A Network Video Recorder (NVR) is a device, or sometimes a software program on a dedicated computer, that stores video on a hard drive, flash drive or other storage device after it has been processed and encoded by a security camera. It receives video input streamed over a network connection as opposed to being directly connected via a capture card or tuner. The main difference between a NVR and digital video recorder (DVR) is that an NVR contains no video capture hardware, the information is processed at the camera and streamed to the NVR for storage or viewing, whereas a DVR processes and encodes video input. There are hybrid systems available, capable of performing both functions, but they are usually referred to as simply NVRs.
