I'm having a lot of trouble getting a clear answer to the relation of cameras and fps to resultant consumption of hard disk space.
I'm thinking of buying a cheap (below $150) DVR for security. I'm looking at the DVST-4030, DVQ7 or similar 4-channel models. Since I have 6, 10 and 20GB IDE hard drives sitting around as extra, and these models are sold without storage, naturally I'm thinking of saving money by merging the two. Brand new hard disks are fairly inexpensive, if I need something larger, but I'm still budgeting at most $50 for that.
However, I can't make that decision without first knowing how to figure out how 2 cameras at a modest frame rate (8fps) fill up a hard disk. Searching online for such a guide has been fruitless, and DVR sellers merely push 160GB or greater drives on the public.
Can you help me figure out a general formula for hard disk capacity when buying and using a DVR? By knowing how the cameras consume disk space, I can decide the frame rate and the days of storage I need.
For those who are curious, my application involves neighborhood security. I will place a camera upon each parking spot on the street so that I can keep watch for various thugs breaking car windows. The nighttime lighting may be an issue, but I can adapt to that in time.
