Hikvision DS-96256NXI-S24R 256CH S-Series NVR — 1280Mbps, 8K HDMI, 24-Bay RAID, Facial Recognition

When 128-channel NVRs are no longer enough, the DS-96256NXI-S24R is what the project specification requires. Hikvision’s S-Series Ultra platform doubles the channel capacity of the standard Ultra Series — 256 simultaneous IP cameras, 1280 Mbps incoming bandwidth, genuine 8K HDMI output, 24 hot-swappable SATA bays for up to 480TB raw storage, and on-board AI analytics powered by the Guanlan engine including full facial recognition, AcuSearch and perimeter protection across all channels. Dual redundant power supplies and RAID 0/1/5/6/10 with N+M hot spare deliver the uptime and data protection that mission-critical deployments demand.

This is the platform for airports, hospital networks, university campuses, government precincts, large commercial building clusters, transport hubs and any Australian infrastructure project where the camera count is measured in the hundreds and footage integrity is non-negotiable. For project pricing, BoM support and multi-unit supply, contact our Project Supply Desk — minimum $10k project value.

256 Channels at Full Throughput — 1280 Mbps

The DS-96256NXI-S24R connects up to 256 simultaneous IP cameras with 1280 Mbps incoming bandwidth — sufficient to handle 256 channels of high-resolution continuous recording simultaneously without degradation. Compatible with the full range of current Hikvision AcuSense IP cameras. Third-party ONVIF cameras may be compatible — verify against the Hikvision camera compatibility list before deployment as not all ONVIF devices are guaranteed to work with this NVR. AI analytics functions require AcuSense-capable Hikvision cameras with the relevant functions enabled.

8K HDMI Output — Genuine Control Room Capability

The DS-96256NXI-S24R has four HDMI outputs and two VGA outputs simultaneously, with four independent output modes for flexible control room configurations. HDMI 3 delivers genuine 8K (7680×4320/30Hz) — the highest output resolution in CommsDirect’s Hikvision NVR range. HDMI 1 and HDMI 2 each output up to 4K. HDMI 4 and both VGA outputs provide 1080p. In Mode 3 — independent output — the configuration delivers 8K + 4K + 1080p across three independent display groups simultaneously, making this the correct specification for large-scale control rooms requiring multiple independent high-resolution display zones.

Facial Recognition — 64 Libraries, 300,000 Faces

On-board facial recognition manages up to 64 dedicated face picture libraries with a total capacity of 300,000 face images. Face picture comparison runs across 16 channels simultaneously at 24 pictures per second — real-time identification at the scale required for airports, government facilities, hospital networks and large commercial precincts. Facial detection and analytics capabilities include face picture comparison, human face capture and face picture search. For access control verification, known-person alerting, VIP recognition and high-security entry point management across Australia, this is enterprise-grade facial analytics built into the recorder platform without requiring external processing hardware.

AcuSearch — 345,600 Targets Per Day Across All Channels

AcuSearch on the DS-96256NXI-S24R indexes recorded footage by person and vehicle attributes across all 256 channels — the system models up to 345,600 targets per day, enabling post-incident searches that return results in seconds rather than hours of manual playback. Search by clothing colour, gender, age range, vehicle colour, vehicle type and plate number simultaneously across all connected cameras. AcuSearch requires Hikvision AcuSense-capable cameras with the function enabled — verify camera compatibility before speccing. At 345,600 targets per day across 256 channels, this platform is viable for the highest-traffic sites in Australia where standard search tools break down under volume.

24-Bay RAID Storage — Up to 480TB, Hot-Swappable

Twenty-four hot-plug SATA bays each support drives up to 20TB — 480TB maximum raw storage capacity. RAID 0, 1, 5, 6 and 10 are all supported, plus N+M hot spare configuration — multiple designated standby drives automatically take over failed active drives, maintaining data integrity without manual intervention and without recording interruption. Hot-swappable bays mean drive replacement happens during live operation with no system downtime. H.265+ compression reduces storage consumption by up to 75% compared to H.264, extending effective retention across all 24 bays significantly. For deployments with footage retention compliance requirements — government, healthcare, financial services, critical infrastructure — 480TB with RAID-protected redundancy and N+M hot spare is the appropriate storage architecture.

Dual Redundant Power Supplies

Two independent power supply units operate simultaneously — if one fails, the other maintains full system operation without interruption. In 24/7 mission-critical deployments where a recording gap is operationally or legally unacceptable, dual redundant PSUs are not optional. The DS-96256NXI-S24R includes this capability as standard, alongside RAID storage protection, for a complete redundancy architecture at the platform level.

4× 2.5 Gbps Ethernet — Enterprise Network Infrastructure

Four independent 2.5 Gbps self-adaptive Ethernet ports provide both network redundancy and the bandwidth headroom required for 256-channel high-resolution streaming in enterprise network architectures. At 1280 Mbps incoming bandwidth, the four 2.5 Gbps ports provide the aggregate network throughput to match. For deployments integrating with fibre backbone infrastructure, an optional extension board adds SFP optical interfaces for direct fibre connectivity.

Ideal Applications Across Australia

✈️ Airports & transport hubs — 256 channels covers terminals, gates, car parks, perimeter and landside simultaneously. Facial recognition at entry points and AcuSearch for post-incident investigation across all camera footage in seconds

🏥 Hospitals & health networks — continuous 24/7 recording with RAID redundancy and dual PSU meets the footage retention and uptime requirements of healthcare security frameworks across Australian campuses

🎓 Universities & large campuses — unified recording platform across multiple buildings, car parks, residences and public areas. Facial recognition for access control, AcuSearch for incident investigation

🏛️ Government & critical infrastructure — dual redundant power, RAID-protected storage and N+M hot spare deliver the uptime and data integrity required for government security frameworks and critical infrastructure obligations

🏬 Large commercial precincts — shopping centre networks, logistics and distribution campuses, industrial precincts where 128-channel NVRs have been outgrown. Single platform, single management interface, 256 cameras

🏗️ Major projects & integrators — for formal project specifications, tender submissions, BoM support or multi-unit supply across Australia, contact our Project Supply Desk — $10k minimum project value

The DS-96256NXI-S24R is part of the Hikvision NVR range at CommsDirect — sourced through authorised Australian distribution with full Australian manufacturer warranty. For enterprise-scale deployments, government projects or multi-unit supply across Australia, contact our Project Supply Desk for tailored project pricing and specification support.

For warranty enquiries or pre-purchase technical advice, contact us via the enquiry form or chat with us online. Download the full product datasheet for complete technical specifications.