I'm assuming you want some introductory information. You've got 2 basic choices for an NVR: A dedicated NVR or a PC running
Blue Iris. Blue Iris is very flexible but you have the work of setting it up and maintaining it. Most of the NVRs are made by either Hikvision or Dauha, both Chinese companies. They are sold under many different brands like Swann, Lorex, Laview, etc. Some of the brands let you use other brand cameras, and others try hard to prevent you from doing this. You have to choose the maximum number of cameras supported, typically 4, 8, 16, or 32, the maximum resolution which ranges from 2 MP to 12 MP, and how many disks the NVR supports. You can get the NVR with a built-in POE switch, or supply your own external POE switch. You can buy direct from China which gets you lower prices and the latest hardware, with the downside being no support and long delivery times. I'm new at it, too. I originally tried to by an NVR from China and had a bad experience leading to the deal being cancelled. Others have had nothing but good experiences. It cost more, but I wanted to have flexibility and expandability, and went with a fairly high end LTS (rebranded Hikvision) 8916 DVR. It supports 16 cameras, 4 disks, 12 MP max resolution, and has no built-in POE switch. If you have no background in networking and don't want to spend a lot of time setting it up, I'd advise going with a built-in POE switch that allows plug-and-play operation. If you go external POE you might just meet me in "network hell", where I've been for a few weeks. It's generally advised to stick with the same brand NVR and cameras if you want simplicity. My absolute biggest gripe with the NVR is THE FANS ARE TOO D*AM LOUD. Surely, for the manufacturers to quiet them down isn't even remotely close to rocket science as the rest of the DVR design is.
