In the world of surveillance, how long security cameras keep their footage is super important and goes far beyond just having space to store it. Losing crucial footage can create a gap in your ability to handle important incidents. This article dives into why choosing the right storage duration matters for spotting threats, understanding security trends, and making sure your surveillance system has a lasting impact.
Just scroll down to the bottom, and you’ll discover how long CCTV camera footage lasts. Keep reading, and you’ll learn all about it.
How Long Do Security Cameras Keep Footage?
A CCTV camera can use quite a bit of bandwidth and storage space, often relying on a standard 1TB hard disk for CCTV footage storage. However, it’s important to note that the storage needs for CCTV footage can vary depending on specific individual or business requirements.
Security camera footage is typically kept for three months to a year, depending on the situation. A common question is, “does CCTV footage get deleted automatically?” The answer is yes; older footage is automatically deleted to make room for new recordings, ensuring that you always have access to the most recent records.
Remember that each security camera has unique features, and so does the storage capacity. Some businesses and financial institutions may offer a generous amount of storage. It’s essential to select the right surveillance camera for your needs, considering that factors such as frame rates, resolution, camera model, and audio quality all influence how much storage your footage will require.
Moreover, the security camera storage capacity depends on several factors:
- The number of cameras that we’ve installed and their connection via NVR or DVR.
- How to store the footage from the CCTV cameras.
- The application we use for storing your security camera footage.
- Any additional devices that have been added to enhance security.
- The built-in storage capacity of the CCTV cameras.
- The 24/7 recording schedule keeps everything monitored around the clock.
- The government mandates and regulations regarding footage storage to ensure compliance.
Why Video Storage Matters
It’s a bit of a catch-22: Clients want to monitor their businesses and reduce risk with the coolest smart technology. However, these amazing “cool tools” can consume a lot of bandwidth and storage. We suggest planning for more storage growth than you might need.
It’s easy to max out your bandwidth early on, especially if you’re adding extra security cameras, upgrading to higher-resolution equipment, or extending the time you’d like to store video security footage. Thankfully, a security consultant can be a great resource to help you plan appropriately and ensure everything goes smoothly.
Exploring your options for video storage can be easier when you consider a few essential questions, such as: “For how many days CCTV records kept?” With all that security in place, you might wonder how long this CCTV footage will be stored.
The short answer to the question “How many days is CCTV footage kept?” is that most businesses, including hotels, car dealerships, and retailers, typically keep security camera footage for 30 to 90 days. While you certainly have the option to store video footage for a more extended period, it’s essential to know that this can become quite expensive due to file size, and the older the footage gets, the less valuable it tends to be.
While there are exceptions, banks usually keep footage for at least 6 months, which is in line with industry standards and regulations. That’s the quick answer. If you’re curious about the details and want to learn more about how long security cameras retain footage, please keep reading.
Top Ways to Store CCTV Footage
You can store security camera footage in several places, depending on how your system is set up. Here are the three most common storage options:
Cloud storage
Many modern security camera systems come with handy cloud storage solutions. This means your footage gets uploaded and stored on remote servers, making it super accessible from anywhere you have an internet connection.
NVR/ DVR
NVRs and DVRs are wonderful devices made just for video storage. NVRs work best with IP cameras, saving your digital footage easily, while DVRs team up nicely with analog cameras to store footage in a digital format. You’ll usually find these devices installed on-site, giving you local access to all your saved videos whenever needed.
SD card storage
Many security cameras have handy built-in SD card slots for easy local storage. This means the footage is stored right on the camera’s SD card, which is super convenient for standalone cameras or when consistent internet access is tricky. Keep in mind that while SD card storage is helpful, it does have its limits when it comes to capacity, and once the card fills up, the new footage might replace the old one.
If you want to purchase NVR, DVR, SD card storage, or CCTV cameras, you can find a reasonable price for CCTV cameras in Pakistan or on the storage at Orient CCTV.
Final Thoughts
We’re confident you’re familiar with how long CCTV camera footage lasts, how many days CCTV records are kept, and how it’s stored in the equipment. If you ever feel you’ve lost some footage, there’s no need to worry. You can always find it in the cloud, NVR/DVR, or SD card storage. Accessing it from there is simple. However, please remember that if the storage limit is exceeded, you might miss out on some footage, and it won’t be available anymore. Keeping this in mind is essential.
If you still haven’t set up your CCTV, don’t worry. You can easily learn how to connect V380 Pro on our website, and we’re here to help you every step of the way.
