Quick answer: The CS-N880 H-AI (80 channels, 8×24TB storage, two independent HDMI+VGA output pairs) and the CS-N440 P16H-AI (40 channels, 16 PoE ports, 4×10TB) are the CASE AI NVR models for mid-size and large sites. Both print the full AI by NVR set, VCA Search with License Plate Search, 16 alarm inputs and 4 outputs, and 400Mbps in and out, reduced when AI is on. License Plate Search is an NVR search function, not an LPR camera. CASE NVRs carry a 6-year warranty.
Who needs 40 channels, and who needs 80?
Start from the camera schedule, not the recorder. Count the cameras on day one, add the expansion the customer has mentioned, and check where the cameras will be powered. Then match the recorder:
| Site profile | Fits | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 20 to 40 cameras, up to 16 near the rack | CS-N440 P16H-AI | 16 cameras plug straight into the recorder’s PoE ports; the rest arrive from external switches |
| 20 to 40 cameras, all on network switches | CS-N440 M-AI | Same 40 channels, AI by NVR and storage, no PoE ports, two Gigabit Ethernet ports |
| 40 to 80 cameras on one recorder | CS-N880 H-AI | 80 channels, 8 drive bays, two independent output pairs, two Gigabit ports |
| Two buildings or more than 80 cameras | Two recorders, or a VMS design | Split by building or by risk; see the two-building design guide |
The CS-N440 M-AI is the third option in this family. It shares the 40 channels, bandwidth, storage and AI by NVR rows with the CS-N440 P16H-AI, but prints no PoE ports, Alarm I/O as N/A, and a VCA Search list without License Plate Search. If the job needs plate search or the 16/4 alarm I/O at 40 channels, quote the CS-N440 P16H-AI. The PoE budget of the P16H-AI is not in the catalog row; take it from the spec sheet before assigning PTZs or heated housings to its ports.
What does the full AI by NVR set include?
All three 40/80-channel models print the same AI by NVR row: Face Detection, Face Recognition, Video Structuralization (excludes vehicle detection), Tripwire, Double Tripwire, Perimeter, Object Abandon, Object Missing, Running, Parking, Heatmap, Sleeping on Duty Detection, On Duty Detection, Smart Motion Detection, Loitering. AI by NVR means the recorder runs the analytics on the streams it receives, so cameras without their own analytics can still feed rule-based events. The AI NVR explainer compares this with AI on the camera.
Four points before you promise any of it:
- How many channels run AI at once is not printed in the catalog row. Take it from the spec sheet and design around it.
- Video Structuralization is printed with the note excludes vehicle detection; do not sell it as vehicle attribute search.
- Face Detection and Face Recognition are printed, but using them is a legal decision. US state biometric laws such as Illinois BIPA apply, and in Canada PIPEDA and provincial privacy laws apply, with Quebec the most restrictive. Confirm the use case, model, software, region and legal requirements first, and lead with tripwire, perimeter and smart motion.
- Which cameras’ events appear in which rule is confirmed per model, firmware, software version and project configuration in a bench test, not assumed from the row.
What can VCA Search find, and what is License Plate Search?
VCA Search turns hours of scrubbing into a filtered list of events. The printed lists:
- CS-N880 H-AI: Heatmap, Early-warning Search, Behavior Search, License Plate Search, Safety Helmet Search, Thermographic Retrieval, Duty Search, Electric Bicycle Retrieval, Face Search.
- CS-N440 P16H-AI: Heatmap, Early-warning Search, Behavior Search, Thermographic Retrieval, Duty Search, Electric Bicycle Retrieval, Face Search, Safety Helmet Search, License Plate Search Support.
- CS-N440 M-AI: the same list without License Plate Search.
License Plate Search is a function of the recorder for searching recorded events by plate. It is not an LPR camera and does not turn a general overview camera into one. Reading plates reliably depends on a camera that is positioned, zoomed and configured for plates, and on that camera supplying plate data the NVR can index; what it returns is confirmed per model, firmware, software version and project configuration. Where plates matter, design a dedicated plate camera position at the entry lane as a project conversation; the parking lot guide shows where LPR belongs. The same caution applies to Thermographic Retrieval, which needs a thermal camera such as the CS-I5LQ I-T-4mm and a bench test to confirm results.
For the full investigation workflow, from the first search to an exported clip, see VCA Search: turning sometime last week into a clip.
How do bandwidth, storage and outputs compare?
