable carries power and data, so you need no separate PSU run.

Analogue (TVI/AHD) or IP (network) cameras?

Analogue cameras (TVI, AHD, CVI) connect to a DVR over coaxial cable. They cost less and install simply in most home and small business projects. You run them over existing coax with no network configuration. IP cameras connect to an NVR over a network cable, usually with Power over Ethernet (PoE). They offer higher resolution, better night-time colour and simpler remote viewing. Wiring a property from scratch? Choose IP/PoE for the long term. Retrofitting onto existing coax runs? Analogue is the practical option.

What resolution do you need?

3K (5MP) is a sensible minimum to identify faces or number plates at driveway distance. 4K (8MP) gives sharper detail for wide-angle coverage or longer distances, but costs more storage. For a typical house, use 4MP to 5MP cameras on entry points and one 4K camera on the driveway or widest view.

Do you need two-way audio or colour night vision?

Two-way audio lets you speak through the camera from a phone app. Use two-way audio on a front door camera to deter visitors or answer deliveries without opening the door. Colour night vision (sold as ColorVU or similar) keeps footage in colour after dark with a built-in white light, instead of switching to black-and-white infrared. Colour footage helps identify clothing and vehicle colour. The white light shows more at night than standard infrared.

DVR or NVR?

A DVR (Digital Video Recorder) works with analogue TVI or AHD cameras over coax. An NVR (Network Video Recorder) works with IP cameras over network cable, usually through a PoE switch or an NVR with built-in PoE ports. Hybrid DVRs accept analogue and IP inputs. Choose one when you mix camera types or upgrade gradually. Check the channel count (4, 8 or 16CH) covers your cameras with room to expand. Confirm the recorder supports your chosen camera resolution.

What else do you need?

• Power: analogue cameras need a PSU (12V, sized to your camera count) or a power splitter to share one supply. IP/PoE cameras take power over the network cable, so a PoE switch or PoE NVR removes separate power runs.
• Cable: analogue systems use BNC or coax cable. IP systems use CAT5E or CAT6 network cable. Pay extra for outdoor-rated cable on any run outside.
• Storage: check the recorder's hard drive capacity against the days of footage you want and the number of channels recording continuously.

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