Can One Joystick Control Your PTZ Camera and NVR?
See how the AvaEye KB110E joystick controls an AvaEye PTZ camera while also switching channels and changing the grid displayed through a compatible NVR’s HDMI output.
NVR & DVR Recorders
Browse topics and product series
The recorder is where your footage lives, so a lot of day-to-day questions end up here: whether it's recording, how to play something back, how to back it up and what to do about a forgotten password. This section covers playback on a PC and in Smart PSS, backup (including FTP and cloud storage), hard drive checks, dual-monitor and resolution settings, and managing the cameras attached to the recorder.
Playback problems have their own guide, linked from the list below.
All NVR & DVR Recorders guides
-
-
How To Check If Your Security Camera System Is Recording
If your security camera system suddenly stopped recording or your NVR popped up a hard drive error, the quickest way to figure out what’s going on is to check whether the recorder can still see the drive. Hard drives in surveillance systems are constantly writing data, so it’s normal for them to wear out or […] -
How to Backup your Security Camera System to the Cloud for FREE with Dropbox
Backing up footage from your security camera system to the cloud adds an extra layer of protection and peace of mind. Many camera systems sold by big-box retailers and our online competitors come with monthly fees or require long-term commitments. With Security Cameras Inc™ (SCI) cameras and recorders from CCTV Camera World, you can back […] -
Security Camera Cloud Storage - How To Backup
Cloud storage is one of the most common feature requests we hear from both new and returning customers who are researching security camera systems. In the past, cloud storage was often too expensive or simply not practical due to slow internet upload speeds across much of the U.S. But as of 2025, faster cable internet, […] -
How to Backup your DVR or NVR
It is a little known fact that our security video recorders can be backed up to a secondary recorder. Let’s say you’ve had the recorder of your previous security camera system stolen and are looking for a way to backup video from the system this time around. Thanks to technology in almost all of our […] -
Solving Common Security Camera System Playback Issues
Playing back recorded footage from your cameras is one of the most important reasons to purchase and own a security camera system. Whether you’re monitoring your home or business, having dependable recordings and the ability to review them is critical for investigating incidents and ensuring the safety of your property. Playback challenges such as missing […] -
How to Playback Video from an Avalonix NVR or DVR on a PC
When you export video from an Avalonix Premium Series security camera recorder (NVR or DVR) using a thumb-drive connected to the recorder or using the camera monitoring software, we recommend exporting the raw DAV file format. The DAV file format retains metadata like date and time, as well as event data from motion detection or […] -
Dual Monitor Setup on Avalonix Premium NVR and DVR Recorders
Watching your security cameras from Avalonix Premium Series NVR and DVR recorders is convenient using a monitor or TV directly connected to the recorder. Most of the high capacity Avalonix 32 channel, 64 channel, and 128-channel models have two HDMI outputs, allowing the user to connect two computer monitors or televisions . These outputs are […] -
How to view a Security Camera System on Two Monitors
Most of our security camera video recorders feature dual video outputs that include a VGA and HDMI connector. These two video outputs display the same exact screen, meaning what you see on your VGA monitor will be the same as the HDMI monitor. They will not allow you to have your cameras split between two […] -
How to set the Monitor Resolution of your Security Camera Recorder
If you are having issues with using a monitor or TV to view your security camera system it usually relates to the resolution that the system is trying to display. It’s important to take the necessary troubleshooting steps to gather information on why the display is not working. Often times it’s easy to assume that […] -
How to Change Camera Channel Type on a Security DVR
DVR recorders these days support traditional analog CCTV cameras, new HD security cameras over coax called HDCVI cameras, and network based IP cameras. Security DVRs can vary in the variety of signal types they support, and can be called Tribrid DVRs or XVRs. These recorders sense camera signal automatically between HDCVI and analog security cameras […] -
How to record snapshots to a Network Video Recorder
Security cameras are usually used to record video, but in some scenarios, you can leverage the combined power of our cameras and recorders to record snapshots at specified intervals. As discussed in this guide, our IP surveillance cameras with an available microSD slot allow for snapshot capture and storage on the internal microSD memory card. […] -
Recording Security Cameras to a FTP Server
Security camera systems from CCTV Camera World are designed to provide the end user with several methods for storing security video and snapshots. Our DVRs and NVRs support local recording to an internal hard drive as most surveillance recorders do. In addition, with our security camera recorders you can record video and snapshots to a […] -
How to View Recorded Video and Audio Using Smart PSS
Whether you have an IP, HDCVI, or Analog security camera system, CCTV Camera World offers security cameras with a built-in microphone, giving you the ability to stream or record HD quality footage with audio for each camera. Setting up your DVR or NVR to stream/record video with audio requires a few simple steps, explained in […] -
Checking Hard Drive For Errors In Your DVR Or NVR
It is expected that hard drives inside a DVR or NVR recorder may fail. Hard drives having moving parts inside that can fail. There is no knowing how soon a drive may fail, as it all depends on build quality for the production run from the hard drive manufacturer, the temperature your security video recorder […] -
How to Change the Name of an IP Camera on SmartPSS
Sometimes setting changes on your IP cameras and NVR may not propagate over to SmartPSS easily. Using a computer with SmartPSS, an IP Camera, and a NVR with each device attached to the LAN we made some camera settings changes. We found that changing the name of an IP Camera via its web interface will not […] -
NVR DVR Password Reset Instructions
Finding that you’ve forgotten the password to login to your DVR or NVR can be frustrating. If you’ve attempted to log in with the wrong password more than three times you account will be locked for 45 minutes, not allowing you to enter another password. These are security devices. They have a locking feature to […] -
Using Pro Series IP Cameras with an NVR
Configuring one of the CCTV Camera World Pro Series IP cameras for use with an external PoE Swtich rather than an integrated PoE NVR is the same for the most part as the steps discussed in the previous article Configuring ONVIF IP Cameras For Use With A PoE NVR. If you haven’t set time, enabled audio […] -
How to change the order of IP cameras connected to your NVR
Want to change the order of PoE IP cameras connected to your PoE NVR, then this is a must watch video for the quick trick needed to reset the camera settings on the NVR. First, make sure you connect the cameras to the numbered PoE ports on the back of your NVR recorder. Disregard the […]
