A DVR (digital video recorder) is a storage device used by many models of home security cameras to save footage.
Because DVR stores footage locally, it’s essential to transfer the recordings on it to a USB or hard drive to prevent running out of storage on the DVR device, as well as to access the footage more easily.
In this guide, we’ll explain how to transfer recordings from a DVR to a USB flash drive, and answer frequently asked questions on DVR data transfers.
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How Can I Transfer Recordings From My DVR to a USB Flash Drive?
Transferring recordings from a DVR to a USB is simple enough once you know what you to do and what you need. Here’s how.
What you’ll need:
- A DVR
- The digital transfer box
- An S-Video cable
- An Audio cable
- A USB connector
- A laptop or computer with a disc tray and USB port
- The installer disk that goes with the DVR
- A USB flash drive with adequate storage
1. Plug the S-Video cable into the DVR
First, you’ll need the DVR’s S-Video cable.
Plug the DVR’s S-Video cable into the back of the DVR in the S-Video output.
Then, plug the other end of the cable into the S-Video input on the digital transfer box.
2. Plug the audio cable into the DVR
Next, you’ll need your audio cable if you want to transfer sound.
Plug the left and right plugs on one end into the left and right RCA inputs on the back of the DVR.
Plug the left and right plugs on the other end of the audio cable into the left and right RCA inputs on the digital transfer box.
3. Plug the USB connector into a computer
Then, you’ll need the USB connector that goes with the digital transfer box.
Plug the USB connector into the USB port on your laptop or computer.
4. Insert the installer disc
If you’ve never transferred data from DVR to hard drive before, you’ll need to install the digital transfer program onto the computer you’re using.
Insert the disc if you have it.
If you don’t have the disc or if your computer doesn’t have a disk drive, a quick Google search may reveal the drivers you need to install for it to work. Download them.
5. Set up the installer disc
When the icon appears on the desktop for the installer disk, click it to open the options. If downloaded from the internet instead, click to install it.
Follow the instructions that appear on the screen to install the digital transfer program onto the computer.
Once installed, eject the disc and restart the computer.
6. Launch the digital transfer program
Once the computer has restarted, you can complete the installation and begin using the digital transfer program.
To launch the program, find it on the “Start” menu, in your “Downloaded Files” or via the search function.
Click the program to launch it.
Then click “Next” to go to the “Video” screen.
Click the “S-Video” checkbox.
Click “Next” to continue.
7. Name the file
When the “Audio” screen appears, click the “Stereo” checkbox.
Click “Next” to continue.
In the “Name” column, name the file that will contain the transferred recordings.
Click “Next” to continue.
8. Switch on the DVR
Next, turn on the DVR.
On the remote control, press the “Media” button.
Click “OK” on the remote to select the files that need to be transferred.
9. Start recording
Using the remote, press “Play” to start playing the selected recordings.
Once playing, immediately press the “Record” button on the computer on the digital transfer program’s screen.
As the recordings play, the footage will be transferred from the DVR onto the computer.
When the recordings have finished playing, press “Stop” on the remote.
Click “Next” on the computer to continue.
10. Save the recordings
To save the files onto the computer, click the “Save” button that appears on the screen.
When the “Locations” pop-up window appears, select “Desktop” and click “OK”.
Once the pop-up window disappears, quit the digital transfer program by clicking the “X” button and then “Quit Program”.
11. Insert the USB flash drive into the computer
Remove the cables from the DVR, digital transfer box, and computer.
Insert the USB flash drive into the USB port on the computer.
Wait until the icon of the flash drive appears on the desktop telling you the flash drive is ready to use.
Click the icon to open the folders on the flash drive.
12. Transfer the recordings to a USB flash drive
Find the folder where the transferred recordings from the DVR are saved, or search the file name.
Drag the file from the computer into the flash drive folders.
A progress bar will appear. Wait for the bar to complete and disappear.
Once the file appears in the flash drive’s folder, close the window by clicking “X”.
On the bottom corner of the screen, right-click the flash drive icon.
Select “Eject” from the pop-up window.
Remove the flash drive from the computer’s USB port.
The recordings are now securely transferred to the USB flash drive and can be viewed on any laptop or PC.
FAQ
How can I transfer CCTV footage from DVR to USB?
