HiLook 8 Channel Turbo HD DVR (Hard Drive Not Included)

The HiLook DVR-108G-M1 is the HiLook 8 channel DVR for a bigger system where you choose the hard drive yourself. It records eight HD coax cameras plus two IP cameras of up to 5MP, and HiLook lists up to 10 IP channels in total. There is one SATA bay for a single hard drive of up to 4TB, which is not included, so you choose the size. Recording is 1080p Lite at up to 15 frames a second with H.265 Pro+ compression, sound comes in over the coax on all eight channels, and HDMI and VGA feed a screen. Alectra supplies the recorder only.

What's in the box

• 1 x HiLook DVR-108G-M1 8 channel Turbo HD DVR (hard drive not included)
• 1 x 12V DC power adapter for the DVR
• 1 x USB mouse

The hard drive, cameras, camera cable, camera power supply and the screen are bought separately.

Which HiLook 8 channel DVR do you need?

Choose this one when you want to fit your own hard drive and keep the option of a bigger one later. The HiLook 8 channel DVR with built-in 512GB eSSD has its storage fitted at the factory, so there is no drive to buy, but that storage cannot be added to or swapped. For four cameras or fewer, the HiLook 4 channel Turbo HD DVR takes the same kind of drive and the 4 channel DVR with 330GB eSSD has storage built in. For up to 16 cameras, see the HiLook 16 channel DVR with 1TB eSSD. If you want the cameras, cable and power supply in one box, the HiLook 8 channel CCTV kit pairs eight 2MP bullets with the 512GB eSSD recorder.

Hard drive: one bay, up to 4TB

The DVR-108G-M1 has one SATA interface, and HiLook's spec table rates it for one hard drive of up to 4TB. Your installer fits the drive inside the case and sets it up with the rest of the system. With eight cameras writing to one drive, the size you pick makes a real difference to how far back you can look. The number of days depends on how many cameras are connected, the frame rate and how much movement each camera sees, so we do not quote a fixed figure, and recording on motion only stretches it further.

Cameras and IP channels

Each of the eight coax inputs takes HD TVI, AHD or CVI cameras at 1080p or 720p, or an older analogue (CVBS) camera, so you can mix the HiLook 2MP bullet, the ColorVu bullet for colour at night, the dual light bullet with built-in mic and the indoor turret dome or ColorVu turret dome on one recorder. Two IP cameras of up to 5MP connect over the network on top of the eight coax cameras. Audio from cameras with a mic comes down the coax on all eight channels. Motion Detection 2.0 is on by default for the coax channels and sorts people and vehicles from leaves and lights, so you get fewer false alarms and can search recordings by event.

Wiring, power and viewing

Run RG59 cable with a power pair to each camera, with BNC crimp connectors on the video and a DC connector on the power pair. The Hikvision 8 channel CCTV power supply gives 5A in total across eight outputs, and the 9 channel CCTV power supply box is a 10A option in a lockable metal case. A monitor or TV goes on the HDMI or VGA output (both at once, up to 1920 x 1080), and a CAT6 network cable from the RJ45 port to your router gives you phone app viewing. The recorder runs on 12V DC at 1.5A from the power adapter in the box. The system is installed by your installer; Alectra supplies the equipment only.