Nx + Western Digital = As Easy as Pi
Build a Mini Raspberry Pi NVR
Install Nx Witness VMS or Nx Meta on a Raspberry Pi and add Western Digital Purple SD cards to create a complete mini network video recorder.
3 things you'll need to build a Raspberry Pi NVR
Raspberry Pi, Nx Witness or Nx Meta, and Western Digital Purple SD Card
A Raspberry Pi
You’ll need a Raspberry Pi. We recommend using the latest version – a Raspberry Pi Model B.
Nx Witness or Nx Meta
Choose your Nx VMS software – both Nx Witness VMS and Nx Meta have installation packages.
A microSD card
For this demonstration we’re using WD Purple microSD cards – designed for surveillance.
Build a Raspberry Pi NVR Step by Step Instructions
Step 1 - Install Raspberry OS on your Raspberry Pi
- Download the Raspberry Pi Imager.
- Available for Windows, MacOS, and Ubuntu.
- Insert your SD Card into your computer.
- In our set up we use a 512GB WD Purple SD Card.
- In the Raspberry Pi Imager software choose Raspberry Pi OS(previously called Raspian) and install the OS on your SD Card.
- This may take a few minutes while the OS is downloaded.
- Insert your newly imaged SD card into your Raspberry Pi, plug in Monitor / Keyboard / Mouse and power the sucker on.
- You should now see the Raspberry Pi Boot screen and are ready to move on to step 2. Great success!
Step 2 - Configure your Raspberry Pi and enable SSH
- Configure your Raspberry Pi’s basic settings
- Choose your country, language, time zone, and keyboard settings.
- Change your Default Password
- Choose a password you can remember, but isn’t weak.
- Connect your Pi to a network.
- The Raspberry Pi 4 Model B has Wifi or Ethernet.
- Update your Raspberry Pi OS
- Your Raspberry Pi will prompt you to update to the latest version of Raspberry Pi OS. Do that!
- Enable SSH on your Raspberry Pi
- Click on the Pi in the upper left and navigate to Preferences -> Raspberry Pi Configuration -> Interfaces and check the Enable radio button next to SSH.
Step 3 - Use Terminal to connect via SSH and install Nx Witness or Nx Meta
- Open Terminal and connect to the Raspberry Pi via SSH
- Download the latest Released version (not patch!) of Nx Witness or Nx Meta for Raspberry Pi.
- Nx Witness – available on My Nx
- Nx Meta – available on the Nx Meta Developer Portal.
- Install Nx Witness (or Nx Meta) on your Raspberry Pi.
- Check out our ARM Single Board Computer Installation Instructions
- The Raspberry Pi supports a maximum of 12 cameras / streams.
- And…you’re done! Now you can discover compatible IP cameras, add RTSP / UDP / HTTP Streams, and more!
- Don’t forget to Activate your Free Trial Licenses if this your first time using Nx Witness or Nx Meta.
Watch the video below for step by step instructions for this section.
Why we used a WD Purple microSD card for our Raspberry Pi NVR.
WD Purple microSD cards deliver superior endurance, reliability, and extended temperature range for smart video and surveillance applications such as IP cameras, mDVRs, mNVRs, dash cams, body cams and drones.
They are designed and tested to withstand 24/7 continuous write workloads, meet data retention requirements, and accommodate harsh environmental conditions, WD Purple microSD cards are ideal for low footprint, local storage at the surveillance edge.
WD Purple microSD card Highlights
- Capacities: microSD (8GB – 1TB)
- SDA 6.0 UHS-I interface (WD Purple microSD)
- Variety of endurance offerings and card health monitor for extended continuous recording
- Extended product cycle
- Operating temperature range: -25°C to 85°C
- Advanced firmware memory management features
- Power immunity
- Auto/manual refresh
- ECC
- Wear-leveling
- Remote Diagnostic Report
- Durable Design
- Water-resistant
- Shock-proof
- Impact proof
- X-ray proof
- Magnet proof
Raspberry Pi FAQ
Questions about Raspberry PI? Hit up our Community Forum.
Do you offer support for projects using Raspberry Pi?
- Nx offers limited support and troubleshooting for Raspberry Pi devices.
- See our ARM Support Policy.
Can I buy licenses for the Raspberry Pi?
- Yes. You can contact any Nx Witness Reseller (available at My Nx -> How to Buy) to purchase Pro Licenses for the Raspberry Pi.
- If you are a developer working with Nx Meta you can request long-term trial licenses for your project here.
Does Nx have recommendations for how to optimize my Raspberry Pi?
- This example is the simplest approach to creating a Raspberry Pi NVR. There are many different ways to customize a Raspberry Pi or other ARM based Single Board Computers. For full details and a robust explanation of how to create a small embedded single board ARM device with Nx Witness or Nx Meta check out this article in the Nx Support Portal.
Which version of Nx Witness / Nx Meta should I use for my Raspberry Pi?
- The latest released version.