Bandwidth is printed as incoming / outgoing, with a lower figure when AI is on. Plan with the AI-on figure unless the customer has ruled out recorder-side analytics in writing.
| Row (as printed) | CS-N880 H-AI | CS-N440 P16H-AI |
|---|---|---|
| Bandwidth I/O | 400Mbps / 400Mbps | 400Mbps / 400Mbps |
| Bandwidth with AI on | 320Mbps / 200Mbps | 200Mbps / 200Mbps |
| Storage | 8x24TB HDD | 4x10TB HDD |
| Display ports | HDMI1 and VGA1 – HDMI2 and VGA2 Independent Outputs | 1xHDMI and 1xVGA (independent) |
| Ethernet | 2×RJ-45 10/100/1000 Mbps | 1×RJ45 10/100/1000 Mbps, plus 16 PoE ports |
Worked example (illustrative stream settings, not printed specs)
Eighty cameras with main streams set to 4 Mbps each total 320 Mbps, exactly the CS-N880 H-AI incoming limit with AI on. Recording that continuously writes 320 Mbps × 86,400 s ÷ 8 = about 3.46 TB per day. Eight 24 TB drives give 192 TB raw, so roughly 55 days before overwrite, less after formatting and any redundancy. Forty cameras at 5 Mbps total 200 Mbps on the CS-N440 P16H-AI, about 2.16 TB per day, or roughly 18 days on 40 TB raw. Motion or event recording and S+265, where camera and NVR firmware support it, extend retention; size the real numbers with the NVR storage calculator.
Outputs and alarm I/O
- Independent outputs let the guard desk and a manager’s office show different layouts. The CS-N880 H-AI prints two HDMI+VGA pairs; the CS-N440 P16H-AI prints one HDMI and one VGA, independent.
- 16 alarm inputs and 4 outputs on both models connect door contacts, gate loops and sirens to recorder rules; confirm electrical ratings on the spec sheet.
- Two Gigabit ports on the CS-N880 H-AI help keep camera traffic and the customer’s LAN apart where the firmware supports that configuration.
- Remote viewing runs through CASE Connect. CASE Connect is the official app experience for CASE systems. App features and remote access options should be confirmed by model, software version, and project configuration.
- ONVIF profiles supported are S, T, and G, with M on pinhole models. Third-party behavior is confirmed per platform and project.
Spec table: CS-N880 H-AI and CS-N440 P16H-AI as printed
| Row | CS-N880 H-AI | CS-N440 P16H-AI |
|---|---|---|
| IP video channels | 80CH | 40CH |
| PoE ports | N/A | 16 |
| Bandwidth I/O | 400Mbps / 400Mbps (AI on: 320Mbps / 200Mbps) | 400Mbps / 400Mbps (AI on: 200Mbps / 200Mbps) |
| Resolution | 16MP | 16MP |
| Display ports | HDMI1+VGA1, HDMI2+VGA2, independent | 1xHDMI, 1xVGA, independent |
| Storage | 8x24TB HDD | 4x10TB HDD |
| Alarm I/O | 16 inputs / 4 outputs | 16 inputs / 4 outputs |
| Ethernet | 2×RJ-45 10/100/1000 Mbps | 1×RJ45 10/100/1000 Mbps |
| AI by NVR | Full set (listed above) | Full set (listed above) |
| VCA Search | Includes License Plate Search | Includes License Plate Search Support |
| Warranty | CASE NVRs: 6-year | CASE NVRs: 6-year |
Hard drives are supported through back-to-back manufacturer warranty, separate from the recorder. Use surveillance-rated drives and record their serial numbers in the handover file.
What to tell your customer
“This recorder does more than store video. It can watch for people crossing a line or loitering after hours, and when something happens it lets us search by event type instead of scrolling through days of footage. Plate search works with the cameras we set up for plates at the entrance, not with every camera. The recorder carries a 6-year warranty, the hard drives are covered by their own manufacturer warranty, and all service goes through us.”
FAQ
Is License Plate Search the same as an LPR camera?
No. License Plate Search is a VCA Search function of the CS-N880 H-AI and CS-N440 P16H-AI recorders for finding recorded events by plate. Reliable plate reading still needs a camera positioned and configured for plates at the entry lane. What the search returns is confirmed per model, firmware, software version and project configuration in a bench test.
Why does bandwidth drop when AI is on?
The recorder spends part of its processing on analytics, so the camera bandwidth it accepts is lower. The CS-N880 H-AI prints 400Mbps in, 320Mbps with AI on; the CS-N440 P16H-AI prints 400Mbps in, 200Mbps with AI on. Design the sum of camera main streams against the AI-on figure unless analytics are ruled out in writing.
Should I choose the CS-N440 P16H-AI or the CS-N440 M-AI?
Both print 40 channels, the same bandwidth, 4x10TB storage and the full AI by NVR set. The CS-N440 P16H-AI adds 16 PoE ports, 16 alarm inputs and 4 outputs, and License Plate Search Support. The CS-N440 M-AI has no PoE ports and two Gigabit Ethernet ports, which suits sites where every camera runs through external switches.
Can I use these NVRs on an NDAA-sensitive bid?
CASE offers NDAA-compliant options for compliance-sensitive projects. Anabon confirms the exact products and provides the official compliance documentation for each project. Ask for the per-SKU documentation pack for the exact recorder and every camera on the schedule before the bid closes, and attach it to the submittal instead of relying on a general statement.
What warranty applies to the recorder and the drives?
CASE cameras and CASE NVRs carry a 6-year warranty, so both AI NVRs carry 6 years. Hard drives are supported through back-to-back manufacturer warranty, which is separate. Warranty service runs through the installer or dealer; an end user should contact the installer or company that supplied their system rather than the distributor.
