The challenge with a village house is not the equipment but the structure: three floors, a rooftop, and a parking space spread across different heights. Every camera must be cabled back to the same NVR, while the NVR can only be installed in one location. This article walks through the entire process using a real-world example of this scale.
1. Scenario Setup
| Item | Actual Situation |
|---|---|
| Floors | Ground floor + first floor + second floor + rooftop (three and a half floors in total) |
| Area | Approximately 700 sq. ft. per floor |
| Surroundings | There is a parking space and a rear lane, and the rooftop is accessible |
| Existing Conditions | The entire house has electricity, but there are no network cable points on the exterior walls |
| NVR Location | Ground-floor storage room (with power and space for the equipment) |
| Requirements | 8 camera locations, 30-day storage, and mobile viewing |
2. How to Allocate the Eight Camera Locations
The most common mistake in a village house is installing all 8 cameras on the exterior walls of the ground floor—leaving the second floor and above completely uncovered. The correct approach is to allocate them based on the “entry paths”:
| Camera Location | Position | Purpose | Recommended Type | Resolution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CH1 | Ground-floor entrance | Identify people (most important) | Bullet camera / dome camera | 4K |
| CH2 | Parking space | Monitor vehicles and people entering and exiting | Bullet camera | 4K |
| CH3 | Rear lane / back door | Security | Bullet camera | 2K |
| CH4 | Ground-floor hall | Indoor | Dome camera | 2K |
| CH5 | First-floor stairwell | Upstairs/Downstairs Traffic Flow | Dome Camera | 2K |
| CH6 | Second-Floor Corridor | Indoor | Dome Camera | 2K |
| CH7 | Rooftop Entrance/Exit | People Going Up to the Rooftop | Bullet Camera | 2K |
| CH8 | Rooftop Panoramic View | Wide Coverage, Rotatable | PTZ Camera | 2K |
III. Power Budget: Calculate First, Then Buy
The power consumption of the 8 cameras is not the same—the PTZ camera is noticeably more power-hungry than the fixed cameras. Let's calculate using actual figures:
| Type | Quantity | Power Consumption per Unit | Subtotal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4K Bullet Cameras (CH1, CH2) | 2 | Approximately 8W | 16W |
| 2K Bullet Cameras (CH3, CH7) | 2 | Approximately 6W | 12W |
| 2K Dome Cameras (CH4–CH6) | 3 | Approximately 5W | 15W |
| 2K PTZ Camera (CH8) | 1 | Up to 12W | 12W |
| Total | 8 | — | Approximately 55W |
Comparison of Two Switches:
| Model | Total power supply | 8 cameras require 55W | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| RLA-PS1E (5 ports) | 65W | Can only connect 5 cameras | Insufficient ports |
| RLA-PS1 (8 ports, 120W) | 120W | ✔ 65W remaining | Suitable |
IV. Which NVR should you choose?
| Option | Price | PoE | Hard drive | Suitable for? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NVS8-NHD (bare unit) | Inquiry | 8 × 25W | 12TB purchased separately | ✔ Want to choose the hard drive yourself |
| NVS8-NHD (built-in 2TB) | HK$2,599 | 8 × 25W | Includes 2TB | ✔ Want to start recording right out of the box |
| NVS8-8MB4 KIT | HK$4,599 | 8 × 25W | 2TB ＋ 4 4K cameras | △ Only need 4 cameras |
This case requires 8 cameras, while the KIT only includes 4, so choose the NVS8 bare unit or the built-in version.What size hard drive is needed for 30 days of storage?Use the formula:
2 4K cameras (8Mbps × 2) ＋ 6 2K cameras (4Mbps × 6) ＝ 40Mbps
Daily ≈ 40 × 10.8 ＝ 432GB
30 days ＝ Approximately 13TB
13TB exceeds the NVS8’s 12TB limit (1 SATA ＋ 1 eSATA). There are two solutions: ① Buy an 8TB hard drive ＋ add 6TB via eSATA (14TB total); ② Reduce the retention period to 25 days, for which 12TB is sufficient.In practice, most village houses choose option ②——25 days is already sufficient for reviewing footage.
