Once the NVR is added, viewing your cameras is instant.
After following this 12-chapter guide, you should have a fully functional, enterprise-grade NVR running on a standard PC. smart pss pc nvr setup
Use this formula: Storage (GB) = (Bitrate in Mbps × Number of cameras × 86400 seconds × Days retention) / 8 / 1000 Once the NVR is added, viewing your cameras is instant
Example: 8 cameras at 4 Mbps each, 30 days retention → (4 × 8 × 86400 × 30) / 8 / 1000 = ~10,368 GB (10.4 TB). No video in Live View:
Pro Tip: Always use an enterprise or surveillance-grade HDD (WD Purple, Seagate SkyHawk). Standard desktop drives will fail within months under 24/7 write loads.
PC-NVR is a built-in function within Smart PSS that turns your computer into a recording device. It records video streams from IP cameras directly to your PC's hard drive. This is ideal for small systems (1–16 cameras) where you want to avoid buying a separate NVR.
You need to add cameras to both the "Device Manager" (for live viewing) and "PC-NVR" (for recording). Many newcomers skip the second step.