Here’s how to transfer CCTV footage from a DVR to a USB flash drive:
- Plug the S-Video cable into the DVR
- Plug the audio cable into the DVR
- Plug the USB connector into a computer
- Insert the installer disc into the computer
- Launch the digital transfer program on the computer
- Name the file that you want the recordings to be saved under
- Switch on the DVR
- Select the files, press play, and start recording
- Once playing has finished, save the recordings
- Insert the USB flash drive into the computer
- Transfer the recordings to the USB flash drive
Is there a way to get recordings off a DVR?
Yes, footage stored locally on a DVR with a digital transfer box can be transferred to any computer, laptop, or USB flash drive.
Once transferred, the files can be saved in the Cloud, transferred onto a disk, or sent to anyone via email or any other transfer system (like Airdrop, WhatsApp, text, etc.).
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To get recordings off a DVR, plug the DVR’s digital transfer box into a computer or laptop with the digital transfer program already installed.
Then, select the files and press “Record” to transfer the file. This can take several minutes, hours, or even days, depending on how long the footage is.
Once all the recordings have been played, the files can be saved to the computer or transferred to another device, like a USB flash drive.
Can you use a flash drive with a DVR?
Yes, a USB flash drive can be used with a DVR to transfer recordings. To transfer files from a DVR to a flash drive, the footage will need to be viewed, recorded, and saved onto a computer or laptop first.
Once recorded, the files can be saved onto the computer and then transferred to any flash drive.
Here’s a summary of the equipment needed to transfer DVR footage to a flash drive:
- A DVR
- A digital transfer box
- An S-Video cable
- An Audio cable
- A USB connector
- A laptop or computer with a disk drive
- A flash drive
Can you download DVR recordings to an external hard drive?
Yes, recordings from a DVR can be downloaded to an external hard drive, like a computer or laptop. Once downloaded, the files can be shared or saved to another device, like a flash drive.
How long does it take to transfer recordings from a DVR to USB?
It can take minutes or hours to transfer recordings from a DVR to a USB. This is because the footage must be played and recorded onto a hard drive for it to be transferred to a USB.
Therefore, the time it takes to transfer recordings from a DVR to a USB depends on how long the footage is.
For example, footage that lasts for 10 minutes will take around 10 minutes to transfer. Whereas footage that lasts 4 hours will take around 4 hours.
What is the difference between NVR and DVR?
An NVR is connected to a camera via the internet, either wirelessly or with ethernet cables. The footage can be saved locally or uploaded to the cloud.
A DVR is connected to a camera via coaxial cables. That’s why they are more commonly used alongside older CCTV models and hardwired devices. The footage is then stored on the DVR.
Definition
DVR and NVR are terms that are frequently confused, even in marketing for products. Find out more about DVR vs NVR to avoid the confusion.
The benefits of using NVR security cameras include:
- Easy access to footage
- Storage is less likely to run out
- Uploads faster
- Are available wired or wireless
The cons of using NVR security cameras include:
- Requires Wi-Fi connection
- Won’t upload footage to the Cloud if Wi-Fi is down/disconnected
The benefits of using DVR CCTV cameras include:
- Doesn’t require internet access
- Are generally cheaper to run, with no subscription fees
The cons of DVR CCTV cameras include:
- Poorer image quality
- Takes longer to set up
- Takes longer to access, download, and transfer footage
Do home security cameras use NVR or DVR?
Most popular modern home security cameras use neither NVR or DVR. Instead, footage will upload straight to the cloud or onto a microSD card, and users interact with the camera, including the footage it records, on a mobile app.
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Do CCTV cameras use NVR or DVR?
CCTV analog cameras use DVR rather than NVR. The cameras are wired (not wireless) and connect to a digital transfer box.
When recordings are made, the footage is processed and stored on the device. Because the footage is stored locally , it can only be viewed on the hard drive.
Using CCTV cameras that store footage on a DVR is a more traditional method of protecting a property via security cameras.
More modern security cameras use NVR and offer the option for users to store footage locally on the device or directly onto the Cloud.
Conclusion
Transferring footage from a DVR to a flash drive or hard drive is essential if you want to share the recordings or access them on other devices (like a laptop, computer, mobile, or tablet).
Provided you have all the necessary equipment (including an audio cable, USB connector, and S-Video cable), it’s easy to transfer recordings from a DVR to a USB.
When using an NVR device (like an IP camera) over a DVR, it’s often not necessary to transfer data. This is because footage can be viewed via the Cloud from anywhere, or downloaded onto a mobile device via a home security camera app.