V. Cabling: The real challenge for village houses
The 8 cables need to run from the ground-floor storage room to the second floor and rooftop, making this the most expensive part of the entire project. Four practical issues:
| Issue | Practical approach | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Vertical cable routing | Use the existing electrical conduit or install new PVC trunking | Do not run it in the same conduit as power cables |
| Passing through exterior walls | Drill the hole, then add a waterproof sleeve and silicone sealant | The hole should slope inward to prevent rainwater from flowing back in |
| Rooftop section | Outdoor-rated Cat6 + conduit | The rooftop receives the strongest sunlight, which can cause indoor-rated cable to become brittle |
| Parking space section | Outdoor-rated cable + Ethernet surge protector | Open areas have the highest risk of lightning strikes |
Estimated at an average of 22 meters per point (including vertical sections), 8 cables would be approximately 176 meters; adding 15% for wastage, approximately 200 meters。One 305-meter box is sufficient, with the remainder kept for maintenance.
VI. Equipment List and Total Cost
| Item | Model | Quantity | Unit Price | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NVR | Reolink NVS8-NHD (built-in 2TB) | 1 | HK$2,599 | 8 channels, 8 PoE ports |
| 4K Bullet Camera | Reolink P330 8MP | 2 | HK$749 | Main entrance, parking space |
| 2K Bullet Camera | Reolink P320 5MP | 2 | HK$569 | Back alley, rooftop entrance |
| 2K Dome Camera | Reolink P324 5MP | 3 | HK$429 | Living room, stairs, hallway |
| PTZ camera | EZVIZ H8C PoE 3MP | 1 | HK$399 | Rooftop panoramic view |
| Switch | Not required | 0 | — | NVS8 comes with 8 PoE ports |
| Cat6 cable | Local electrical supply store | 200 meters | — | Out of stock in store |
| Hard drive | Surveillance-grade 8TB | 1 | Purchased separately | Can also be expanded via eSATA |
7. Installation Sequence (Village House Version)
Day 1: Mark locations and test positioning.Use temporary power and the mobile App to check the viewing angle at each location, especially the parking area and rooftop—actual coverage cannot be determined from the floor plan.
Day 2: Run the cables.Run the cables from top to bottom (rooftop → second floor → first floor → ground floor). After the cables are in place but before crimping the connectors, test each cable for continuity.
Day 3: Terminate the connectors and install the equipment.Install a drip loop and waterproof box for all outdoor connectors.
Day 4: Power on and acceptance testing.Check each item against the nine-point acceptance checklist.
8. Acceptance Checklist
| Item | Standard |
|---|---|
| All 8 channels display video | No black screens |
| Recording is available on every channel | The latest 1 hour of playback contains continuous footage |
| Time synchronization | Within 1 minute of the mobile phone |
| PoE indicator lights | All 8 ports lit |
| Night vision | Conduct an on-site check once after nightfall |
| Remote access on mobile | Turn off Wi-Fi and test using 4G |
| Rooftop protection | Spray water to test the connectors |
| Cable labels | Label both ends with numbers |
9. Village Houses vs. Regular Units: Five Differences
| Item | Village House | Regular Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Floors | 3–4 floors, cable length 40–80 meters | Single floor, cable length 10–20 meters |
| Rooftop | Strongest exposure to sun and rain; outdoor-grade cables are required | Usually none |
| Parking Space | Open area with a high risk of lightning strikes | Indoor parking lot |
| NVR Location | Can only be placed in one location, so the cables must be centralized | Can be placed in the TV cabinet |
| Installation | Requires drilling through exterior walls and between floors | Cables are mostly routed indoors |
10. Frequently Asked Questions
Do village houses always need 8 cameras?
Not necessarily. The basic setup is 4 cameras (front door, back door, living room, and parking space). 8 cameras are needed for coverage on every floor.
Is the NVS8 enough for 8 cameras?
Yes. It has 8 PoE ports with 25W per port, and total power consumption is approximately 55W, leaving ample capacity.
Can the cables be routed through cable trunking?
Technically yes, but separate cable routing or a divider is recommended. Running them in the same trunking as power cables may cause interference.
Does the rooftop camera require special treatment?
Yes. All four measures are required: outdoor-grade cables, conduit, waterproof junction boxes for the connectors, and drip loops.
How much hard drive capacity is needed for 30 days of storage?
For 8 cameras with mixed resolutions (2 4K + 6 2K), approximately 13TB is required. You can use 8TB + 6TB eSATA, or reduce the storage period to 25 days.
Can everything be wireless?
Village houses have multiple floors and thick walls, making wireless connections across floors unreliable. Wired PoE is the only reliable solution.
What happens during a power outage?
Everything stops. To continue operation, a UPS is required, and the power consumption of 8 cameras must be factored into the calculation.
11. Further Reading
- CCTV Series: Complete Guide——Starting with the Number of Cameras
- 13 NVRs: How to Choose
- Cabling and Installation——Cables, Distance, Waterproofing, and Acceptance Testing
- SD Card vs. NVR