Instead of Motion Capture

[Sabot]

Good morning,

I don't know how to ask this, so here I go! Is it possible to capture high resolution still images vs live motion? I have been testing the email notifications within Bi and noticed that I am getting some very good facial captures via the still image vs the motion capture of the same event. Is it possible to configure my camera's to record snap shots for a period of time? Pros and cons of doing so?

 

[fenderman]

I dont see how the jpeg would be clearer than the video as the jpeg is taken from the video stream itself..if you want the jpegs in the record tab you can set create a jpeg snapshop each 00:01 and select only when triggered. This will give you 1 jpeg per second..

 

[PlusPower]

@fenderman
Imagine you have 5MP cameras that can stream at 15 fps. How much CPU power, network speed and storage capacity woud you need to capture several streams simultaneously?
After testing such cameras and finding out that there are not enoug ressources for the full HD streams, the common next step would be to reduce the resolution resulting in less clarity.
I think Sabot's question is quite reasonable if he compares high res still images with low res live motion.
@Sabot
In camera properties BI offers the possibility to "create a snapshot each" [mm:ss].
Perhaps that's what you are looking for.

 

[fenderman]

@PlusPower...blue iris pulls the stream form the camera...so if you reduce the quality of the stream then the quality of the jpeg will suffer the same reduction.
As an aside, the proper solution is not reducing the quality of the image, but buying a more powerful system or using the camera manufacturer software that can use in camera motion...whats the point of paying for 5mp if you are going to reduce the resolution? Thats like putting racing tires on a Chevy sonic...

 

[PlusPower]

@PlusPower...blue iris pulls the stream form the camera...so if you reduce the quality of the stream then the quality of the jpeg will suffer the same reduction.

That's true of course, but I think Sabot's idea was to use the hires JPGs instead of the video stream.
The reason I am interfering in this conversation is beacuse I just bought a new 5mp camera (not a Chevy, only cost me 100€ + shipping) and already experienced how much my CPU was stressed.
Streaming at full resolution and fps with BI4x64 is currently impossible. So experimenting with snapshots could be an option before buying a new PC.

 

[fenderman]

That's true of course, but I think Sabot's idea was to use the hires JPGs instead of the video stream.
The reason I am interfering in this conversation is beacuse I just bought a new 5mp camera (not a Chevy, only cost me 100€ + shipping) and already experienced how much my CPU was stressed.
Streaming at full resolution and fps with BI4x64 is currently impossible. So experimenting with snapshots could be an option before buying a new PC.

I understand but he wants to use blue iris to do this which is impossible...because blue iris would be getting the lower stream....the only way to do this would be to have the camera write to nas or pc...
Side point, going to 5mp is not always a good idea, many of the cams (the cheaper ones) have very poor night vision.
What is the processor on the pc you are using?

 

[technet]

I can tell by my own experience that even a good i7 processor will have considerably high CPU utilization when Full HD or even higher resolution cameras are used. I'm not sure if direct-to-disk recording would help on this scenario, and this seems to have his own drawbacks also.

 

[fenderman]

I can tell by my own experience that even a good i7 processor will have considerably high CPU utilization when Full HD or even higher resolution cameras are used. I'm not sure if direct-to-disk recording would help on this scenario, and this seems to have his own drawbacks also.

A modern haswell i7 can handle a significant amount of megapixels before it stresses out...There is a significant difference between i7 processor models as well as generations...the first generation i7 are considerably weaker than a modern haswell i7...i can tell you that using a haswell i7 i can record 22mp at about 22% cpu utilization using direct to disc...that means i can easily do 44mp and still stay under 50 percent cpu....the only real drawback to d2d is not being able to use blue iris overlays and camera rotation...but that is the case for all NVR's as well as all pc nvr software...

 

[PlusPower]

@fenderman
My CPU is AMD A8-5600K (3,6GHz)
Currently there are already 10 cameras @ 640x480 connected. CPU load: 35%
With the additional 5mp camera CPU goes to 95%

 

[fenderman]

@fenderman
My CPU is AMD A8-5600K (3,6GHz)
Currently there are already 10 cameras @ 640x480 connected. CPU load: 35%
With the additional 5mp camera CPU goes to 95%

That processor ranks just below a haswell i3-4130 but should still be able to handle your load...have you tried using direct to disk on the 5mp camera?

 

[technet]

@PlusPower:

One system that I mantain is DualCore Intel Pentium E5300, 2600 MHz (13 x 200) Wolfdale-2M with 10 cameras at 640x480. CPU utilization is bellow 35% when main window application is minimized.

