Technical Manuals
S/W DVR card vs H/W DVR card
Date：2009-07-14
For PC-based DVR systems, DVR cards are often used to capture or compress the video feeds from the cameras. Generally speaking, DVR cards can be classified into two faminlies: Software Compression DVR Card and Hardware Compression DVR Card.
1. Software compression DVR card (also known as video capture card)
Software compression DVR card is composed of video sampling chip(s) (e.g.: FUNSION 878A, SAA7130, SAA7134, TW6802, TW6805) and other components. S/W DVR card's IC structure is relatively simple and has lower cost. A S/W DVR card captures video signals and transmits them to PC for compression by software.
2. Hardware compression DVR card (also know as video compression card)
Hardware compression DVR card consists of video sampling chip(s) like TW2815, TW2865, as well as video compression chip(s) like DM642. H/W DVR card's IC structure is much more complicated but has higher costs than S/W DVR card. A H/W DVR card can achieve video compression itself, which helps to save CPU resources.
3. Comparison of S/W DVR card and H/W DVR card
1). By whom the video compression is executed?
For software compression card, video signals are compressed by CPU, not by the card.
For hardware compression card, video signals are compressed by the on-board DSP or ASIC chips.
2). Advantages and Disadvantages
For software compression DVR card,
Power consumption is lower, price is lower, software can be easily upgraded, compatibility is better;
But more CPU resources are occupied, and for PCI card, large amount of camera access is not available.
For hardware compression DVR card,
Available for large amount of camera access, better stability;
But the prices are higher, power consumption is also higher.
4. Manufacturers in China
Manufacturers of S/W DVR cards: Jovision, Wave-p, Macro-Video, Goldvision.
Manufacturers of H/W DVR cards: Hikvision, Hanbang, High Easy, Thakral.
Before 2005, hardware compression DVR cards was leading the market of DVR cards due to dependency on compression ability of the cards when CPU performance was not as good as it is today. But since 2005, as PC performance gets improved profoundly, market share of software compression DVR cards is exceeding and by now, the predominance has been seized by software compression DVR cards.
1. Software compression DVR card (also known as video capture card)
Software compression DVR card is composed of video sampling chip(s) (e.g.: FUNSION 878A, SAA7130, SAA7134, TW6802, TW6805) and other components. S/W DVR card's IC structure is relatively simple and has lower cost. A S/W DVR card captures video signals and transmits them to PC for compression by software.
2. Hardware compression DVR card (also know as video compression card)
Hardware compression DVR card consists of video sampling chip(s) like TW2815, TW2865, as well as video compression chip(s) like DM642. H/W DVR card's IC structure is much more complicated but has higher costs than S/W DVR card. A H/W DVR card can achieve video compression itself, which helps to save CPU resources.
3. Comparison of S/W DVR card and H/W DVR card
1). By whom the video compression is executed?
For software compression card, video signals are compressed by CPU, not by the card.
For hardware compression card, video signals are compressed by the on-board DSP or ASIC chips.
2). Advantages and Disadvantages
For software compression DVR card,
Power consumption is lower, price is lower, software can be easily upgraded, compatibility is better;
But more CPU resources are occupied, and for PCI card, large amount of camera access is not available.
For hardware compression DVR card,
Available for large amount of camera access, better stability;
But the prices are higher, power consumption is also higher.
4. Manufacturers in China
Manufacturers of S/W DVR cards: Jovision, Wave-p, Macro-Video, Goldvision.
Manufacturers of H/W DVR cards: Hikvision, Hanbang, High Easy, Thakral.
Before 2005, hardware compression DVR cards was leading the market of DVR cards due to dependency on compression ability of the cards when CPU performance was not as good as it is today. But since 2005, as PC performance gets improved profoundly, market share of software compression DVR cards is exceeding and by now, the predominance has been seized by software compression DVR cards.