Security Camera Calculators and Planning Tools
Four free tools that answer the questions we get asked most, using the same spec sheets, prices and stock as the store. Each one ends on a product that fits. Take them in order to plan a system, or jump to the one you need.
1 · See itWhich lens do I need, and how much will the camera see?
Enter the distance and the detail you need; the lens chart draws the field of view and lists the cameras we stock that cover it, from each camera's spec sheet.
For example: A 2.8 mm 8MP dome sees 106° across, about 80 ft wide at 30 ft
From the published horizontal angle of view of the Sibell Vision 8MP 2.8 mm dome (IPOD-SB8IR28AF). The chart draws it for your distance, shows the detail you get at each range, then lists the cameras that fit.
2 · Keep itHow much hard drive do I need, and which recorder takes it?
Enter your cameras, their resolution and the days to keep; the storage calculator picks the drive size and lists the NVRs and DVRs we sell with it installed.
For example: 8 cameras at 4K for 14 days need a 10 TB drive
7.3 TB of video recording all day at 15 FPS with H.265; with 10% headroom that is 8.1 TB, so 10 TB is the next size we sell. The calculator then lists the NVRs sold with it installed.
3 · Power itWill the camera get enough power over that cable run?
Pick the camera, how it is powered and the cable; the voltage drop calculator gives the voltage at the camera, how far each cable reaches, and the part that fixes a run that is too long.
For example: A 5 W camera at 12 V DC on 18/2 wire reaches 202 ft
Beyond that it drops below the 10.8 V a ±10% camera needs. Past that point the calculator shows the fixes with the distance each reaches: a distribution box closer to the camera, 24 V AC with a converter at the camera (1,064 ft on the same wire, about 5 times as far), heavier wire or PoE.
4 · Connect itWhich PoE switch powers all my cameras?
List the cameras, the longest run and your recorder's PoE ports; the PoE switch selector adds up the ports and the PoE budget with 20% headroom and lists the switches we stock that cover it.
For example: Four fixed cameras and a PTZ need 5 PoE ports and 53 W of PoE budget
Four 5 W IR cameras and one 24 W PTZ draw 44 W at night; with 20% headroom that is 53 W, and the PTZ needs a PoE+ port. With no PoE ports on the recorder, the 8 Channel POE Plus Switch covers it with 3 ports and 72 W of budget to spare; the selector ranks every switch we stock that does.
How the tools work. Prices, stock, storage options and images are read from the product listings (refreshed every 15 minutes); angles of view, IR range, power consumption, drive bays, PoE ports and PoE budgets come from the spec sheets, and each tool prints its formula, assumptions and sources under the result. The worked examples above use the same formulas: storage at 15 FPS with H.265 and 10% headroom; the lens example from the camera's published horizontal angle of view; the power example for an 18 AWG copper pair at 20 °C and the camera's ±10% tolerance; the PoE example from the selector's typical camera draws with 20% headroom against each switch's published PoE budget.