AXIS Companion Recorder 4TB (0893-004) 8 Channel Network Video Recorder with PoE Switch - 1 LAN Port, 5400RPM HDD, H.264

A true value for money. The best quality for the price range. The recorder is sleek, gorgeous and takes up the least amount of space. For use with a home security system or even a small office the recorder is a smart choice. The recorder has a wireless access point for smartphones and tablets. Exporting video form the recorder is as simple as plugging in a cable. The recorder can retain information between one to two months. Again coming back to the size of it. The longest side of the device measures in at 15 inches which means it can quite successfully fit into small places like kitchen cabinets or even desk drawers. For use at home this is perfect as instead of having the device in a different room simply clear up some storage space and place it right in.

Storage and pricing. The two things that make the axis companion worthwhile. I have used the companion recorder for my home security system. When I purchased the unit the price felt alright but with some use I came to the conclusion that I did not pay a single penny too much. The storage options available on the recorder are from one terabyte to four terabyte. Being familiar with AXIS’s video compression technology any one of the storage options seem more than sufficient for the job. The only downside is the recorder does not support IP cameras. The missing of the IP camera connection make the recorder feel incomplete. This can be excused by the ease of which data can be transferred from the recorder.

Wonderful looks. The recorder sits very pretty under my computer table. The white shiny exterior makes it feel less intimidating. At a glance you miss the fact that it’s a security recorder because it looks more like a router. In the category of recorders the AXIS companions feels pricey as there are cheaper models available. The axis recorder has fan less design which for me meant placing it out of sight isn’t an issue. The second point is the storage space you get on purchase. A four terabyte hard drive costs rougly one third of the DVR’s price. With many recorders the hard drives have to be bought separately or when bought along with a recorder bump the price up.

Where do I begin? I am a huge fan of the recorder but mostly because of its outlook. I am not a camera novice and I was simply looking for a recorder for my cameras. One of the things which drew me towards the companion recorder was the fan less design. Not having a fan means I can just about place the device anywhere it won’t be exposed to moisture. For a home system recorder eight channels feel a bit excessive in my opinion but then I can’t deny having plenty is better than having none.