The 9 Best 16 Channel DVRs
This wiki has been updated 19 times since it was first published in November of 2018. Provide dependable security for a large home, place of business, or commercial property by investing in one of these 16-channel DVRs. Our selection includes powerful, easy-to-install systems, some of which double as network video recorders, or come with companion cameras capable of activating upon detecting motion as well as displaying high-definition video to ensure you never miss any details. When users buy our independently chosen editorial picks, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
1. Safevant Recorder
2. GW Security System
3. Dahua XVR
Editor's Notes
January 06, 2021:
I’ve moved this list towards including models which allow for higher-resolution cameras, and though a few of these will still only afford a maximum of 2 megapixels (1080p), all should allow for at least 1MP (720p). These digital video recorders (DVRs) pretty much have the same function that the DVRs that you hook up to your TV do, but these models come with many more channels, and are therefore specifically marketed towards security systems. We do also have a list of the best DVR cameras which should include boxes with a variety of number of channels. Aside from that, all the models in that list come with both the DVR recorder, as well as the cameras – by contrast, this list is focused on highlighting DVR recorders and not cameras, though some of the newer PoE-based models I’ve added will include some IP cameras. Obviously, those models with ethernet ports won’t work with digital formats like HD-CVI, HD-TVI or AHD, though they’re excellent nevertheless.
IP cameras have the advantage of wireless connectivity, which can obviously afford a lot of flexibility over traditional closed-circuit cameras. A common concern is that a wireless feed can be hacked - this is the case with some models, though you won’t have this issue with devices that communicate over secure, encrypted networks. Many IP cameras do need a network video recorder (NVR) as opposed to a DVR, with models that provide an interface for both IP cameras as well as wired digital ones, like the Dahua XVR, often referred to as hybrid models, or XVRs – these models allocate a certain number of channels for both types of cameras, so you may find expressions like ‘16 + 8 channels’. DVR models with coax connectors will also support the older analog models. Also note that the amount of space or external storage you need will depend on the resolution of your cameras, as well as the video compression format (h.264, h.264+, h.265, etc.) of the recorder.
November 28, 2018:
Included the GW Security System for its high-quality video compression technology and large storage capacity. Added the Onwote Expandable due to its built-in microphone and the Lorex DV900 Series for its prerecording function. The Amcrest UltraHD provides dependable infrared night vision, while its mobile app facilitates simultaneous viewing of all its cameras using a mobile device. Also decided to include the Q-See QC9916-2 due to its ability to map locations for motion activated alerts.
4. Onwote Expandable
5. Lorex DV900 Series
6. Tigersecu Super HD
7. Q-See QC9916-2
8. Samsung Wisenet
9. Reolink NVR
Kaivaan grew up in a little town called York in the north of England, though he was whisked off to sunny Jamaica at the age of 14, where he attended high school. After graduating, he returned to the UK to study electronic engineering at the University of Warwick, where he became the chief editor for the engineering society’s flagship magazine. A couple of uninspiring internships in engineering later however, and after some time spent soul-searching and traveling across Asia and East Africa, he he now lives and works in in Dubai.