The Synology Network Video Recorder NVR216 is a compact surveillance solution perfect for offices and retailers with limited space. The NVR216 includes a HDMI port which can be used with an external monitor or TV without the need for a PC. The NVR can hold up to 2 storage drives internally and capable of expanding up to a total of 7 drives with the inclusion of the DX513 expansion unit.
Out of the box, it supports over 4,000 camera models. In addition, the NVR216 also supports ONVIF. The number of camera licenses and cameras that can be monitored depends on the NVR216 version you get (4 channel vs 9 channel). Our review is based on the 9 channel model with a supported camera and an unlisted camera which supports ONVIF.
Additional images courtesy of Synology:
| CPU | CPU Model: Embedded NVR SoC |
| CPU Architecture: 32-bit | |
| CPU Frequency: Dual Core 1.0 GHz | |
| System Memory | 1 GB DDR3 |
| Storage | Drive Bay(s): 2 |
| Maximum Drive Bays with Expansion Unit: 4 | |
| Supported Drive Types: 3.5" SATA III / SATA II HDD & 2.5" SATA III / SATA II HDD | |
| Capacity | Maximum Internal Raw Capacity: 16 TB (8 TB HDD x 2) |
| Maximum Raw Capacity with DX213 Expansion Unit: 32 TB (8 TB HDD x 4) | |
| Maximum Raw Capacity with DX513 Expansion Unit: 56 TB (8 TB HDD x 7) | |
| Maximum Single Volume Size: 16 TB | |
| External Ports | 2 x USB 2.0 Port |
| 1 x USB 3.0 Port | |
| 1 x eSATA Port | |
| 1 x RJ-45 1GbE LAN Port | |
| Video Output | HDMI X 1 |
| Audio Input | 3.5 mm Stereo Audio Jack x 1 |
| Audio Output | 3.5 mm Stereo Audio Jack x 1 |
| Size (Height x Width x Depth) | 165 mm x 100 mm x 225.5 mm |
| Weight | 0.9 kg |
| NVR216 (4CH Version) Maximum Channel Number | 4 (including 4 Free License) |
| Total FPS (H.264)* | 120 FPS @ 720p (1280x720), 4 Channels |
| 120 FPS @ 1080p (1920×1080), 4 Channels | |
| 50 FPS @ 3M (2048x1536), 4 Channels | |
| 30 FPS @ 5M (2591x1944), 3 Channel | |
| Total FPS (MJPEG)* | 90 FPS @ 720p (1280x720), 4 Channels |
| 40 FPS @ 1080p (1920×1080), 4 Channels | |
| 10 FPS @ 3M (2048x1536), 1 Channels | |
| 10 FPS @ 5M (2591x1944), 1 Channel | |
| -OR- | |
| NVR216 (9CH Version) Maximum Channel Number | 9 (including 9 Free License) |
| Total FPS (H.264)* | 270 FPS @ 720p (1280x720), 9 Channels |
| 90 FPS @ 1080p (1920×1080), 9 Channels | |
| 50 FPS @ 3M (2048x1536), 5 Channels | |
| 30 FPS @ 5M (2591x1944), 3 Channel | |
| Total FPS (MJPEG)* | 90 FPS @ 720p (1280x720), 9 Channels |
| 40 FPS @ 1080p (1920×1080), 4 Channels | |
| 10 FPS @ 3M (2048x1536), 1 Channels | |
| 10 FPS @ 5M (2591x1944), 1 Channel | |
| Video Compression Format | MJPEG |
| MPEG-4 | |
| H.264 | |
| Audio Codec | PCM |
| ADPCM | |
| G711 | |
| G726 | |
| AMR | |
| AAC | |
| Noise Level | 19 dB(A) |
| Scheduled Power On/Off | Yes |
| Power Supply Unit / Adapter | 60W |
| AC Input Power Voltage | 100V to 240V AC |
| Power Frequency | 50/60 Hz, Single Phase |
| Power Consumption | 14.14 W (HDD Access) |
| 5.09 W (HDD Hibernation) |
Review Configuration
As outlined in our other article, this is the configuration which will be used to test our surveillance equipment. The D-Link DCS-2330L is listed as a supported model whilst the DCS-4602EV PoE camera is not. The DCS-4602EV is however ONVIF compliant.
NVR216 Installation
Installation of the NVR216 hardware was pretty straight forward and no different to other Synology NAS units we have reviewed. If you are connecting to an external display, you will also need a keyboard and mouse. On first boot you are guided through the software setup process.
Surveillance Station
The Synology Surveillance Station lets you manage your camera environment through a user friendly interface. You can access the software via a web browser on any device on the same network or directly if the NVR216 is connected to a monitor via HDMI. Adding both cameras was a straightforward process.
Once the cameras were added and confirmed working, other aspects of the Surveillance Station were explored. I initially encountered a number of issues in trying to get the plugins to play nice with web browsers running on OS X El Capitan and used FireFox on a Windows 10 machine but later resolved the issue by downloading and reinstalling the Safari plugin.
DS cam
DS cam is a handy little mobile application Synology have released for iOS and Android that lets you access live feeds and recordings. It also supports push notifications and 2-way conversation if the camera supports it.
Final Thoughts
The Synology NVR216 is an easy to install, compact and sleek little unit that businesses would find extremely useful if they were wanting to install surveillance equipment. Adding and managing cameras was extremely simple via the supplied Surveillance Station software. We did run into browser compatibility issues on the Apple OS but a quick flick over to Windows and it seemed to be fine. There is of course the option to manage the environment via a direct connection to an external display which removes any of the dependency issues with the desktop.
Overall, we were happy with the unit’s performance and it was definitely worthy of inclusion in our little surveillance setup.