Yours was minimized?

 

[PlusPower]

@technet:
95% CPU was when I tested the 5mp camera with the application window open.
Actually the 35% CPU load apply to 10 cameras with the application window closed.
It's about 70% load with the window open in BIv4x64.

With BIv4x64 I recognize a huge increase in CPU load when the main window is open.
In BIv3 there was not so much difference between application window open or closed.
Therefore I am thinking about going back to the 32bit version of v4.
What's the advantage of using the x64 application?

 

[fenderman]

@technet:
95% CPU was when I tested the 5mp camera with the application window open.
Actually the 35% CPU load apply to 10 cameras with the application window closed.
It's about 70% load with the window open in BIv4x64.

With BIv4x64 I recognize a huge increase in CPU load when the main window is open.
In BIv3 there was not so much difference between application window open or closed.
Therefore I am thinking about going back to the 32bit version of v4.
What's the advantage of using the x64 application?

Are you running the latest .18 version?
You have nothing to lose by running 32bit...the advantage is 64 is only for those who were running out of memory with 32bit, its not a concern with your number of cameras.

 

[Overcon]

I am at 81% CPU utilization running 6 cameras on a i7 960 @ 3.20 with 6GB of triple channel RAM under 2012 Server R2 x64. I am not using direct to disk as of yet but that will probably change once I add the last two cameras. The resolutions are:

1920x1080 @ 60hz
1920x1080 @ 60hz
1920x1080 @ 60hz
1920x1080 @ 60hz
1280x720 @ 60hz
640x480 (Foscam)

I will be adding two more:
1920x1080 @ 60hz
1920x1080 @ 60hz

I was considering purchasing a new MB, RAM and CPU but I didn't want to spend the $700 right now for a i7-4790, 32GB of ram and a Gigabyte motherboard, 750w PS and a CPU heatsink.

 

[fenderman]

I am at 81% CPU utilization running 6 cameras on a i7 960 @ 3.20 with 6GB of triple channel RAM under 2012 Server R2 x64. I am not using direct to disk as of yet but that will probably change once I add the last two cameras. The resolutions are:

1920x1080 @ 60hz
1920x1080 @ 60hz
1920x1080 @ 60hz
1920x1080 @ 60hz
1280x720 @ 60hz
640x480 (Foscam)

I will be adding two more:
1920x1080 @ 60hz
1920x1080 @ 60hz

I was considering purchasing a new MB, RAM and CPU but I didn't want to spend the $700 right now for a i7-4790, 32GB of ram and a Gigabyte motherboard, 750w PS and a CPU heatsink.

You can drop the load significantly by using d2d..regardless, you dont need 32 gig of ram on a blue iris machine, ever. 8 will be more than you need. You also dont need a 750w power supply...getting a power supply that is way over spec will lead to inefficiencies. Just get an 80 plus power supply rated at 350 or so...

 

[Overcon]

You can drop the load significantly by using d2d..regardless, you dont need 32 gig of ram on a blue iris machine, ever. 8 will be more than you need. You also dont need a 750w power supply...getting a power supply that is way over spec will lead to inefficiencies. Just get an 80 plus power supply rated at 350 or so...

I am setting d2d right now to see how much it drops. I can see if I can find a good 80Plus PS. I lowest I can find is a Antec EarthWatts EA-380D Green 380 Watt 80 PLUS BRONZE Power Supply but that's the only manufacture that I have ever had a PS die and take a MB with it. The next up is a Corsair Builder Series CX 430 Watt ATX/EPS 80 PLUS which is actually cheaper than the Antec. They don't make many low power PS anymore. They phase them out because they cost the same amount to make as the larger ones, no profit.

I can get a 8GB set of memory (2x4). That should leave enough memory for the OS and BI. That gets me down to $573.96

 

[fenderman]

If you wait for a sale at the dell outlet, you can pick up a full i7 haswell system for that price.

 

[technet]

With a XFX XTR power supply you have the great advantage of the Hybrid Fan Mode that turns the fan on only when needed, which is, in my case, almost never. Less power consumption, dust and noise.

 

[Overcon]

d2d got me down to 48% utilization.

 

[fenderman]

d2d got me down to 48% utilization.

Thats great...remember with d2d, it begins recording on the i-frame, so make sure to match the iframes to your fps (in the camera) increase your pretrigger frames to be at least double your fps(in blue iris)